English Premier League January Sales: Worst 10 Transfers

The thing about the January sales is that someone, somewhere is going to get "ripped off" or, in the case of this article, the eight clubs involved in the worst 10 January transfers.

Sometimes, it really is a case of, “they saw you coming,” but in the case of Tottenham Hotspur, it would appear they have been down re-visiting the local Barclays Premier League pawn shop.

"They Saw You Coming"

The best way to describe Spurs over the last two years would be "a shambles" and that is just on the pitch but this article isn’t about the shambles on the pitch and is about Spurs January transfer policy, which could best be described as a complete shambles.

Over the last year, Tottenham sold Robbie Keane, Jermain Defoe, and Pascal Chimbonda to Liverpool, Portsmouth and Sunderland respectively for reasons varying from making money to Chimbonda being surplus to requirements.

Fast forward a year or six months in the cases of Keane and Chimbonda, and the White Hart Lane side have had a serious change of heart under new boss Harry Redknapp, re-signing all three players during this window in what looks like a gambler collecting his belongings from a pawn shop after getting his monthly dole money.

As for Liverpool’s decision to let Keane go?

Absolute madness, the Reds need all the help they can get if they are to mount a serious championship challenge and this decision speaks volumes. Liverpool clearly doesn’t believe it can win it.

Now, I’m not sure which fans are happiest Jermaine Pennant joined Portsmouth on loan until the end of the season, Liverpool or Portsmouth? The winger left the Reds shooting his mouth off about lack of opportunities so I’m hoping he proves whatever he feels he has to prove over the next six months (which to most of us, is quite a lot) but you won’t find many players more undeserving of being a top professional and I use that term loosely.

10 years is a long time for a professional at any club, particularly in the modern era, which makes Kevin Nolan’s decision to leave Bolton Wanderers for Newcastle United even stranger. Why give up a comfy job to try and save Woolworths?

The four million pound move could though, be the making of Nolan, who in all honesty, has gone through the last 10 years of his career unchallenged, so luckily for him, Joey Barton is out for the next month.

Speaking of challenges, Ariza Makukula announced himself in England with a late hit on Nemanja Vidic and immediately earned a black mark in the eyes of this writer. Bolton seems to fair better with Kevin Davies doing his own thing in any case.

Anyone who reads my opinion regularly will know I do not have much time for Craig “I’ll be here for a season” Bellamy. Why Manchester City wasted £14 million on a player who plays in the same position as their hottest young prospect Daniel Sturridge after the youngster proved his credentials over the first half of the season is a mystery to some.

To me, it tells Sturridge and the likes of Joe Hart that their City days are numbered. You can’t say they are players for the future when in the next window, you will just sign more big name players.

It was great to see none of the relegation candidates signing Nigel "The Relegation Jinx” Quashie this season, but in Marlon King, Middlesbrough have signed a striker on loan, who is not capable of keeping them up. The fact he has come on loan from Hull City after failing at Wigan Athletic should say it all really.

We have been told for the last year West Ham United is flat broke and would be forced to sell players just to survive.

How do they justify spending nine million pounds on a kid who has played just 22 league games, scoring three goals for Brescia in Italy‘s Serie B?

Savio Nsereko may well be an exciting talent but that is all he is, didn’t the Hammers learn their lesson from Julien Faubert (a six million pounds signing that was promptly crocked) about not putting all your eggs in one basket?

Finally, just when I have been congratulating Wigan on their transfer policy of signing unknown players and grooming them into top stars capable of earning big fees, Steve Bruce probably picks off more than he can chew with Charles Insomnia.

Sorry. That is Charles N’Zogbia.

The former Newcastle man is a pain in the backside who has never lived up to his potential a bit like Jermaine Pennant and like the Portsmouth player, talks way too much about what he could do instead of just doing it. Six million pounds plus Ryan Taylor is pretty pricey but Wigan did make a fortune from Wilson Palacios.

I wonder what the odds are for a Ryan Taylor winner next time the Magpies face Wigan? It’s definitely worth a flutter.

As for the worst buy of January 2009, I’ll leave that up to you but be sure and let me know.