The January Transfer Window: The Winners and Losers

One of the most important parts of the football season, the January transfer window, has finally slammed shut.

A month of speculation can be put to bed, while teams ponder whether they made the most of the allotted time.

Plenty of teams got the men they wanted, while many will be ruing that the window came and nicked some of their prize assets.

Many were given offers they simply couldn't refuse, while some gave offers that were shunned as quickly as it took Robbie Keane to re-join Spurs, one of the many transfers we saw on another intriguing deadline day.

As far as the winners go in the transfer window you don't need to look any further than Keane's new club, Tottenham Hotspur.

Harry Redknapp has brought in five new players, including Jermain Defoe and Wilson Palacios, both for £12 million.

However, the best signing relegation-threatened Spurs made is the acquisition of Carlo Cudicini from Chelsea.

Even behind Petr Cech, Cudicini is seen as one of the best goalkeepers in the Premiership and with the issues surrounding Heurelho Gomes it's an excellent signing.

The most protracted transfer of the window involved Andrei Arshavin's move to Arsenal, which Zenit St. Petersburg did its best to string out for the entire window.

Arsenal got their man, a player I see as a replacement for Alexander Hleb—a move that has come too late for their title challenge and maybe even for their Champions League qualification hopes.

Manchester City will also find themselves in good shape after a good January period, off the pitch at least.

After spending £47 million in the month Mark Hughes will be expected to finish in the top half, even if their bid for Kaka did eventually fail.

The £14 million they paid for Craig Bellamy however seems to me to be an oversight. It's a lot for a player who is constantly in trouble off the pitch with teammates, and who is very injury-prone on it.

However, his last great season in the league was under Hughes at Blackburn, and of course they were together at Wales so maybe the duo can work successfully once again.

Talking of Blackburn, you have to think they have done brilliantly to keep hold of Roque Santa Cruz, a player who seemed destined for Eastlands.

Half of the job instilled in new man Sam Allardyce has now been accomplished; now for staving off relegation.

Bolton Wanderers have also done themselves no harm—losing Kevin Nolan won't affect their season so far, but will the three players brought in finally turn the fans round to Gary Megson's successful regime?

Another signing that could change the fortunes of a Premiership club is James Beattie.

The former Southampton and Everton striker has moved to Stoke City to revitalise their season, after the loss of Richardo Fuller and Dave Kitson's continuing woes.

For me, Beattie will assure Stoke stay in the league for at least another season, something that Tony Pulis deserves after doing an excellent job this year.

The Football League has been littered with surprising and quality signings.

Reading have bolstered their squad with the signing of Jay Tabb from Coventry, a case of the best getting better.

Birmingham have reacted to what was a disappointing end to the year with Lee Bowyer and Scott Sinclair coming in, signings that should at least guarantee a top three finish.

Sheffield United may have lost Beattie, but the signing of youngster Jamie Ward from Chesterfield seems to be a shrewd one.

The talented young striker has been lighting up League Two, and after scoring the winner at St. Mary's last night for his new club, his talent is there for all to see.

Look no further than Lee Trundle making a temporary move to Leeds United, a move that could either push Leeds toward the Championship, or keep them in their current position of outside the playoffs.

Colchester have boosted their promotion ambition as well, with Simon Hackney coming in from Carlisle, a necessary winger for the Essex-based club.

And as we saw Wayne Bridge sign a five-year deal and then move on to Manchester City just six months later, the same could not be said about Andy Bishop of Bury.

Bishop has turned down a number of moves in the window and in previous summers, and has now penned a new contract to keep him at the club for the foreseeable future.

The striker for one won't be moving on for the added bonus of an improved paycheck.

Now we turn to the losers of the window, as they don't come worse off than Wigan Athletic.

Having lost two of their best players in Wilson Palacios and Emile Heskey, they have replaced the duo with Mido, Charles N'Zogbia, and Ben Watson.

Their league position is sure to be affected, but with the bids in question for the two players, the club aren't in a position to turn down the offers.

Portsmouth have lost potentially their finest two players, and with owner Alexander Gaydamak keeping the £32 million for his own gain, funds for transfers have been limited.

To replace the duo, Hayden Mullins has come in from West Ham, and Theofanis Gekas on loan, hardly names to light up the Premiership.

With small funds, and a terrible transfer window, Pompey will struggle to stay in Premiership, with such a one-dimensional attacking formation, a defense without a clue, and a manager already proving he's out of his depth, things don't look rosy.

As the Football League goes, no one is worse off than Stockport County.

Anthony Pilkington and Jim McNulty have both departed, as Jim Ganon bemoans the financial situation of the club as the best of their young players are sold off.

County lie ninth in League One, and things are set to get worse as they attempt to complete a second successive promotion.

But as you can probably tell it's not all been doom and gloom in this year's transfer window. Most teams got what they came for, a factor that will assure an exciting end to the season across the football pyramid.