5 January Transfer Window Deals That Clubs Will Regret by May
The 2015 January transfer period ended 10 days ago, but the window's ramifications are still being determined. Players need time to acclimate themselves with new surroundings and new team-mates, while clubs have to cope with both incoming and departing pieces.
Some dealings pan out perfectly. The player, old club and new club receive exactly what they had hoped for.
Newton's third law of motion tells us, however, that "for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction."
Though some deals will go smoothly, more than a few will end poorly. Whether through coaching difficulty, injuries or simply round pegs attempting to fit in square holes, things will invariably go sideways.
Whether selling a player, buying a player, using loans or straight releases, the 2015 winter window is a source of regret. We cannot know exactly where regret resides at present, but it is out there; time will give us certainty.
Here are five January deals that could potentially turn sour for an involved club.
Manchester United: Selling Wilfried Zaha to Crystal Palace
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Wilfried Zaha played just four senior matches for Manchester United. Bought for £15 million in January 2013, the last purchase of Sir Alex Ferguson's tenure never got an opportunity to establish himself at Old Trafford.
Ferguson, David Moyes and Louis van Gaal saw the now-22-year-old winger as surplus and loaned him out. The progression of loans culminated in his sale to Crystal Palace and new manager Alan Pardew this winter for "an initial £3 million," according to PA Sport (via ESPN FC).
It appears United's loan system has worked in reverse: They bought a young, promising talent at slightly over market rate, loaned him on three occasions and lost money in his sale.
Only going to get better with matches, experience and confidence from his new manager—who clearly wanted him—Zaha has every possibility of becoming the star many envisioned he would blossom into.
His stardom, though, would come at Manchester United's expense.
Swansea City: Selling Wilfried Bony to Manchester City
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Swansea City should not be blamed for selling Wilfried Bony. Purchased for £12 million from Vitesse Arnhem in 2013, Manchester City offering £28 million for the striker is wonderful business.
The question facing Garry Monk for the remainder of this season is this: Could the Swans have waited?
Courted by City, Chelsea, Arsenal, Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur—according to James Dickenson of the Daily Express—Bony leaving in the summer would still have been an option, and an argument existed for keeping the Ivorian in Wales and offloading him in the summer.
Swansea have placed their faith and mid-table fate in the right boot of Bafetimbi Gomis, who they signed on a free transfer last summer. If the Frenchman can provide offensive production, the deal was warranted. But considering Gomis has scored just one goal in 17 EPL appearances (969 minutes), the Swans might have sold their talisman four months too early.
Everton: Adding Aaron Lennon on Loan from Tottenham Hotspur
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Appearing over 360 times for Tottenham Hotspur, Aaron Lennon leaving north London for Everton was an interesting deadline-day loan.
Already borrowing Chelsea's Christian Atsu (who was the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations Orange Man of the Competition) and possessing the likes of Kevin Mirallas, Aiden McGeady and Arouna Kone—who can all play on the right wing—why Everton opted for Lennon is curious.
Europa League duty has certainly taken its toll on the Merseyside Blues. Their 2013/14 form has vanished, and thinking Lennon will revamp things is an elephantine gamble.
Roberto Martinez could salvage his season in two ways. The first is scuttling Europa League football (which resumes 19 February vs. Young Boys) to focus on the Premier League. The second is placing all his eggs in the European basket since the Europa League winner gets an automatic Champions League spot.
Newcastle United: Releasing Hatem Ben Arfa Free of Charge
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Newcastle United's January decision to release Hatem Ben Arfa (known for possessing a petulant attitude) was not surprising but possibly shortsighted.
Despite falling out with two managers this year, Ben Arfa signed with Ligue 1's OGC Nice but was unable to complete his move. Playing for Newcastle's U21 side, the Magpies first team and Hull City, the French midfielder was held by FIFA regulations saying one cannot play for more than two sides in a season.
The move to Nice proved, however, that a market for his services exists.
Rated at £5.3 million by TransferMarkt and bought for £2 million, there appeared an opportunity for Newcastle owner Mike Ashley to make money.
Moreover, should Moussa Sissoko and others be linked with moves away from St. James' Park this summer, selling Ben Arfa looked a better option than releasing him since Newcastle may have people to replace before 2015/16.
Chelsea: Selling Andre Schurrle to VfL Wolfsburg
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By the start of the 2015/16 season, it is possible Chelsea will no longer miss Andre Schurrle.
The German's replacement, Juan Cuadrado, will have had six months to acclimate himself with west London, Premier League football and Jose Mourinho. Right now, though, none of those processes are 100 percent complete.
With three competitions left to navigate, Mourinho needs members of his squad who know their roles. Schurrle would obviously have wanted to play more minutes at Stamford Bridge, but he perfectly understood the role of supersub (see the 2014 World Cup final or Chelsea at Manchester City).
Cuadrado is an unknown quantity after spending so much time in Serie A. Chelsea's boss cannot predict what the Colombian international will give him this season, but Schurrle was a predictable, quality piece who possessed an eye for goal.
The £22 million price tag from VfL Wolfsburg was ultimately too rich to ignore, but until next season, Schurrle would have been a better option for the Blues.
*Stats via WhoScored.com; transfer fees via Soccerbase.com where not noted.
