Player Grades for the 20 Biggest January Transfer Window Signings
Here are snapshot grades for the 20 biggest January transfer signings of 2015, where footballers like Wilfried Bony, Juan Cuadrado, Andre Schurrle, et al. will be evaluated on their first impressions.
Only permanent deals or loans that were extended into permanent deals have been included.
The grades are NOT conclusions on the footballer's transfer. Instead, the grades are just meant to give you an idea on the player's early progress.
The transfers will be ranked from smallest to largest fee and graded subjectively via four main standards:
- Current playing ability.
- Potential playing ability.
- Transfer economic efficiency.
- Projected transfer resell value.
Best Transfers that Didn't Make the Main List
- Dutch central midfielder Daley Sinkgraven, 19, Heerenveen → Ajax: €6.50/£4.64 million.
- Danish centre-back Jannik Vestergaard, 22, Hoffenheim → Werder Bremen: €2.50/£1.79 million.
- Swedish central midfielder Simon Tibbling, 20, Djurgardens → Groningen: €1.30 million/£928,954.
- French central midfielder Clement Chantome, 27, Paris Saint-Germain → Bordeaux: €750,000/£535,935.
- Slovakian central midfielder/left/right-winger Albert Rusnak, 20, Manchester City → Groningen: €550,000/£393,019.
20. Eric Bailly (Villarreal)
1 of 20
- Espanyol → Villarreal: €5.70/£4.07 million.
- Early Grade: A.
Ivorian centre-back Eric Bailly, 20, routinely glides across the defence to cut off a pass or stop an opposing forward.
Bailly wins back the ball 6.6 times per game (3.3 tackles, 3.3 interceptions per game) for Villarreal.
While Bailly is impressive, he needs to cut down on odd miscues and inexplicable lapses in concentration.
Sergio Gonzalez, who coached Bailly at Espanyol, highlighted the Ivorian's upside.
"For me [Bailly is] a spectacular player," Gonzalez said, per Heath Chesters at Inside Spanish Football. "I'm confident in his potential."
19. Jordon Mutch (Crystal Palace)
2 of 20
- Queens Park Rangers → Crystal Palace: €6.66/£4.75 million.
- Early Grade: F.
English central midfielder Jordon Mutch, 23, epitomises everything wrong with Premier League money.
To Premier League clubs, €6.66/£4.75 million is loose change, hence why Crystal Palace had no issues paying that amount to Queens Park Rangers for a flop in Mutch.
If this was the 2013-14 Cardiff City Mutch, then OK, it is a calculated gamble.
But the Queens Park Rangers Mutch was in a slump.
- Failed to score a goal in 519 minutes.
- 22.22 shooting accuracy percentage.
- Averaged 25.4 passes per game (39.7 passes per 90 minutes).
- Averaged 1.7 tackles per game (2.6 tackles per 90 minutes).
Crystal Palace should not be surprised that Mutch is a step behind play, lacks a cutting edge to his game and is generally a passenger.
He has been out of form, so spending €6.66/£4.75 million to sign him is an unnecessary investment.
When Mutch is fully fit (why weren't his injury problems a red flag?), Crystal Palace need to shift him into a free-roaming deep-lying forward role, where he is forced to become more involved in the game.
He proved at Cardiff City he can score goals in the Premier League (seven goals in 35 games), and he has flashed moments of quality.
Mutch is a good player, but the transfer fee paid for him in his circumstances is financially irresponsible.
18. Tin Jedvaj (Bayer Leverkusen)
3 of 20
- Roma → Bayer Leverkusen: €7/£5 million.
- Early Grade: B+.
Croatian right/centre/left-back Tin Jedvaj, 19, is in a David Luiz-like situation.
Jedvaj's best moments are not in the defensive half, it is when he is running forward and either laying the ball off to Karim Bellarabi or unleashing a shot at goal.
Defensively, Jedvaj is not there yet, which probably explains why Roma were content to let him go rather than inflating his transfer stock, a la Marquinhos.
The B+ grade is mainly a reflection on Jedvaj's upside.
Instead of playing in the A-Jugend Bundesliga West, Bayer Leverkusen trusted Jedvaj enough to have given him an extended starting run in the Bundesliga.
He is only going to get better once he returns from a hamstring injury.
Jedvaj is currently the 10th highest-rated player at Bayer Leverkusen, according to Kicker.
17. Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa (Roma)
4 of 20
- Newcastle United → Roma: €7.70/£5.50 million.
- Early Grade: A.
French centre-back Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa, 25, is worth at least €15/£10.72 million.
Roma secured him at a discount after Newcastle United inexplicably failed to recognise he was their most gifted defender.
Yanga-Mbiwa is a passing outlet from the back, completing 91.9 percent of his 57.4 passes per game.
He has bolstered Roma's back line, hence why the Giallorossi have the second-best defence in Serie A.
16. Thorgan Hazard (Borussia Monchengladbach)
5 of 20
- Chelsea → Borussia Monchengladbach: €8/£5.72 million.
- Early Grade: A+.
Belgian left/right-winger Thorgan Hazard, 21, interchanges from impact sub to starter.
Inconsistency holds him back from being able to truly show everyone what he can accomplish, but this is a great deal for Borussia Monchengladbach.
Hazard has proven, despite being anonymous for significant portions of games, he can pull off game-changing plays.
Hazard has recorded six assists, one behind Arjen Robben (seven), despite only starting 30 percent of Bundesliga games he is involved in for Borussia Monchengladbach.
Chelsea negotiating a buy-back clause into Hazard's contract explains the low transfer fee.
It appears Chelsea are open to bringing back Hazard into the first team should he develop exponentially.
[1] In theory, if Hazard met the appearances requirement to make Kicker's list.
Currently the fourth highest-rated player at Borussia Monchengladbach, according to Kicker, which is great for an irregular starter.
15. Matija Nastasic (Schalke)
6 of 20
- Manchester City → Schalke: €9.50/£6.79 million.
- Early Grade: C+.
Serbian centre-back Matija Nastasic, 21, will hope Schalke won't discard him as quickly as Manchester City did.
Considering Nastasic lacks a pre-season and is still acclimatising to Gelsenkirchen, he has been OK.
Sure, Schalke have been conceding goals with Nastasic in their back line, but their midfield offers minimum protection.
[1] In theory if Nastasic met the appearances requirement to make Kicker's list.
Currently the 11th highest-rated player at Schalke, according to Kicker.
14. Luis Muriel (Sampdoria)
7 of 20
- Udinese → Sampdoria: €10.50/£7.50 million.
- Early Grade: A+.
Colombian centre/right-forward Luis Muriel, 23, may have reignited his career by signing with Sampdoria.
A once-in-a-generation talent, Muriel needs to continue working hard to maximise his unbelievable upside.
He has started excellently at Sampdoria, scoring three times and providing an assist in his first five Serie A games.
However, you worry about his fitness levels going forward.
13. Kevin Kampl (Borussia Dortmund)
8 of 20
- Red Bull Salzburg → Borussia Dortmund: €12/£8.57 million.
- Early Grade: D.
Slovenian right winger Kevin Kampl, 24, was signed to bring instant attacking production to an inconsistent Borussia Dortmund team desperate to avoid relegation.
Kampl has the skills, the trickery and the technique but lacks the end product—no goals, one assist in 420 minutes of Bundesliga play, spread over seven games.
| Kevin Kampl 14-15 | Red Bull Salzburg UEFA Europa League | Borussia Dortmund Bundesliga |
| Passes Per 90 Mins. | 51.80 | 41.40 |
| Key Passes Per 90 Mins. | 3.70 | 1.30 |
| Pass Success % | 82.30 | 68.90 |
| Dribbles Per 90 Mins. | 2.30 | 2.10 |
| Dribble Success % | 58.33 | 66.67 |
However, there are minor positives.
Kampl is a coachable player, he tracks back and works hard without the ball.
[1] In theory if Kampl met the appearances requirement to make Kicker's list.
Currently the 16th highest-rated player at Borussia Dortmund, according to Kicker.
12. Manolo Gabbiadini (Napoli)
9 of 20
- Sampdoria → Napoli: €13/£9.29 million.
- Early Grade: B+.
Italian right attacking midfielder Manolo Gabbiadini, 23, probably prefers shooting from long range than camping inside the opposing penalty box.
While he can poach goals, Gabbiadini can be lethal from outside the box if left unmarked.
He is Napoli's alternative option to Jose Callejon.
11. Andrej Kramaric (Leicester City)
10 of 20
- Rijeka → Leicester City: €13.57/£9.7 million.
- Early Grade: F.
Croatian centre-forward Andrej Kramaric, 23, has gone from looking like the Balkan Gerd Muller on YouTube to barely a Premier League-standard No. 9.
Leicester City have scored the third-least amount of goals in the Premier League (24 goals from 28 games).
Therefore, you surmise Kramaric was signed as an insurance package to ensure Leicester City score goals to win games, thus avoiding relegation.
So far, Kramaric is on course to be a bust.
| Andrej Kramaric 14-15 | Rijeka UEFA Europa League | Leicester City Premier League |
| Goals/Games | 5/6 | 1/7 |
| Goals Per Game | 0.83 | 0.14 |
| Shots Per Goal | 4.60 | 15 |
| Shooting Accuracy % | 47.83 | 40 |
10. Ryan Bertrand (Southampton)
11 of 20
- Chelsea → Southampton: €14/£10 million.
- Early Grade: A.
Southampton signing English left-back Ryan Bertrand, 25, at a fair transfer fee was outstanding.
He has played a vital role in Southampton having the best defence in the Premier League (21 goals conceded from 29 games).
Without Bertrand, Southampton have a gaping hole at left-back.
Matt Targett is trying to find his feet at this level and Maya Yoshida is better at centre-back than at full-back.
9. Lucas Silva (Real Madrid)
12 of 20
- Cruzeiro → Real Madrid : €14/£10 million.
- Early Grade: B.
Brazilian central midfielder Lucas Silva, 22, will cover Sami Khedira if the German leaves Real Madrid in the summer transfer window.
Silva is settling into La Liga and his playing style is similar to Asier Illarramendi: safe passing outlet and quick decision-maker.
8. Xherdan Shaqiri (Inter Milan)
13 of 20
- Bayern Munich → Inter Milan: €15/£10.72 million.
- Early Grade: B+.
Swiss deep-lying forward Xherdan Shaqiri, 23, looks imperious taking the ball centrally and darting forward.
While his statistics are not flash, one goal and two assists from eight Serie A games, Shaqiri is key to Inter Milan's attack.
7. Seydou Doumbia (Roma)
14 of 20
- CSKA Moscow → Roma: €15.11/£10.80 million.
- Early Grade: F.
Ivorian centre-forward Seydou Doumbia, 27, has been sluggish when he has played in limited stretches (131 minutes over three Serie A games).
Doumbia has pleaded for time amid doubt over his ability to succeed in Serie A.
"All I can say is that I'll do everything in my power to turn those boos into applause," Doumbia said, per Omnisport (h/t SBS). "I need confidence to be able to perform at my best and I'm sure I'll get that here."
6. Bernardo Silva (Monaco)
15 of 20
- Benfica → Monaco: €15.75/£11.25 million.
- Early Grade: B.
Portuguese central/right attacking midfielder Bernardo Silva, 20, can run the show for Monaco.
Capable of splitting open opposing defences with incisive passes, Silva is a technically flawless midfielder, who has world-class potential.
While he looks like a star, his statistics are not impressive: three goals, one assist in 22 Ligue 1 games.
Once he improves his consistency, Silva is going to be another big-time transfer away from Monaco.
5. Gabriel Paulista (Arsenal)
16 of 20
- Villarreal → Arsenal: €15.81/£11.30 million.
- Early Grade: A.
Brazilian centre/left-back Gabriel Paulista, 24, is exactly what Arsenal need.
He is an athletic and proactive centre-back, also known as the anti-Per Mertesacker.
Gabriel had a strong game in a 2-0 win over Everton and Arsenal only conceded in a 2-1 win over Queens Park Rangers when he was subbed out of the game due to a hamstring injury.
4. Enzo Perez (Valencia)
17 of 20
- Benfica → Valencia: €25/£17.86 million.
- Early Grade: D.
Argentine central midfielder Enzo Perez, 29, is a La Liga-standard footballer, but is he worth €25/£17.86 million?
No.
He has no upside, and at 29 years of age, it is unlikely that Valencia will recoup his transfer fee.
On the field, he is not taking command and dominating possession. He also tends to commit pointless fouls.
3. Andre Schurrle (Wolfsburg)
18 of 20
- Chelsea → Wolfsburg: €30.79/£22 million.
- Early Grade: D.
German right/left attacking midfielder Andre Schurrle, 24, is happy again.
He is back in Germany, he is part of the Bundesliga and Wolfsburg are one of the best teams in Europe.
But his finishing is still wasteful and his 15.38 shooting accuracy percentage is deplorable.
Wolfsburg overpaid for Schurrle who continues to be a tease: He has world-class ability but is not reliable enough.
The silver lining: He is a threat to opposing teams and can divert attention away from Kevin De Bruyne.
[1] In theory if Schurrle met the appearances requirement to make Kicker's list.
Currently the 15th highest-rated player at Wolfsburg, according to Kicker.
2. Juan Cuadrado (Chelsea)
19 of 20
- Fiorentina → Chelsea: €32.61/£23.30 million.
- Early Grade: F.
Colombian right attacking midfielder Juan Cuadrado, 26, has made no impact at Chelsea and looks like another Willian.
The premise of a January transfer window signing is for the new player to come in and succeed.
If he is not ready, don't sign him, especially if he is going to cost €32.61/£23.30 million.
What made the Cuadrado deal so weird was he played in a free-roaming position at Fiorentina, where his defending was weak, he lacked positional sense and his shooting was profligate.
Essentially, he is the antithesis to what Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho wants in a footballer.
The only good thing to come out of the Cuadrado deal is Mohamed Salah being loaned to Fiorentina.
Provided Chelsea have not agreed an iron-clad buyout clause [1] in Salah's Fiorentina contract, he will be sold to the highest bidder in the summer transfer window (his stock has risen exponentially).
[1] Fiorentina revealed Salah's current "agreement runs until 30 June 2015 with the possibility of extending the [loan] deal for the 2015-16 season and a further option of making the transfer permanent."
It is not set in stone, otherwise you presume the phrase "further option" would not have been used.
1. Wilfried Bony (Manchester City)
20 of 20
- Swansea City → Manchester City: €35/£25 million.
- Early Grade: F.
Ivorian centre-forward Wilfried Bony, 26, is an elite striker stuck in a bad situation from a footballing perspective.
Financially, he deserves a career payday at Manchester City as he worked tirelessly to the top having started at Issia Wazi.
It seems Bony is insurance to plug a hole should Sergio Aguero go down with injury or be an alternative to Edin Dzeko.
Except Bony is a confidence player, who can go on scoring streaks.
The only way he will accomplish that is if he is a regular starter.
But trust Manchester City to buy a €35/£25 million squad player.
When not specified, statistics via WhoScored.com.
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