EPL Transfer Window: 5 Biggest Winners from the Transfer Deadline

Transfer day deadlines are always fun and exciting. You get shocking moves in this day which will eventually affect the course of the entire season.

This past deadline, too, had the makings for such possibilities.

There are always big winners and losers after a transfer day deadline. Players like Wayne Rooney and Fernando Torres were signed on the transfer deadline. Their stories turned out to be different. What will be the case this time around?

Who has won the transfer deadline battle? Let us take a look at the five biggest winners of the Premier League's transfer day.

5. Bolton Wanderers

Keeping Gary Cahill away from Tottenham Hotspurs in itself is a big win for Bolton. Plus, they managed to get a quality striker in form of David N'Gog from Liverpool.

N'Gog should provide some tooth to Owen Coyle's team in the striking department. Alongside him, Bolton also managed to get Chelsea's Gael Kakuta on loan. Kakuta is an amazing young talent and he could play both in the wings as well as at forward.

With these signings, Bolton should be aiming at a top-10 finish.

Best Signing: Keeping Gary Cahill (their best player) for at least another six months should be rated higher than any transfer.     

Transfer Grade: B+

4. Stoke City

Stoke City did not lost any of their top players this time around. Instead, they have managed to get three fantastic players in the last minutes of the transfer window.

Wilson Palacios and Peter Crouch came from Tottenham Hotspurs while Cameron Jerome came from the relegated Birmingham. All three are proven performers and having three quality strikers in Kenwyne Jones, Crouch and Jerome should really help Stoke challenge at the Premier League and the Europa Cup.

Best Signing: Peter Crouch. He might have not had the best of his days at Tottenham but I think he is tailor made for Stoke. His height should be a great advantage in Stoke's specialized set-pieces. Mark my words, he will be a hit.

Transfer Grade: A

3. Queens Park Rangers

QPR is a team that has come to the Premier League after back-to-back promotions. After seeing their transfer activity, one has to agree that they are dead serious about staying up.

Last week, they picked up the controversial Joey Barton from Newcastle United. Yes, he is a bad boy but Barton has true class. That's a win for QPR.

Last night, they got Shaun Wright-Philips and Anton Ferdinand from Manchester City and Sunderland, respectively. Both are proven Premier League players with loads of experience. This should help QPR to stay up in the league.

Best Signing: Shaun Wright-Philips without a doubt. He has played for top teams like Chelsea and Manchester City and is one of the fastest wingers in the league. He was in his sublime best before two seasons at Manchester City.  If he can repeat that form, QPR will stay up for sure.

Transfer Grade: A

2. Chelsea

Chelsea have done it once again. They have managed to get one of Liverpool's best at the last gasp of the transfer season. Last time, it was Fernando Torres.

Now it is Raul Meireles.

Last week they got Juan Mata and Romelu Lukaku and most of us thought that was the end of their transfer activity. However, they have come up with a surprise and have pouched Meireles for a sum of around £12 Million—an absolute bargain.

It will be interesting to see how Andre Villas-Boas places him in the starting lineup.

Best Signing: Raul Meireles is a player whom I rank very highly. Last year, Liverpool were having a bitter season, yet this man found light even at the darkest of times. He is highly talented, quick and witty. With Lampard around him, he should be a hit at Chelsea.

Transfer Grade: A

1. Arsenal

Now, they had to do something didn't they? After a 2-8 thumping at Manchester United, people were hunting for Arsene Wenger's head.

In response, the man has come up with some great names at the deadline.

After you put all the new players into the squad, you will realize that the new Arsenal will look stronger than they ever did in the last four-five years.

Let me take you through the transfers and the problems they solved for Arsenal.

The first problem that Arsenal had was the center-back paring. Thomas Vermaelen is a true classy player but he needs a quality partner to hold back the defense.

Thus comes Per Mertesacker. He is a player of true class and proven quality.

Gael Clichy left for Manchester City and there was no left back in the Arsenal side to replace him.

Enter Andre Santos from Fenerbahce.

Two of their strongest players—Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri—left and have been replaced by Yossi Benayoun and Mikel Arteta.

Arteta is similar to Fabregas in many senses. Both of them are Spanish, have a deep understanding of the game and can make beautiful plays. Arteta is one of the most underrated Spanish players of all time; getting him for £10 Million is the bargain of the season. 

Best Signing: Has to be Mikel Arteta. The price makes him a bargain buy. I don't know why Everton let go of their best player for such a little sum. Many people in England want him to play for the English national team as he is eligible, irrespective of his Spanish origin. If he does decide in favour of that, it should be a boost to both him and Arsenal.

Transfer Grade: Monsieur Wenger, you have done it. A+