Transfer Deadline Day: 6 Transfers That Will Prove the Public Wrong

The drama and excitement has finally subsided, and most clubs are grateful transfer deadline day has ultimately concluded.

As every league participated in the hysteria of deadline day, teams are set and squads must begin the process of welcoming new players and getting them acclimated.

Transfers on deadline day tend to be speculated more than others because of the coincided circumstances; waiting until the last minutes on the final day can be stressful for clubs and will often bring skepticism out of fans.

While many will agree that the money spent on deadline day was well-conceived, there are always transfers that make a fan’s eyebrows raise.

It might be a team taking a big gamble on an aging star or a squad placing an outlandish bid on a youngster, but there are always questions and concerns surrounding transfers on deadline day.

Here is a list of transfers that may have initially been questionable, but will prove their worth in the end.

Fernando Gago, Real Madrid to A.S. Roma

Before setting foot into the Santiago Bernabeu in 2007, the former Boca Juniors player was engulfed in hype. The Argentine was labeled as the future catalyst in Madrid’s midfield and would be given ample opportunities to cement his place in the squad.

And while he started off brightly, the arrival of Jose Mourinho saw Gago drastically fall out of order.

A combination of injuries, timid play and unnecessary banter with the organization (he openly admitted to Spanish newspapers that rivals Barcelona were “much classier” than Madrid) saw the Argentine slip down the pecking order, and with the acquisitions of Xabi Alonso and Sami Khedira, his playing time ultimately vanished.

Frustrated with his role at Madrid, Gago was able to hammer out a loan move to Serie A giants AS Roma and is surely welcoming the fresh start. The classy midfielder will prove his worth in Rome and channel his aggravation in order to prove critics wrong.

Of course, that is if he can keep his foot out of his mouth…

Michael Bradley, Borussia Mönchengladbach to A.C. Chievo Verona

One of the brightest young talents America has to offer, Michael Bradley made his country proud when he made the gargantuan leap from the Eredivise to the Bundesliga in 2008.

When Bradley made the switch from Heerenveen to M‘Gladbach, the young midfielder was given the chance to exhibit his talents on a larger stage. Things started off superbly with the German club as he showcased his tireless work rate and knack for scoring crucial goals (equalizer vs. Bayern Munich).

By the turn of the 2009-10 season, things started getting sour for Bradley and his club, as reports of rifts with the coaching staff emerged. These accusations were validated as the American started featuring less and less for the club, and a loan spell to Aston Villa was the result.

His time at Villa was nothing special either, and on his return to M‘Gladbach, he desperately sought for an exit. So with a few hours to go on deadline day, A.C. Chievo Verona gave the American a lifeline.

Michael Bradley is hoping to continue featuring for his country in international competitions, so the move to Serie A is reassuring. He will adapt to life in Italy very quickly and utilize his box-to-box mentality in proving detractors wrong.

Scott Parker, West Ham United to Tottenham Hotspur

The reigning FWA Footballer of the Year had himself an outstanding campaign last season, as the midfielder completed 77 percent of his passes. The influential Hammer was a revelation during the season, but was unable to prevent his club’s relegation to the Championship.

Scott Parker started brightly in his first four games this season, even scoring against Watford on August 16th.

But fans and teammates at the club inevitably knew his time with the Hammers was narrowing to an end, as a player of Parker’s quality should not be restricted to the Championship.

At 30 years old, Parker is a relatively late bloomer but still provides the grit needed by an elite midfield player in the EPL. That being said, many clubs tended to shy away from bidding too high for a player going into his thirties.

While Villa and Arsenal were both interested in the midfielder, no formal offers were given to West Ham by either club.

So on deadline day, Spurs jumped at the opportunity to snatch Parker up for a measly ₤5.5 million.

Someone of Parker’s class should be embarrassed by such a low bid, but he is a humble and hard-working player who will bring a unique edge to Tottenham’s midfield.

Look for Scott Parker to put in the same type of performances as last year and prove his low price tag was the steal of the summer.

Diego Forlan, Atletico Madrid to Inter Milan

The Uruguayan had easily the best summer of his footballing career in 2010, taking home the Golden Ball as the best player at the World Cup.

He headed back to Atletico Madrid with immense confidence and was ready to continue his fine form in La Liga.

Forlan and Atletico won the UEFA Supercup, and all was going as anticipated. As the season went on though, the striker found it difficult to find the back of the net and watched as his teammate Sergio Aguero took all the headlines.

With the drop in form and production, Forlan speculated in January a move out of the club. Even the Seattle Sounders of the MLS proposed a move for the Uruguayan, solidifying how drastic his drop in form really was.

Forlan stayed put and rode out the rough season to its completion. And when the transfer window opened back up for the summer, Forlan was again looking to get out of Madrid.

With the sale of Samuel Eto’o, Inter Milan began looking for a suitable replacement for the Cameroon international. After shopping around, the Milan club brought in Forlan on deadline day, hoping to get the most out of the rugged striker.

As Forlan embarks for the bright lights of Inter, he is expected to pick up right where Eto’o left off, a heavy burden for any player. The pressure to live up to the billing will provide just the right remedy for Forlan, who I feel will shake his demons and get back to finding the back of the net regularly.

Andres Santos, Fenerbahce to Arsenal

Arsenal’s defensive problems have been the subject of speculation throughout the entire transfer period. And even after the embarrassment of last week's demolition courtesy of Manchester United, the Gunners didn’t initially address the issue.

Leave it to Arsene Wenger to wait until the dying minutes of deadline day to conduct shrewd business.

Wenger brought in Per Mertesacker and Andres Santos to boost his backline, but out of the two, Andres Santos came with the most criticism. People were wondering if he could truly live up to the defensive responsibilities required in order to succeed in the league.

While Wenger will assure you that the Brazilian will be a key player going forward, others reserve doubt over his defensive prowess. He has played in the Champion’s League with Fenerbahce and has been capped over 25 times with his national team, but people question the validity of these credentials.

I expect the Brazilian to not only slide right into the starting 11, but also prove he is capable of adjusting to the English game quickly.

He will be thoroughly tested in his first campaign, but look for him to sustain the pressure and turn in performances that help Arsenal get out of their rut.

Diego, Wolfsburg to Atletico Madrid

It seems like it was just yesterday that Diego was holding up a Juventus shirt, ready to take on anything that challenged him. Putting on a shirt for the Old Lady would spark motivation and determination in any footballer, let alone someone as talented as Diego.

Unfortunately, Diego Ribas da Cunha did not get that memo.

His tenure with Juventus was mixed with inconsistency, irregularity and controversy. These unexpected actions agitated the Brazilian, and caused many concerns for the Turin club.

Seeing a drop in form and underachievement tarnish his game, Diego began changing his attitude towards everything and anything to do with his career. He continuously clashed with teammates and coaches and searched for scapegoats for his underwhelming showings for the club.

He left the Turin club on bad terms and signed on with Wolfsburg, hoping to reignite his career and patch up his image. He scored on his debut, but things quickly went south for the Brazilian at the Volkswagen Arena.

The same troubles that haunted his time at Juve followed him to Germany.

With his loan spell to Atletico, Diego is looking to finally fulfill his potential and get back to playing elite football.

Being on his third club in three years will bring some rationalization to the Brazilian. He cannot continue to act petulant and undermine everyone, and I predict the coaching staff, players and prideful Atleti supporters won’t let Diego put himself before the team.