Today.Az » Sports » Top 10 transfers of January - LIST
01 February 2014 [12:05] - Today.Az
1. Juan Mata (Chelsea - Manchester United €45m)
Very rarely does one come across a transfer out of which everyone wins. However, Juan Mata's move from Chelsea to Manchester United appears to be one such deal.
The Blues received €45 million for a player that coach Jose Mourinho deemed surplus to requirements almost immediately upon his return to Stamford Bridge, while Old Trafford has already been lifted by the arrival of one of the most talented attacking midfielders in the world. Meanwhile, Spain international Mata can now look forward to first-team football in this, a World Cup year.
2. Keisuke Honda (CSKA Moscow - AC Milan Free)
AC Milan have been lambasted for their transfer dealings in recent years. However, much-maligned CEO Adriano Galliani has pulled off a masterstroke in persuading Keisuke Honda to move to San Siro on a free transfer from CSKA Moscow.
3. Radja Nainggolan (Cagliari - Roma €3m Loan)
Roma enjoyed two notable victories over Juventus in January. The first came in the Coppa Italia; the second in the transfer market, when the Giallorossi beat the Bianconeri to the signature of Radja Nainggolan.
4. Mohamed Salah (Basel - Chelsea €13.4m)
While much has been made about the way in which Chelsea have signed a Liverpool target for the second successive transfer window, the Blues knew long before their Premier League rivals made a move for Mohamed Salah that the Egypt international was a serious talent
5. Aiden McGeady (Spartak Moscow - Everton Undisclosed Fee)
Aiden McGeady admitted this week that Spartak Moscow repeatedly requested "silly money" whenever a club expressed an interest in signing him, which is precisely why Robert Martinez was left frustrated when he made a move for the Republic of Ireland international's while still in charge of Wigan last summer. However, the now Everton boss finally got his man this month.
6. Yohan Cabaye (Newcastle United - Paris Saint-Germain €24m)
It has been rumoured that senior players at Paris Saint-Germain were not in favour of the club's pursuit of Yohan Cabaye, given how well stocked the Ligue 1 leaders are in the midfield department. There was also the fact that €24 million is quite an investment in a 28-year-old.
7. Hernanes (Lazio - Inter €20m)
On the evidence of this season, Inter's decision to pay Lazio €20 million for Hernanes seems unwise. However, the Nerazzurri do not believe that they are signing the Hernanes of this season, rather the versatile midfielder that lit up Serie A in his three previous campaigns at the Stadio Olimpico.
8. Pablo Daniel Osvaldo (Southampton - Juventus Loan)
To say that Pablo Daniel Osvaldo has a chequered past would be putting it mildly. This, after all, is a player who has now twice been disciplined for lashing out at team-mates. However, when he wants to be, he remains one of the most effective 'old-school' No.9s in the world.
9. Diego (Wolfsburg - Atletico Madrid Loan)
They say you should never go back but Diego never wanted to leave Atletico Madrid in the first place, so his return to the Vicente Calderon looks like a great deal for both player and club. Admittedly, the Brazilian playmaker has never quite realised his full potential, having failed to make the grade at Juventus, while his time in Wolfsburg has been turbulent to say the least.
10. Lewis Holtby (Tottenham to Fulham Loan)
Tottenham literally could not wait to get their hands on Lewis Holtby. Despite having already persuaded the midfielder to sign a pre-contract agreement last January, Spurs then decided to pay Schalke €1.75 million to move to White Hart Lane right away.
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