From Jermain Defoe to Wilfried Bony: how January’s transfers have worked out

http://www.theguardian.com/football/2015/apr/21/january-transfers-premier-league-five-best-worst

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The tops

1) Jack Cork: Southampton > Swansea, £3m

It speaks volumes that the man Jack Cork has replaced in Swansea’s starting XI since his January move, Leon Britton, recently described Cork as “brilliant” and added that “it feels like he has been here for years”. Operating at the base of Garry Monk’s midfield diamond, the former Chelsea academy graduate reads the game superbly, has the physical frame to match and has added considerable balance to a midfield that is largely offensive. With Morgan Schneiderlin likely to leave Southampton this summer, it remains a mystery why Ronald Koeman let a defensive midfielder of Cork’s quality leave for such a low fee. Their loss is Swansea’s gain.

2) Wilfried Zaha: Man Utd > Crystal Palace, £3m

It seems there is no place like home for Wilfried Zaha. The winger impressed on loan from Manchester United earlier this season and Palace wasted no time in re-signing the 22-year-old for a cut-price fee in January. In a system that gives him licence to roam, the winger has, together with Yannick Bolasie on the opposite flank, blossomed again into one of the most dangerous wide players in the league. Crystal Palace gained promotion in 2013 largely because of Zaha and Glenn Murray and the pair’s recent rise in form is no coincidence: the two share an innate understanding. Zaha could score a few more, but he finally has an end product to add to his tricks and flicks. Few would argue he is not once again on the fringes of an England call-up.

3) Scott Sinclair: Man City > Aston Villa, loan

Save for his time at Swansea, Scott Sinclair’s career reads simply as a succession of loan spells. Gracing the shirts of Plymouth Argyle, Queens Park Rangers, Charlton Athletic, Crystal Palace, Birmingham City, Wigan Athletic and West Bromwich Albion, Sinclair showed glimpses of his potential. At Aston Villa, he has begun to realise it. Cutting in off the left flank, his clever movement and quick feet are reminiscent of a youthful Ashley Young at Villa Park, and his record of three goals in his six appearances, including a beauty against West Brom in the FA Cup, tells its own story. Injury has curtailed his promising start, but Sinclair is fit again and could prove crucial in the run-in. If Villa do not retain his services in the summer, there will be no shortage of suitors.

4) Jermain Defoe: Toronto > Sunderland, swap/undisclosed

It is generally accepted that Sunderland paid over the odds for the 32-year-old, if not in transfer fee, then in wages, reported to be around £70,000 a week for the next three and a half years. But the fact remains that if Defoe’s goals keep Sunderland up this season, he will be worth every penny. The striker has not been prolific, scoring three times in his 11 league appearances, but every goal has been vital, directly responsible for three Sunderland points. His magical goal in the Wear-Tyne derby will live long in the memory.

5) Alan Pardew: Newcastle > Crystal Palace £3.5m compensation

All hail Pardiola. The 53-year-old’s seemingly unshakeable self-belief sometimes came across as self-righteousness during his Newcastle spell, but it seems his single-mindedness has acted as a catalyst at Crystal Palace, who are playing without fear. It is easy to think of Pardew as a lucky man riding a homecoming wave, but h e has proved to be a wily tactician, and Palace’s victories, particularly against Manchester City, West Ham and QPR were ones of Pardew’s design. Only Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester United have won more points than Crystal Palace since Pardew took charge. After six straight defeats, Newcastle must miss him.

The flops

1) Juan Cuadrado: Fiorentina > Chelsea, £27m

Juan Cuadrado was all alone, six yards out, the ball at his feet with the goal at his mercy. His weak shot was saved by Asmir Begovic, but the ball squirmed loose. From all of three yards, and with keeper and defenders helpless on the ground, Cuadrado was unable to poke in the rebound. José Mourinho face-planted the turf, his head in his hands, a picture of disbelief. The latter stages of Chelsea’s match against Stoke neatly summarise Cuadrado’s time in England: poor but ultimately inconsequential given the London club won 2-1 and are top of the league by 10 points. But if the team start losing and Cuadrado continues to put in these displays then Mourinho and co can begin worrying. It hasn’t exactly helped Cuadrado that the man used as a makeweight in the deal with Fiorentina, Mohamed Salah, has been in scintillating form for La Viola but the Colombian has left a lot to be desired since his move from Italy: 175 minutes, nil goals, nil assists.

2) Wilfried Bony: Swansea > Man City, £25m

It is hard to make an instant impact when, upon signing for your new club, you spend the first three and a half weeks on another continent. But that is what Wilfried Bony did, helping Ivory Coast to their first Africa Cup of Nations title since 1992. But rather than return to Manchester City full of confidence and with a hunger to make up for lost time, Bony has simply looked a bit … lost, much as another Ivorian striker, Seydou Doumbia, has at Roma since his own January move. Bony, having scored nine times in the 14 league matches preluding his £25m move, has netted only once since – against 10-man West Brom – and appears out of sync with many of his new team-mates. At Swansea, Bony played up front largely as a lone striker. With Sergio Agüero in City’s ranks, he will never be given the same opportunity and will have to adapt as part of a front two, or simply from the bench.

3) Andrej Kramaric: HNK Rijeka > Leicester City, £9.7m

Guess how many goals Andrej Kramaric scored for the Croatian club HNK Rijeka by the end of November. Twenty-six. In 18 matches no less. No wonder Leicester City made him their record signing in January, reportedly seeing off competition from Juventus. And yet, since his move, the 23-year-old has scored only twice, both times in defeats, and has often sat unused on Leicester’s bench, with David Nugent and Jamie Vardy leading the line to good effect. Despite Kramaric’s miserly record in England, Leicester’s fans have warmed to him for his all-round game,, but it is goals that a team in the Premier League’s bottom three crave at this point, not just performances.

4) Carles Gil: Valencia > Aston Villa, £3.2m

It’s fair to say that Carles Gil’s Villa career got off to a flyer. His goal against Bournemouth in the FA Cup, in his first start, was described by the then manager, Paul Lambert, as “world class”. It was, but that was nearly three months ago. Since 7 March, Gil hasn’t kicked a ball, and he was omitted from Tim Sherwood’s matchday squads for the past two league matches, against QPR and Tottenham. It is obvious that Gil has the technical quality to cut it in the Premier League but questions remain over his appetite to defend and track back. He’s not Sherwood’s player, and recent results under the new manager suggest that Villa are better off without him.

5) Mauro Zárate: West Ham > QPR, loan

It has not been a productive season for Mauro Zárate. The forward signed for West Ham in the summer but by December Sam Allardyce labelled him “not good enough”. Zárate subsequently swapped east for west London in January, joining QPR on loan, but failed to impress the then manager, Harry Redknapp, who reportedly tried to send the Argentinian back to West Ham in exchange for Matt Jarvis. The deal didn’t materialise but following Chris Ramsey’s appointment as manager at Loftus Road, Zárate was sent back anyway, having played just 71 minutes for his new club. QPR are understood still to be paying Zárate’s wages, despite the fact he is not even at the club. “He’s not fit and available,” said Ramsey recently. “As far as I know he’s having treatment back at his parent club. If he becomes fit he will be in consideration.”