Which EFL club had the best transfer window?
Due to the recent changes in work permits, there has never been more attention across the EFL when it comes to transfers.
Even without a big-money transfer from the EFL to the Premier League, and with Fabio Carvalho’s deadline day move to Liverpool collapsing, there have still been plenty of eyebrow-raising deals across the Football League.
Who came out on top?
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The best deals in the Championship
Let’s start with Bournemouth. They made five, yes five, deadline day signings. Some might say this is excellent business, and on the face of it, it is. Bringing in the proven EFL experience of Todd Cantwell, Kieffer Moore, Siriki Dembele and Freddie Woodman, along with Nathaniel Phillips from Liverpool certainly seems exciting.
I’d prefer to err on the side of caution with Bournemouth’s January window. Unless Scott Parker is planning on changing system, I’m not sure how he fits all these players into his squad, let alone the starting eleven, while playing his preferred 4-3-3 formation.
How do you keep new signings happy without guarantying them regular minutes? How do you keep your original squad players happy? Those who have got you into automatic-promotion contention? It seems very scattergun and perhaps a bit desperate.
Bournemouth will likely finish in second place and be promoted on pure individual quality. But we’ve seen in the past how signing too many players in January can upset the core of a squad, and potentially derail a promotion push.
Hull City were the major winners in the Championship. It was an action-packed deadline day for the Tigers who secured the services of Ryan Longman from Brighton on a permanent basis. The converted wingback seems to have improved since changing position and this coincides with Hull’s upturn in form. They also brought in forward Allahyar Sayyadmanesh on loan from Fenerbache who had previously be on loan at Zorya Luhansk in Ukraine.
To top it all off, they fought off stiff competition to get Marcus Forss in on loan from Brentford until the end of the season. This should be seen as a massive statement of intent and a coup for Hull City. The Finnish attacker will add pace and finishing ability to the City forward line.
Who had the best window in League One?
Turning to League One, Bolton Wanderers stand out as a club who worked well throughout January.
Firstly, they managed to keep hold of their prized asset: Oladapo Afolayan. Although the winger only moved to Bolton in the summer, he will have been watched by scouts up and down the country. They’ve also managed to bring in the likes of Kieran Saldlier, Kyle Dempsey and Dion Charles. All of whom are proven players at League One level that will provide better first-team quality.
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Right-back Marlon Fossey signed on loan from Fulham. He’s an exciting attacking full-back who is mobile, creative and an excellent ball carrier. He’s already shown the width, link up play and fine delivery he has, and will continue to impress. His deal with Fulham expires in 2023, so don’t be surprised if Championship clubs come knocking should he continue his form for the rest of the season.
Aaron Morley is the standout for Bolton though. The progressive midfielder signed from Rochdale earlier in January. He was actually relegated in the summer with the Dale and it was a surprise to see he wasn’t picked up by a League One side then. He had demonstrated his amazing passing range, ball control and set-piece ability to warrant a move in the summer. That didn’t happen though, and he continued to show his quality in League Two, which led to Bolton coming in for him. He’s an excellent addition for any League One side.
Elsewhere in League One, MK Dons continued to show they are shrewd operators.
Despite losing one of their best players in Matt O’Riley to Celtic, along with their goalkeeper Andy Fisher to Swansea, MK Dons acted quickly and replaced both. Their incomings include ball-playing midfielders: Conor Coventry and Matt Smith. The later signed permanently from Manchester City after having his loan with Hull City cut short. It’s also worth noting that both of these midfielders were playing in the Championship in the first half of the season.
MK Dons have managed to pull other players in on loan who were also out on loan elsewhere. Theo Corbeanu is a tall, mobile forward who was originally on loan at Sheffield Wednesday from Wolves. Jamie Cumming was at Gillingham on loan from Chelsea. Both have now joined the Dons. It’s not hard to see why clubs want to send their players there given they have an attractive ball-playing philosophy and focus on the development of young players.
League Two clubs surprise a few
One of the biggest surprise transfers of the window involved a Premier League player going on loan to Mansfield Town. Newcastle’s Matty Longstaff has dropped down to League Two to join the Stags until the end of the season. This one has caught everyone off guard, right?
Longstaff had been on loan at Aberdeen for the first half of the season but only made five league appearances and was subsequently recalled in December.
The busy centre-midfielder will add work rate and some much needed youth into Nigel Clough’s squad. While it’s hard to get a handle on how good Matty Longstaff actually is, he has made 14 Premier League appearances, and this alone indicates that he should be a standout player in League Two.
The Stags have also strengthened their attacking options by getting Jamie Murphy in from Hibernian. The winger is well known by Nigel Clough with the pair previously working together at Burton Albion.
It’s a surprise to see Murphy dropping down to League Two as well. He’s a creative winger who likes to dribble and also has a goal threat. He is good enough to be starting for a lot of League One sides, and they will be regretting not making a move for him.
It’s also worth noting Mansfield have added the experienced heads of Lucas Akins, John-Joe O’Toole and Kieran Wallace. They have clearly won the transfer window in League Two, and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see them make a push for the promotion places.
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