Transfer window ends with a fizzle rather than a bang
Few eye-catching deals on final day
The much-hyped deadline day in Europe’s January transfer window passed with a flurry of late deals but few signings of note on Friday, with the richest teams opting to sit tight ahead of the last few months of the season.
The likes of Barcelona, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich and the two Manchester giants decided not to dip into the market, while there were no headline-grabbing moves to match that of Fernando Torres to Chelsea in 2011 and David Beckham to Paris Saint-Germain last year.
That two of the most high-profile moves on Friday were loan signings – Italy striker Pablo Osvaldo to Serie A leaders Juventus and Dimitar Berbatov to French title hopefuls Monaco – said much about the largely subdued nature of the final day of the window.
The biggest spenders were Inter Milan who bought Brazil midfielder Hernanes from Lazio in a deal reportedly worth up to ¤15 million (HK$157 million).
Even the English Premier League – usually the place where big acquisitions are made – was quiet, with the standout deal seeing Arsenal take Sweden’s Kim Kallstrom on loan from Spartak Moscow for the rest of the season to ease their midfield problems.
Many European countries are still gripped by the economic recession, while the top targets of the big teams are often cup-tied for the Champions League and managers can be put off by inflated prices.