Will This Much-Hyped 19-Year-Old Striker Be The Day's Biggest Transfer News? Let's Hope Not
It’s 7am on the east coast, and that means less than 5 hours until the January window closes. There are a few teams who should be buying but probably won’t (here’s looking at you, Arsene), and a few that’ll probably be scrambling to make an overpriced purchase or two simply because it’s expected of them (helloooooo, Mancini).
Consider this your blog equivalent of one of those breaking news-type things on more reputable news sites. We’ll update it every so often with the latest deals.
We’ve bumped it to the top to keep up with any last-minute deals, though the window in England is now closed. Any deals yet to be announced will have had to be approved by the FA before 12pm in order to become official. A mad rumor out of Spain just landed…
7.15am:
We should catch up with what’s already happened today across the Atlantic.
- Brazilian striker Keirrison joins Fiorentina on loan from Barcelona. Not a bad move when you consider Mutu’s latest failed drug tests, and that the 21-year-old scored 24 in 33 for Palmeiras in 2009.
- Geremi completed his deal-but-not-a-deal-but-then-it-was-a-deal, taking him on loan to Ankaragucu from Newcastle United.
- Celtic bag THREE players: left-back Edson Braafheid and forward Diomansy Kamara on loan (from Bayern Munich and Fulham respectively), and center-back Ivan Ramis from Real Mallorca for £2m.
- Sorry, Gunners hoping for a late deal: Klaas-Jan Huntelaar has confirmed he’s staying put at Milan.
- Wigan confirm the signing of Victor Moses from Crystal Palace… the fee is believed to be around £3m and it’s a 3.5-year deal.
We’ll update every couple of hours.
7.30am:
- Fulham’s loan deal for Stefano Okaka is confirmed. The AS Roma striker, who scored a nice game-winner in Serie A yesterday, will join the Cottagers immediately.
Okaka’s game-winner:
- Birmingham City’s Marcus Bent has joined QPR on loan until the end of the season. Cue spending spree by the Blues in the next 4 1/2 hours…
7.41am:
It’s worth noting that transfer windows close at different times in Europe…
12pm ET – England
1pm ET – Italy
6pm ET – France and Spain
7pm ET – Scotland
8.05am:
- Middlesbrough have signed young Spurs full-back Kyle Naughton on loan until the end of the season. Catch the excitement!
- Real Zaragoza have signed Brazilian international center-back/defensive midfielder Edmilson from Palmeiras.
8.09am:
- Some news involving two EPL clubs! Nicky Shorey has joined Fulham on loan from Aston Villa until the end of the season.
8.29am:
- And Citeh’s first fail of the day happens with 3 1/2 hours to go. Their £7m deal for Parma’s Kenyan defensive midfielder McDonald Mariga has fallen through after Mariga was refused a work permit. One wonders now if they’ll throw that money into a fat deal for Real Madrid’s Fernando Gago, who is amazingly out of favor at the Bernabeu…
- West Ham are apparently really, really interested in Mido, so says Sky Sports. Let’s hope for hadley’s sake that it’s not true..
8.34am:
- Your Norwich City news: the Canaries have sent Welsh midfielder Owain Tudur Jones on loan to Yeovil and have cancelled midfielder Simon Whaley’s contract.
8.52am:
- And West Ham’s deal for Benni McCarthy is confirmed. The South African striker signed for an undisclosed fee.
- Oh, and David Nugent is on the move… again! This time, the well-traveled striker has gone back to Burnley on loan from Portsmouth until the end of the season.
9.35am:
- Genuine news! Newcastle apply some salve to the wound that is not getting Beckford by signing Coventry City’s striker Leon Best on a 3 1/2 year deal for an undisclosed fee.
- Exeter City make their first actual transfer signing in over 6 years, paying an undisclosed fee for ex-Spurs defender Troy Archibald-Henville.
- Internazionale full-back Amantino Mancini moves across town, joining Milan on a 6-month loan.
- Sky Sports is reporting that Middlesborough have accepted a bid from Manchester City for their highly-rated left-winger Adam Johnson. Well done, Adam; not only will you get little playing time in that line-up, but you’ll be mocked for being one of Citeh’s few signings and hardly on par with a Kaka or Torres (the kind of guys the Sheikhs would prefer to chase). That said, Johnson’s a fantastic prospect.
9.46am:
- Hull cull one of their strikers, sending Daniel Cousin on loan to Greek Super League side Larissa until the end of the season with a view to a permanent move after that.
11.35am:
- Not a lot of action lately. The Ilan or Mido signings at West Ham are still rumors at this point.
- Liverpool lose 17-year-old left-back/midfielder starlet Christopher Buchtmann to Fulham on an 18-month deal.
- Hull’s seldom-used Peter Halmosi has returned to Hungary on loan, joining Szombathelyi Haladas.
- Chelsea youngster Jack Cork is sent to Burnley on loan.
- Also, Adam Johnson’s transfer isn’t official just yet, though the latest rumors note that he’s currently speeding through his medical at Eastlands.
11.39am:
Just 20 minutes to go in England! Fulham celebrate by making another move, shipping out Finnish defender Toni Kallio to Sheffield United on loan.
11.52am:
If LFC are getting Kenwyne Jones, or Benjani is heading to Sunderland, or Ryan Babel is sulking off to Birmingham, time is running out.
- Meanwhile, in actual “news” (I think), Wigan have signed Shakhtar Donetsk’s Bolivian striker Marcelo Moreno Martins on loan until the end of the season, subject to visa approval and international clearance. A peek at the overwrought video below shows he’s not too shabby.
12.01pm:
Is that it? Is the window now officially closed? As with every transfer window in England, there is some leeway to make formal announcements provided paperwork is en route to FA offices, either by fax, messenger, Pony Express, whatever.
- David Healy is leaving Sunderland, heading to Ipswich on loan. Best of luck with that. Meanwhile, I hear that Stoke City’s resident Xmas party grump/manager’s punching bag James Beattie is having a medical at Sunderland. Revolving door at the Stadium of Light, then.
12.05pm:
Spanish rabble-rousers Marca are blabbing on their website that Manchester City snuck down and agreed a deal with Real Madrid for Argentine DM/hero Fernando Gago. The price? 16m euros. The veracity of the news? Yet to be determined, though trending towards “total and utter bulls**t.”
12.13pm:
Ahh, the joy of watching Sky Sports News live. Look! There’s Robbie Keane in a car! He might be going to Celtic! An SPL club seems about right for that lackluster dinosaur. Still, he had a good run.
- Meanwhile, the Mido to West Ham deal is official. The Egyptian has joined on a 4-month loan.
12.30pm:
The window might be closed, but late deals are still being finalized (provided some paperwork of intent was processed before the window shut).
- Sid Lowe in Spain is saying that Citeh’s theft of Fernando Gago is breaking down. If he wants more money, Mancini, just give it to him! He’ll gift-wrap 4th place (or maybe 3rd) for your club in the coming months.
- Meanwhile, the most protracted goalkeeper transfer in history appears to be over, as Stoke City have agreed to terms with Asmir Begovic. The Bosnian, apparently hunted by Spurs, Stoke, and late on, Chelsea, will be leaving Pompey shortly if all the reports are to be believed. I don’t get it. Is it simply because he’s really, really tall? The fee for Begovic would be around £3.5m.
- Also, credit to Sky Sports for making the “breaking news” of a Michael Tonge loan move from Stoke to Derby County seem like it’s the biggest transfer story since Cristiano Ronaldo moved to Real Madrid.
12.38pm:
BBC Sport is reporting that the Adam Johnson transfer from Middlesbrough to Manchester City is confirmed. Cue the gnashing of teeth and rending of flesh of fans of rival clubs vying for that final CL spot in the EPL.
12.48pm:
- Good news for the rest of us: that Gago-to-Citeh deal was bunkum. Ain’t happening. Still, it gave us a jolt for a minute, didn’t it?
12.55pm:
- A wonderful moment on Sky Sports News as they track down ‘Arry Redknapp to ask him about the rumor of Keane hopping north of the border. Redknapp basically said that Robbie is wonderful to have around but isn’t happy if he’s not playing regularly, and also that he’s too good not to be starting somewhere. Just not at Spurs, eh ‘Arry? He also mentioned that they’re happy with what they’ve got with Defoe, Crouch, and Pavlyuchenko. Oof. That just tells you how far Robbie had fallen… to be mentioned BEHIND the crap Russian malcontent shows the extent of the rot. Still, Robbie Keane is as Robbie Keane does, and he has Redknapp’s blessing to pursue a loan move to Celtic.
1pm:
I think we’re done here. Striker Scott McDonald has leapt from Celtic to Middlesbrough (presumably to clear room for Robbie Keane), and I’m off to relax before firing up a Sunderland/Stoke liveblog at 2.45pm. As expected, today’s window was rubbish, but we must still watch and wait as if all our clubs are going to pull out those last-minute deals. Of course, none of ‘em did, unless you’re a Celtic, West Ham or Burnley fan.
”Norwich’s midfield maestro Wes Hoolahan is being linked to a £2.5m move to Hull City IF the Tigers decide to offload Stephen Hunt to Wolves for £5m.”
I saw that… wouldn’t that be something?
We just sent RB Kyle Naughton to Boro on loan. Now we just need to get Jermaine Jenas off the books
What about Alan Hutton? Should flog that useless idiot
Shorey to Fulham’s kind of surprising. Might mean that Bouma is actually on his way back for cover, or that the Warnock injury is not as bad as O’Neill let on in midweek.
Hammers are in for Mido. I don’t care how little he costs – NO NO NO.
I wouldnt mind seeing the back of Keano either. Your lot seemed to do a good job of ripping the spirit out of him. He and Berba are a good example of the whole being greater than the sum of its parts. Berba was definately living the dream, big match at the Emirates and a crucial cameo appearance in the 89th.
Hadley, I do not particulary like your lot(Except for the 6pts, had to get that in!) but as a human being I implore you to get on the phone or email your board and prevent that from happening
DaY: we are great at ruining players. Keane, Cisse, Diouf, Babel…
Meanwhile, you’re probably right about those two. Only seemed to function properly at WHL.
30 million, 5 minutes in a crucial match. Wanker. Off topic but Nani is starting to come good. The move for the first goal was absolute class
We signed Ilan and McCarthy – so even at 1,000 pounds a week it is too much for Mido.
Sullivan:
“Then we have Mido. It would be one of the most amazing deals of all time. He doesn’t want to be known as a ‘has been’ of English football, so he willing to come here to play for a nominal fee, just £1,000-a-week.
“He is a rich boy, even though he is still only 26, and he told us he doesn’t need the money, but he wants to prove something in English football.
I am glad that Sullivan admitted we couldn’t pay Robbie Keane’s wages.
hadley: Cole needs some help up front, doesn’t he? Not that Mido would be the best response. Whatever happens today, just make sure to hang onto Diamanti. He’s been a pleasant surprise.
Diamanti has some quality. He’s a diamond in the rough, but he has a great left foot and delivers absolute quality from set pieces. And he works his socks off, which always pleases the Upton Park faithful.
Cole absolutely needs some help. I think that between Franco, McCarthy, and this Brazilian Ilan we can still go without Mido. But for 1,000 pounds a week, I understand the move.
This has been a rubbish window. Cant someone take Keane, please
Surprising that the deal for Mariga fell through. The general consensus was that he was already at Eastlands, just waiting for the final numbers to be worked out.
Ryan: you can thank the Home Office for that! Rumor has it that the deal is on hold pending a work permit in the future, but it might have to wait until the summer.
Yeah, apparently the issue came up because Kenya is 98th in the World and the Home Office thought that was too low.
I’m also enjoying reading all the “Henry to City” rumors this morning.
I’ve always wanted to see Shay Given beat someone to death.
@Defoes a Yiddo.
Hoops is not for sale. Hull and Norwich will be in same league next season and there aren’t many teams that can accomodate Hoolahan, he requires a free role, a truly luxury player. He also knows that Lambert has built the diamond around him.
Not happening.
Stoke’s 3 mil bid for Begovic has be turned down and Spurs have sold Troy Archibal-Henville to Exeter City.
Hmm… Not a Gunner commenting in the thread. Either A) We know we’re not doing s**t for business today or B) We’re still in denial after yesterday that a sport known as association football even exists.
I’m going with ‘both.’
Sky says Sunderland’s bid for Al Mhummadi has been s**tcanned.
Alan Hutton loaned to Sunderland, says the Mail.
If Johnson can play on the right for us, he’ll be a good signing, we’re kind of packed out on the left, which is his more natural position.
Ryan: I don’t get why teams do that. Sign a left-winger and hope that he can play on the right. Why not just sign an RWM then?
Is it just me, or does the announcer in that Stefano Okaka video seem to thing the goalscoreer was Jay-Jay Okocha?
If Hutton and Naughton have both gone on loan, what cover do we have left for Corluka? Maybe we’ll bring back Chimbonda.
I have no idea James, I do think Johnson has some experience out on the right, so it’s not like it will be totally new.
Either way, it beats the situation we have now, where Mancini insists on playing a pure left winger Martin Petrov on the right. Petrov has no right foot, therefore he severely limits our shape.
In other news, Benjani is in talks with Blackburn.
@LE: Regarding Hutton and Naughton, was thinking that myself. Either ‘Arry’s got cover bought, or he’s thinking he will try BAE over there.
One hour left to deadline. At this point, it’s merciful. This window has been dull, dull, dull.
Terry’s wife has left him: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1247593/Hes-played-away-time-John-Terrys-wife-walks-kids.html
Well it’s official, we lost Buchtmann to Fulham. Guess that’s what we get for firing the academy director who signed everyone at the academy, when he goes to another club he’s going to poach someone. Unfortunately it’s our top defensive prospect.
We let him go for pennies, which either means we soured on him, or that s**t is loaded with clauses. For shame.
@Ryan, Johnson is awesome.
Johnson for lest than ten million is a steal. Another deal that Rafa could have done last summer. Good job fatty.
Sky says Spartak London have joined the most overwrought pursuit of a backup keeper, ever, and are in on Begovic.
Just think… only a couple of years ago, Robinho was a last-minute January signing for Manchester City. Same year United poached Berbatov at the 11th hour, wasn’t it?
Cut to today, when the biggest stories involve Adam Johnson and a young striker from Crystal Palace.
Mido has signed for West Ham.
Sunderland have loaned Daryl Murphy to Ips**ts.
Also, I’m hearing that Alan Hutton has signed for Sunderland. Is Redknapp planning on keeping any wing-backs in reserve, or is this a direct response to all the jokes about Spurs signing a million wing-backs in the last 2-3 years?
The Mittened Assassin went at the end of the summer window James.
I’m wondering the same, JT. The Hutton deal is just a loan, so, in an injury pinch he could be recalled, but still, by loaning out Hutton and Naughton, ‘Arry’s got no cover at RB unless he thinks BAE can play there.
Is West Ham’s forward duo of Mido and McCarthy now the most portly strikeforce in the Prem?
sorry Georger. I couldn’t remember.
Phil: yeah, maybe he’s lining someone up at the last minute?
As for LFC rumors… heard two preposterous ones. We were trying to sign Vasilis Torosidis (Greek NT RB) as cover for Glen Johnson (he’s also BFFs with Kyrgiakos), and that we also made a late bid for Galatasaray’s Arda Turan, who’s actually quite good.
Torosidis is apparently pretty damn good, he has a really good scoring rate for a defender too.
And I would kill for Arda. Granted I’m biased considering I play with Galatasaray SK on FIFA and FM.
georger: don’t need to tell me twice. I would always make a move for Torosidis in FIFA as he’s one of the precious few 80+ rated RBs. Always seemed to play well. As for Arda, yeah, a no-brainer if it were possible.
Shit. Mido. Is. Shit.
JT, I suppose that’s possible, but I can’t imagine it’s anyone worthwhile unless he manages to offload Keane or Pavs.
I’m sorry, hadley, truly. We already had to put up with the petulant fatass.
As the window closes, the Mail says Spurs launch a late bid for Scott Loach and Sudnerland for Benjani
Keano apparently holding talks with Celtic. So say Sky.
Late news that Keane has opened talks with Celtic.
Dammit, Keith.
If Keane goes, that would suggest Gudjohnsen has looked good in training so far. Which means Defoe might finally have a decent striker partner.
What exactly does the window shutting mean? How far along must a deal be to still be allowed to finalize? Could we still see Pav to Birmingham or Gago to City? Would Turan to Liverpool be impossible now because he hasn’t, say, had a medical?
LE: I think some kind of paperwork has to be filed by the deadline in order for a deal to go through. If both parties agree to a move and then the paper trail is begun with the FA, then medicals can happen after the window is closed.
Word is Pav is staying put. I’m kind of happy about that, assuming Harry gives him a game.
@JT: That seems straightforward enough. I feel like something more sinister should be going on though, this being the FA and all.
Remember Arshavin? There’s always a way to get it done.
Stoke have won the Begovic sweepstakes @ 3.5 mil
1738: Real Madrid’s Argentine midfielder Fernando Gago is not going to join Manchester City today. Good story though, wasn’t it?
Maybe tomorrow?
no Gago to City, so says BBC.
Keane leaving for Celtic seems ok to me, but Spurs need to sort this scoring thing out soon.
Steve: what’s wild is how many strikers West Ham just took on. Mido, Ilan, and McCarthy within the last 3 hours.
Celtic ship MacDonald to ‘boro. Shame they got rid of Johnson, had he stayed with Scotty Mac and MacManus, I would have put them as a lock for the playoff.
@JT: maybe they will try to play a 4-4-3?
Keane went from playing in Anfield to playing at a Championship-level side in one year. Congrats.
@Steve: the 4-4-3 is not nearly as capable as TFA’s notorious 4-2-3-2.
TFA, it was a 4-2-3-2, right?
@EF: Yeah, I think it was that or a 4-5-2, depends on how you want to note it I guess.
“He’s a big Celtic man and to play for them – he’s a bit like Roy Keane, he dreams of playing for Celtic one day”
Hahahahahaha another life long dream move for Keano. This a**hole is like the guy at the beginning of Baseketball. It’s a dream to finally play here in Detroit. Uh this is Miami. Yeah whatevermotherf**ker.
Yeah, anyways, its a devastating formation.
And Wenger still sits on his summer transfer kitty, calmly expecting Eduardo to lead us to third.
Georger: BBC Sport is reporting that a deal for Vassilis Torosidis is confirmed. Olympiakos to LFC for an undisclosed fee.
No different than what any other footballer says, georger.
Not everyone gets their dream move to their favorite club. Fewer get to do it twice. Robbie Keane is truly blessed.
1801: Two deals we keep being told have been wrapped up are Vasilis Torosidis from Olympiakos to Liverpool and Asmir Begovic from Portsmouth to Stoke City.
WHOMP WHOMP WHOMP!
that was my 4-5-2, thankyouverymuch!
@LE: LOL. BTW, ‘Arry is confirming that Keane has left for Glasgow to secure a loan to Celtic.
It’s no big deal that the Gago move fell through.
We have esteemed England international Gareth Barry to lead us in midfield, along with Patrick Veira, an ageless wonder in good fitness.
Am I right??
He’s Greek
He’s great
He’s Kyrgiakos’ mate
Torosidis!
@NYK: A thousand apologies. Such brilliance should never be falsely attributed.
Vasilis Torosidis
He is so great, how can you not see ‘dis?
Vasilis Torosidis,
He’s a remarkably tidy bit of biznizz!
Well we’ve done our part to jinx the s**t out of this deal. I’m off to class, someone text me if the deal goes through.
Good Lord, and they say Spurs fans are fickle. A Greek defender already has his own songs?
georger: I’ll do you one better. I’ll DM you on Twitter
Phil: this is about as good as it gets for LFC. Torosidis is certainly a decent-to-good RB. Maybe this could push Johnson to right wing whenever he returns from injury.
Johnson on the wing could be fun to watch.
Mail saying the Benjani to Sunderland deal appears to have gone through.
Woah. Never thought I’d see the day a Benjani move actually went through.
Wow. And apparently, the Gago deal was pending Sheikh Al-Mansour’s approval but they couldn’t reach him to confirm before 5pm. So says shady Spanish newspaper. I say it’s all bulls**t.
from bbc:
(sound familiar? of course, this time i’m quite glad to hear it!)
Celtic are on the brink of signing Tottenham striker Robbie Keane on loan until the end of the season.
The Glasgow club are in talks with the Republic of Ireland international and hope to conclude the deal before Monday’s midnight transfer deadline.
The 29-year-old has been consistently linked with a move to the club he is known to have supported as a boy.
Spurs manager Harry Redknapp said: “He needs to be playing and to go to Celtic is a dream come true for him.“
Adam Johnson’s been given the #11 shirt. Same one Robinho was given. So that’s a good sign?
@Ryan:
Robinho wore No. 10, yes?
Yeah, I just had that pointed out to me. I’m an idiot. Read it somewhere and took it as fact.
Also found the reason Mariga didn’t go to City. He was busy signing with Inter:
http://www.inter.it/aas/news/reader?N=33181&L=en
Ryan: when one window closes, another one opens, right?
Gotta love rumors well I am delighted that Hoolahan is still in yella and set to make our diamond shine in the run in.
‘Boro have signed Scott MacDonald from Celtic and Lee Miller from Aberdeen
So, no Greek then?
I dont think that Mogga has done particularly well with the Keane deal.
Skippy did really well for us, and Keane isnt half the player he was.
It does mean, however, that all those fools who had “KEANE” printed on their replica shirts can get them out of the wardrobe again.
Also, is Strachan intent on taking the ENTIRE squad to Boro? Jesus, who are we going to have left?