Robbie Keane was at the center of another transfer deadline day of drama as the Ireland captain completed a late loan move from Tottenham to Celtic.
A year after returning to Spurs from Liverpool, Keane, who had fallen behind Peter Crouch and Jermain Defoe in the White Hart Lane pecking order, moved north in search of first-team action with the decision made easier for him by Tottenham’s decision to sign Eidur Gudjohnsen, a similar style of player, on loan from Monaco, earlier this week.
Spurs boss Harry Redknapp admitted: “Robbie wants to play and I have Crouch, Defoe and [Roman] Pavlyuchenko and I signed Gudjohnsen so it will be difficult to guarantee him a starting place and he has to be playing regularly so I have decided to let him go on loan until the end of the season.”
Spurs also released Alan Hutton on loan with the Scotland defender joining Sunderland until the end of the season.
The biggest deal of the day was Manchester City’s signing of Adam Johnson from Middlesbrough on a four-and-a-half-year deal, although the reported transfer fee of £6 million (US$9.5 million) underlined how the recession and high debt levels have taken their toll on spending at England’s leading clubs.
HUGE FALL
Business advisory firm Deloitte put total spending in this transfer window at £30 million, the lowest total since the mid-season window system was introduced in January 2003 and a huge fall compared to the £170 million spent last year.
Deloitte partner Dan Jones said it was not just the economic climate that had caused the reduction in spending.
“Managers, club owners and directors have become increasingly skeptical of the near-term impact a January acquisition can have,” Jones said. “Therefore, it is unsurprising to see a lack of high value activity, with those clubs that are active preferring loan deals.”
“The absence of new club owners and the tightening of club finances and credit availability have helped to accelerate that trend and dampen down the market,” he said.
City’s acquisition of Johnson came just days after Robinho, who cost them £32.5 million in 2008, was offloaded to Santos.
“We are delighted that Adam has chosen to come here,” City’s manager, Roberto Mancini, said. “He is a very good player with fantastic potential, and as a club we are always keen to sign British talent.”
At the other end of the Premier League’s financial spectrum, cash-strapped Portsmouth were given a welcome financial boost after the bottom of the table side agreed to sell goalkeeper Asmir Begovic to top-flight rivals Stoke City for £3.25 million on a four-year deal.
South Africa’s Benni McCarthy completed his long anticipated move to relegation threatened West Ham from Premier League rivals Blackburn Rovers, where he will be joined by loan signings Ilan and Mido.
Former Tottenham forward Mido arrived on loan from Middlesbrough after cutting short a loan spell with Egyptian side Zamalek while Brazilian striker Ilan has been signed on loan from French club St Etienne.
Wigan signed teenage forward Victor Moses from Crystal Palace on a three-and-a-half year contract for a reported fee of £2.5 million.
Bolivia striker Marcelo Moreno joined Wigan on loan from Shakhtar Donetsk.
Fulham had a busy day of transfer activity with manager Roy Hodgson making several signings.
Italy Under-21 striker Stefano Okaka joined on loan from Roma until the end of the season as Diomansy Kamara departed to Celtic on a similar deal.
UTILITY PLAYER
Fulham also signed England defender Nicky Shorey on loan from Premier League rivals Aston Villa and German utility player Christopher Buchtmann who joined from Liverpool on an 18-month contract.
Long after the transfer window had closed, it was still unclear whether struggling Sunderland had succeeded in a bid to sign Manchester City’s Zimbabwean striker Benjani Mwaruwari on loan before the deadline.
“We wait to find out but I hope we are granted the player, who would be a huge boost to us,” Sunderland boss Steve Bruce said.
New Zealand midfielder Michael McGlinchey will play for Scottish Premier League side Motherwell on a three-month loan, his Australian A-League football club Central Coast said yesterday.
Scottish-born McGlinchey, 22, returns to the Scottish league after previously playing for Celtic.
He was a member of the New Zealand team which beat Bahrain 1-0 in September to qualify for this year’s World Cup and will be part of the All Whites squad in South Africa.
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