Two EPL signings in January that don’t make sense
The January transfer window has slammed shut with more players leaving on loan rather than new players joining.
Most Premier League sides haven’t made a huge number of incomings mid-way through the season. However, a few clubs were busy sending their youngsters to the lower leagues to get regular game time and develop themselves.
While teams like Manchester United, Liverpool, Tottenham and Arsenal brought in some important reinforcements, there were a few transfers that did not make sense.
Jack Rodwell
Having signed Sander Berge from Genk, Sheffield United should have waited to sign the former Manchester City man.
As per BBC, the Blades signed Rodwell on a short-term contract that would keep him at the club until the end of the season. He played just 21 Championship games last year and was left without a club in the first half of the campaign.
He made 109 appearances for Everton after coming through their ranks and then moved to Manchester City, where he flopped miserably. He could manage just 25 games for the Cityzens in two years and his career began to decline. He then played for Sunderland and Blackburn.
Nonetheless, Chris Wilder now has three defensive midfielders in Rodwell, Sander Berge and Muhamed Besic, who has returned from a loan spell at Everton. Given the competition in the squad, it remains to be seen as to how Rodwell makes a name for himself in Chris Wilder’s set-up.
Cedric Soares
According to Evening Standard, Arsenal signed Cedric Soares on loan from Southampton on deadline day for the rest of the season.
Cedric, 28, had been a key figure for the Saints over the past four years, barring a short time when he was on loan with Inter Milan. He made 138 appearances for the club before joining Arsenal. He is also a Euro winner with Portugal.
The former Sporting CP man was the only established right-back available for Ralph Hasenhuttl and they should have kept him at the club. Yan Valery has featured in only 10 league games so far, whereas loan signing Kyle-Walker Peters hasn’t played more than 3 games for Tottenham this term.
Therefore, at the moment, the Saints have no experienced player at right-back. Hence, letting the Portugal international leave on loan was not the ideal decision by Southampton.
