Deadline day has passed but it’s been possibly the most active in living memory with millions changing hands and an array of star talent moving clubs. Read on for our summary of a crazy day of transfer activity and it’s potential impact on our Fantasy lineups…
Over the next few days, we’ll be wheeling out Moving Target and Scout Report articles on all the main protagonists but for now, here’s a brief synopsis on some of the most significant from a Fantasy perspective…
Dimitar Berbatov to Fulham
The Bulgarian reunites with Martin Jol as he makes his way to the Cottage in one of the window’s biggest surprises. Berbatov turned his back on Fiorentina and Juventus for the opportunity to stay in the Premier League and his mid-price valuation is set to see him pick up plenty interest. A partnership with Mladen Petric up front looks likely, though it’s uncertain which one of the pair Jol would favour for a role in “the hole” – either way, such a scenario would see Bryan Ruiz move to the wing and, with Damien Duff scoring in both the opening couple of Gameweeks, the cut-price potential of Alex Kacaniklic certainly takes a dive. Berbatov could well be afforded spot-kick duties, too, and with Fulham racking up the goals at home under Jol, there looks like a bandwagon is on the way.
Charlie Adam to Stoke
This could be a perfect fit for both parties. Adam’s Hollywood passing is completely at odds with Brendan Rodgers’ possession based tactics but a move to the Britannia will suit his style perfectly. Peter Crouch and Jon Walters could thrive on Adam’s propensity to play long balls from deep, with the Irishman feeding off the former’s knock-downs, while Tony Pulis will surely hand Adam the vast majority of set-pieces; good news, perhaps, for owners of Robert Huth, given the German’s aerial threat in the box.
Andy Carroll to West Ham
If there is one manager we can guarantee will be happy to supply Carroll with crosses aplenty, it’s Sam Allardyce. The West Ham boss is known for his love of “playing the percentages” and with Matt Jarvis on board from Wolves, Carroll’s aerial prowess will be a feature of the Hammers’ forward play this term. Kevin Nolan – tucked in just behind as the most advanced central midfielder – can also be expected to prosper, with Allardyce leaning on the pair’s former partnership at Newcastle to afford his side an attacking edge.
Maicon to Manchester City
With Roberto Mancini admitting earlier today he is unsure of a return date for Micah Richards, City have moved to boost their options at right-back by snapping up the raiding Brazilian from Serie A side Inter. Maicon’s arrival seems suited to Mancini’s recent shift to 3-5-2, with the Brazilian set to play on the right and either Alex Kolarov or Gael Clichy on the opposite side. This would certainly reduce James Milner’s game time – the former Villa man has featured in the role recently, while Pablo Zabaleta is perhaps less nailed-on now; the Argentine seemed assured of starts in Richards’ absence and, while he could play wide or in central defence in a 3-5-2, Maicon could rival him if City revert back to 4-4-2. In short, Vincent Kompany is the only assured City option, with Maicon’s arrival merely adding to our selection headache when it comes to City defenders.
Pablo Hernandez to Swansea
A real coup for the Welsh club. Michael Laudrup wasted little time in spending the money from the sale of Scott Sinclair by adding a touch of Spanish class to the Swansea ranks, with Hernandez joining up from La Liga outfit Valencia. While Fantasy managers have been quick to snap up Swansea’s assets in light of their strong form and upcoming run of fixtures, Hernandez’s arrival gives Laudrup a dilemma on the wings – although Wayne Routledge and Nathan Dyer have been in strong form, the new boy is expected to win a regular role out wide. Bearing in mind that Jonathan De Guzman could also play on the flank, there are plenty of question marks amongst the Swansea midfield right now – luckily for his multitude of owners, Michu looks the safest route into Laudrup’s midfield conundrum.
Clint Dempsey to Spurs
The US international follows Moussa Dembele from Fulham to Tottenham, with his mooted move to Liverpool failing to transpire. Earlier in the day, the departure of Rafael Van der Vaart gave us a little more faith in Gylfi Sigurdsson’s prospects – confidence grew in the Icelandic star as a viable alternative to Gareth Bale but Dempsey’s arrival ensures our previous dilemma remains – three top-priced midfielders, all on the back of strong previous season, vying for our affections. Quite where the American will fit into Andre Villas-Boas’ plans is another matter; utilised on the left by the Cottagers, racked up more FPL points than any midfielder last time round but his chance of ousting Bale look minimal. If Villas-Boas continues with a 4-2-3-1, Aaron Lennon could be the one to make way on the right, though question marks will be raised as to whether Dempsey can remain a Fantasy force now that he’s moved away from the comfort of Fulham.
* As we cast an eye over the transfers so far, it’s worth noting the following update from Fantasy Premier League ahead of our weekend trades.
Only transfers registered by 12 noon today will be eligible to play in this weekend’s matches.These players will be added to the game today. Other players will be added next week. Where players transfer between Premier League clubs, these will be updated. Please remember that if it means you then have four players from one team, the next time you try and make transfers, you will need to make your squad comply with the rules of three per team.
