January Transfers: The Best Ranking Mid-Season Transfers to Come – Part 1
The mid-season transfer window opens at the end of next month as a number of clubs look to make major transfers. The transfer window provides club riddled with injuries, or poor form an opportunity to bring in fresh faces and shore up their positions in
their respective leagues.
As usual, the rumour mill has been grinding furiously, but fans should understand that while there may be a grain of truth to the rumours – nothing is certain until a player has actually signed.
If however, movements in the transfer market go according to speculations, there would be radical changes to the sides competing for the title in the second half of the season – setting the stage for an enthralling finish to the season.
Manchester United is reportedly looking for new recruits to strengthen, and add more depth to their squad. Even though United have looked sluggish in the early part of the season, they are still the only unbeaten team in England.
Tottenham Hotspurs are most likely to add some names to serve as backups, since they have numerous long-term injuries in their ranks. With Spurs vying for four trophies, adequate replacements are desperately required.
Manchester City will probably be entering the transfer market as sellers, given the surplus of talent in their squad. That could mean that other clubs could pick up skilled players like Emmanuel Adebayor for a bargain.
Clubs from every league in Europe, whether it is Spain, Italy or England are throwing their players names in for transfers. Although more rumours will surface before the transfer window opens, only twenty five players will make the list here.
It should be noted that the transfers discussed are based solely on rumours, and the list goes in no particular order.
So here are the names expected to change teams:
Roque Santa Cruz
Roque Santa Cruz is a 29-year-old Paraguayan striker, who plays for Manchester City. He is also a part of the Paraguayan national team.
Interestingly, Santa Cruz has a Spanish passport and has been made eligible to be selected in all European Union based sides.
He started his youth career in Paraguay with Olimpia in 1990, and continued in the club’s youth ranks for the next seven years. In 1997 he made the first team squad, only to play with them for two years. He scored thirteen goals in 23 appearances.
He then made a move to German Giants Bayern Munich, with whom he stayed for the next eight years. He scored thirty one goals in 155 appearances for the club. In 2007 he moved to Blackburn rovers in the English Premier League, where he scored an impressive
23 goals in just 57 matches.
In the summer of 2009 Santa Cruz moved to the stadium of light and into the Manchester City camp. However, his career seems to have stalled following the move. So far he has only scored three goals in the 20 times he has featured for the Citizens.
He first became a part of the Paraguayan national team in 1999 in the under-twenty team. Later in the same year he forced his way into the senior squad of the national team. Since then he has represented his country 78 times, scoring 28 goals.
Santa Cruz is player with immense skill and potential, but sadly he has had limited opportunities of showcasing his abilities, given that he has been sidelined by the new reinforcements brought in by Roberto Mancini this year.
Article Continued in Part 2.
Tags: