Ally Abdallah

Transfer windows are a time when managers scramble to get the best players available mainly for two reasons; to avoid relegation or most importantly to win the silverware. Some work and have their buyers hailed as fantastic talent spotters, whilst others fail miserably and thus move the men who bought them closer to the exit door.

Here are the top ten transfers which have proved themselves to be worth much more than the millions of pounds spent to acquire them this season.

1) Fernando Torres (Atletico Madrid to Liverpool) - The top spot and the most successful and rewarding transfer this season goes to Fernando Torres who was signed for a huge £20M from Spanish side Atletico de Madrid. Torres made his competitive debut for Liverpool against Aston Villa in a 2-1 win on August the 11th. He scored his first English Premier League goal on his Anfield debut on August 19th, in the 16th minute in the 1-1 draw against Chelsea. The way he breezed through the Chelsea defence to slot home with ease past Petr Cech was a clear symbol of what was to come over the coming months. On February 23rd, Torres scored his first league hat-trick against Middlesbrough at Anfield in Liverpool’s 3-2 win. On March the 5th, just eleven days later, he repeated the feat, netting three more against West Ham in a 4-0 Liverpool victory.

In surpassing 20 Premier League goals in his first season there can be no doubt that Liverpool have got value for money with Torres. The Spanish forward simply looks a threat whenever he plays, and this is equally true be it against a miserly defence such as Chelsea, or a leaky one such as Derby County. Torres is sure to be key to whatever the Reds do over the coming seasons.

2) Carlos Tevez (West Ham To Manchester United) - Although the subject of a long summer transfer saga involving West Ham United, MSI and Manchester United, Tevez was ultimately successfully snared by Sir Alex Ferguson.

On the 23rd September, he scored his first goal with a diving header, in a 2-0 victory for United. On the 9th April 2008, in the Champions League quarter-final, second-leg against A.S. Roma at Old Trafford, Tevez scored a brilliant 70th minute diving headed goal from a superb cross by Owen Hargreaves to win the game 1-0 and overall 3-0 to help United progress to the semi-finals of the Champions League against Barcelona. It was his 17th goal for Manchester United. Ten days later he scored an 88 minute equalizer against Blackburn Rovers to keep Manchester United’s hope of retaining the Premier League title alive, a very valuable goal since it helped to avoid the possibility of Chelsea closing the gap at the top with three matches left for both sides in the 2007/ 2008 season. He scored a screamer from thirty yards against West Ham at Old Trafford on the 3rd of May, and Ferguson can now certainly see that Tevez is beginning to repay his investment.

3) Ryan Babel (Ajax to Liverpool) - Rafa Benitez had no concerns about grabbing the Dutch winger and occasional striker from Ajax after the 2006/07 season for a striking £13.5 million. Babel has the ability to terrorise defenders in the Premier League with his pace and trickery with the ball.  He scored the fourth and last goal in Liverpool’s vital UEFA Champions League 2007-08 group stage Group Stage match against Olympique Marseille, which the Reds needed to win to be sure of advancing. Since then Ryan Babel has scored 4 more goals for the first team bringing his tally up to eight goals in 20 appearances. Often thought of as a young Thierry Henry by Liverpool supporters, Babel is proving to be yet another astute buy by the Spaniard.

4) Nani (Sporting to Manchester United) - Known for his aerobic trademark ‘backflip’ celebration for scoring goals, however he is fast becoming much more well known for his pace and ability to scramble past defenders with superb footwork. Nani scored his first competitive goal for Manchester United, with a 30-yard winner against Tottenham Hotspur, leading the team to their first win of the 2007-08 season.

Alex Ferguson, well known for his impatient signings, did not wait long to snap up this young and playful winger from Sporting Lisbon. Nani has proved himself the next magician of the Manchester United left flank, and for many is the natural heir to Ryan Giggs.

5) Roque Santa Cruz (Bayern Munich to Blackburn Rovers) - Blackburn snatched Cruz away from Bayern Munich for a four-year deal and agreed to pay £3.5M for the Paraguayan striker.

Cruz scored his first goal for Rovers after just three touches of the ball when he came on as a substitute for the injured Benni McCarthy against Middlesbrough in the opening game of the 2007-08 Premier League season. Santa Cruz celebrated his 26th birthday and his first full Rovers start when he scored the winner away to MyPa in the UEFA Cup. He scored his first hat-trick for Blackburn in a 5–3 loss to Wigan on December 2007. The lanky forward has been impressive all season long and is always a threat in the air. That is not to say he lacks skill on the ground, and for the price he is looking a snip. Mark Hughes must be very happy with his catch.

6) Yakubu (Middlesbrough to Everton) - David Moyes certainly does not regret having spent £7.5 million on this lethal goalscoring machine who has been vital in bringing them to fifth place currently in the Premier League.

He scored 10 minutes into his debut for the club, the first goal in a 2-1 win against Bolton Wanderers on September 2007. Yakubu carried on his rich vein of scoring form with a double in a 7-1 demolition of Sunderland in the Premier League in November. His streak continued with a ‘perfect’ hat-trick against Fulham F.C. in a 3-0 win in the Premier League the next month (December), the first two from close range, while he capped off the performance with a skilful third. Yakubu looks worth every penny of that £7.5M outlay.

7) Nicolas Anelka (Bolton to Chelsea) - Avram Grant was impressed by the French striker’s style of play and his ever-strong skill of scoring goals and so decided to sign him for a massive fee of £15 million giving him a contract which will keep him with Chelsea until 2012.

Anelka scored his first goal for Chelsea in January 2008 in the FA Cup 4th-round tie against Wigan Athletic with a sublime touch over the advancing Chris Kirkland. He scored his first league goal soon after in February against Portsmouth. On the 30th April during the semi-final of the UEFA Champions League, he came off the bench in injury time and provided a cross which led to a goal against Liverpool. This priceless contribution has almost paid Chelsea back the huge fee it took to sign him, and this right at the beginning of his Blues career.

8) Eduardo (Dinamo Zagreb to Arsenal) - Arsene Wenger spent £8.5 million on the Croatian winger and has been satisfied with the former Dinamo Zagreb player’s performances this season.  Eduardo made his Premier League debut in August 2007 in Arsenal’s 1–1 draw at Blackburn Rovers, being replaced by Denílson in the 65th minute. Ten days later, he netted his first competitive goal for the Gunners in their UEFA Champions League qualifier against Sparta Prague, making the final score 3–0 a few minutes from time. He went on to score his first Group Stage goal in the Champions League on 19th September 2007, once again making the final score 3–0 in the last minute of stoppage time against Sevilla.

While still fighting to find his place as a regular in the Premiership for Arsenal, Eduardo continued to display his goalscoring abilities in the Carling Cup, scoring two braces in two consecutive matches for the club, against Sheffield United and Blackburn Rovers, and helping them to reach the semi-finals of the competition.

9) Martin Petrov (Atlético Madrid to Manchester City) - Unpredictable, and full of pace and power, the Bulgarian left winger has blazed a trail on the left flank since his move from Atlético, which was for a sum £4.7 million, to Manchester City. He played his first Premier League game against West Ham, making endless runs down his favoured left flank, creating havoc with the West Ham’s defence, and never shying away from taking a powerful long range shot at goal with his trademark left foot. He scored his first goal in Manchester City’s sky blue colours at Fulham’s Craven Cottage, a performance in which he netted two goals. One of the goals was a superb individual effort, and the other a brilliant one-two with Brazilian Elano.

10) Benjani (Portsmouth to Manchester City) - A well balanced and disciplined player who has made a pretty good start at Manchester City with three goals in eleven appearances. He made and impressive debut performance against Manchester United where he scored his first goal in his first Manchester derby. His second goal came against Portsmouth where he didn’t celebrate the goal out of respect for his former club which he stated had done so much for him, alongside his respect for the fans. Certain to be a key player for Manchester City next season.