January signings can be a tricky business. The general market perception is that the need to buy players midway through a season adds more value to the pursuit of the clubs and hence the selling clubs have often been the beneficiary as they part ways with players for a higher transfer fee than they would have received in the summer.
That said, often teams have no choice but to go after a certain set of players, especially if they are either chasing a top four finish and need to add depth to the squad or battling relegation woes.
With the business end of the season fast approaching, its time we take a look down the memory lane for 5 players who were signed in the winter transfer window/midway through the season and helped their respective teams avoid relegation in the English Premier League.
#1 Gary Cahill – Bolton Wanderers (2007-08)
The 2006-07 season was resoundingly successful one for Bolton Wanders after they finished 7th in the Premier League and also qualified for the UEFA Cup competition in 2007-08. However, after Sam Allardyce left for Newcastle, the Trotters were in a soup come the end of the January in 2008. The club had won just five league games all season and were just two points clear of Wigan Atheltic who occupied the 18th spot with 20 points.
With defence being an area of concern, the club’s management signed the then 22-year-old centre-back Gary Cahill from Aston Villa after he was deemed surplus to requirement by Martin O’Neil. And this proved to be a career-changing move for the Englishman.
The centre-back showed great resolve in defence and given his ability in the air as well as on the ground, he was pivotal as the Trotters staged a late season revival. He featured in 13 league games in the season and was hugely applauded in his role as a leader of the side’s defence especially in the final five games in the season where they won three and drew the other two and in the process conceded a mere two goals during the period.
Their late resurgence allowed Bolton to narrowly avoid relegation by a solitary point and his performance in their revival ensured that Cahill received the deserved praise for his role in helping his side retaining their Premier League status.
#2 Clint Dempsey - Fulham (2006-07)
The United States of America National Football Team was never the subject of serious talk in English football until the arrival of Clint Dempsey from the MLS club New England Revolution.
Demsey’s goal scoring instincts were well known in the MLS. However, when Fulham offered $4 Million to acquire his services, it was termed a huge gamble by the pundits as it would make him the costliest transfer out of the MLS. The move to a new country and a totally different league took its toll on Dempsey and he failed to make an instant impact at the club.
However, it was in their penultimate game against Liverpool that Dempsey truly rose to the occasion. With 35 points on the board, any positive results from their fellow strugglers could have meant the end of Fulham’s Premier League stay. And with the Cottagers Fulham still to play Liverpool and the then mid table club Middlesbrough, it was never going to be easy.
Against the Reds Dempsey started a move as he took on two players before finding teammate Liam Rosenior in an advantageous situation on the right flank. When the ball was played back to Dempsey several Fulham fans must have held their breaths as Dempsey had never scored a goal for Fulham before that.
However, the Texan superstar kept his nerves and slotted it past the Liverpool goalkeeper Pepe Reina to ensure that his side remained a Premier League club for the upcoming season of the Premier League.
#3 Jermain Defoe – Sunderland (2014-15)
Given their reputation, any time an established name from a European league moves to an MLS club, the general perception is that he is towards the end of his professional career. One man who has proven that the aforementioned statement is nothing but a myth is Sunderland’s Jermain Defoe.
Over recent times, the Black Cats have acquired the reputation of being a club that loves a relegation battle and more often than not comes out of it on the winning side. However, their greatest ever escape arguably came in the 2014-15 season when it looked certain that they were going down.
Prior to Defoe’s arrival at the Stadium of Light, Sunderland had won just three games and were just a point clear of Hull City in 18th spot. While Defoe only scored four goals in his first season at the club, the importance of three of his goals could not be understated as they were in the victories against Burnley, Everton and their arch-rivals Newcastle United. Sunderland eventually beat the drop by three points and if there was one man who turned it around for them with important goals, it has to be Jermain Defoe.
The England striker who spent time at clubs such as West Ham United, Tottenham Hotspurs, Bournemouth and Portsmouth is now back in the fold with the England National team and continues to be an ever-present threat to the opposition as the leader of Sunderland’s attack.
#4 Andy Cole – Blackburn Rovers (2001-02)
The arrival of Ruud Van Nistelrooy meant that Andy Cole’s days at Manchester United were numbered as he found game time hard to come by in the 2001-02 season. Frustrated with the lack of opportunities, Cole moved to the struggling Blackburn Rovers on 29th December in a bid to help them avoid relegation.
Blackburn had won just five games until then and were seated in the 16th spot and just three points away from safety. It was perhaps their wretched form in front of goal that had seen Graeme Souness’ men drop into troubled waters in the Premier League and the need of the hour was finding someone who could knock the ball into the back of the net at a consistent rate.
The arrival of an established name like Andy Cole proved to be the catalyst that led to The Riversiders not only avoiding relegation but doing so comprehensively. The English striker played a pivotal role in his side’s resurgence as he scored an incredible 13 goals in 20 appearances across all competitions to not only help his side avoid relegation but also clinch the League Cup trophy.
While he will always be remembered for his time at Manchester United, Cole achieved a legendary status at the Ewood Park in a very short time courtesy of his performances in the 2001-02 season.
#5 Jurgen Klinsmann – Tottenham Hotspurs (1997-98)
Jurgen Klinsmann is a name that brings back fond memories for the Tottenham Hotspurs faithful. The German international played for the likes of VFB Stuttgart, Inter Milan, AS Monaco and Bayern Munich apart from Tottenham Hotspur and is considered one of the finest strikers to have graced the game.
Tottenham had not had a great season until his arrival as they were seated in the 19th spot and three points away from safety. Their season picked the required steam in the 2nd half of the season and Klinsmann proved to be a great asset to the side as he scored nine goals in 15 appearances for them.
Perhaps his greatest contributions in keeping the side afloat in the Premier League came in the penultimate game of the season as Spurs travelled to face Wimbledon.
A loss against their hosts could send them spiralling down the league table and Tottenham needed to win the game and they did precisely that with Klinsmann putting on a master class. The German scored 4 goals to help his side comprehensively win 6-2 and in the process ensured that they did not lose their standing in England’s top league.
Spurs managed to beat relegation by four points finishing 14th in the process and Klinsmann’s love affair with the London club that began in 1994 ended with the curtains being drawn on the 97-98 season as he retired shortly thereafter.
