Transfer Check: EPL club review of 2011 summer transfer window

QUEENS PARK RANGERS

In: Anton Ferdinand (Sunderland, £4.5m), Shaun Wright-Phillips (Man City, £4m), Luke Young (Aston Villa, £2.5m), Armand Traoré (Arsenal, £1.2m), DJ Campbell (Blackpool, £1.25m), Joey Barton (Newcastle), Jay Bothroyd (Cardiff), Kieron Dyer (West Ham)

Out: Kaspars Gorkss (Reading, £900,000)

This did not work out at all. Barton brought his usual ‘presence’ to the dressing room. The rest were signed in a mad scramble late in the window on an anyone and everyone basis which necessarily meant that it wasn’t prepared as a team. Look at these names, I mean, seriously?

What we thought then: Hmmm, let’s see…

What we think now: How did they survive relegation again.

Grade: F. Need an explanation?

STOKE CITY

In: Peter Crouch (Tottenham, £10m), Jonathan Woodgate (Tottenham), Martin Upson (West Ham).

Out: Carl Dickinson (Watford, undisclosed), Abdoulaye Faye (West Ham), Eidur Gudjohnsen (AEK Athens)

That they can sign players of Crouch’s notoriety now is sign of the progress they’ve made. He was good for them, including some great performances against top teams. No quality or passers added though and Pulis has paid the price with his job.

What we thought then: Crouch, with the way Stoke play? Yes please!

What we think now: Nice and solid.

Grade: C. Pretty good but no players who can add something different.

SUNDERLAND

In: Connor Wickham (Ipswich, £8.1m rising to £13m), Craig Gardner (Birmingham, £4m), John O’Shea (Manchester U, £4m), Ahmed Elmohamady (ENPPI Club, £2m), Ji Dong-Won (Chunnam Dragons, £2m), Wes Brown (Manchester U, £1m, ), James McClean (Derry C, £350,000)

Out: Jordan Henderson (Liverpool, £16m), Anton Ferdinand (QPR, £4.5m), Steed Malbranque (St Étienne)

Sunderland got better after this and Bruce was unlucky that they didn’t start to gel until O’Neill took over. A bunch of nice Premier League players who came in and gave consistency. The real bright spot here is McClean who emerged as a bit of whirlwind at the end of the season although he has since regressed. How they got over £20 million for Henderson and Ferdinand is anyone’s guess.

What we thought then: Some good safe additions, should help them get better.

What we think now: Decent enough. However, Wickham hasn’t improved and only O’Shea and Gardner have been consistent over the two years.

Grade: C. It helped them in 2011/12 but not much after.

SWANSEA CITY

In: Danny Graham (Watford, £3.5m, above), Wayne Routledge (Newcastle, £2.9m), Leroy Lita (Reading, £1.75m), Michel Vorm (FC Utrecht, £1.5m), Gerhard Tremmel (Red Bull Salzburg), Steven Caulker (Tottenham, L).

Out: Shaun McDonald (MK Dons, £80,000), Dorus de Vries (Wolves), Darren Pratley (Bolton),

Vorm has perhaps the signing of the season as the Swansea defence racked up clean sheet after clean sheet and finished in a comfortable mid table. Caulker was a rock in that same defence and played his way in to the England squad. Graham and Routledge added pace and endeavour to the attack and formed part of strong nucleus.

What we thought then: Is this enough to keep them up?

What we think now: This was further evidence of the Swansea personnel department being amongst the best in the league. Superb value for money.

Grade: A. Rogers got the Liverpool job on the back of this and the scouts have churned up more gold this year.