Transfer window closes in Spain with low activity

Torres returning to Atletico Madrid was one of the La Liga’s biggest signings this window

Madrid, Jan 31 (IANS): The winter transfer market for Spain came to a close with most clubs refraining from doing any business.

The window ended Friday night 11 p.m. (local time) with the 20 clubs in the BBVA Primera Liga spending a total of €45 million, the vast majority of which was spent by just two clubs, Valencia and Real Madrid, reports Xinhua.

Meanwhile, nearly all of the other deals in La Liga, with the exception of the purchase of Eric Baily by Villarreal and Bongonda by Celta Vigo were loan deals, although there were some famous names involved.

Enzo Perez at €25 million was the most expensive purchase of the month and the Argentine strengthens a Valencia side. which spent heavily over the summer.

Real Madrid are no strangers to big spending and the club invested a further 13 million on Brazilian midfielder Lucas Silva, while Villarreal spent almost six million on Baily and Bongonda cost Celta €1.3 million from Belgium.

Among the important loan deals was the return of Fernando Torres to Atletico Madrid.

'El Nino' received a rapturous reception on his return to the club where he began his career and has already scored goals against Barcelona and Real Madrid to hint that his long drought could at last be over.

Apart from buying Baily, Villarreal sold central defender Gabriel to Arsenal for €20 million, plus the arrival of Costa Rican international Joel Campbell on loan, who replaced Cani, another player to join Atletico Madrid on loan.

Most of the loan activity has nevertheless taken place in the lower half of the table with Cordoba looking to have invested well in Bebe (a former Manchester United striker) and Edimar. Oriol Riera joins Deportivo La Coruna from Wigan Athletic and Adrian Corlunga returns to Spain after a brief spell at Brighton.