By Mike Calvin
Not long left in the ultimate game of high stakes poker. There are millions in the pot, to be won or wasted.
Who will be in credit once the cards are returned to the deck, with the closure of the transfer window on Tuesday evening?
Here are some of the best deals completed so far (even though, in the case of a couple of opportune loans, they are embarrassing in their expedience).
Most immediate impact: Nathaniel Clyne & Joe Gomez (Liverpool)
Clyne’s arrival at Anfield from Southampton was an untypically painless way of curing a persistent problem on the right side of the Liverpool defence. At £12.5m, in an age of stratospheric fees, he represents a bargain. He has now to convince Roy Hodgson of his international potential.
Gomez’s impact, at left back, was put into perspective when Brendan Rodgers suggested he has introduced him in his third best position. He has been identified as a flexible central defender in the long term, and vindicates Liverpool’s development strategy. At £3.5m, he is a steal.
Best Free Transfers: Andre Ayew (Swansea City) & Bakary Sako (Crystal Palace)
Swansea’s understated excellence in the transfer market is embodied by Ayew, the Ghananian forward who joined on a Bosman transfer after his contract expired at Marseilles. His pace and intelligence in possession makes him a viable threat from wide areas or as a second striker to Bafetimbi Gomis.
Sako, like Ayew, scored on his Premier League debut for his new club. That always helps, but the qualities of pace and physicality the Malian international showed in the Championship with Wolves were obviously transferable. He also has a blunderbuss of a left foot.
Most Intriguing Arrivals: Adama Traore (Aston Villa) & Xherdan Shaqiri (Stoke City)
European scouts agree that Traore, the Barcelona starlet signed for £7m by Tim Sherwood, is a huge talent. However, some doubt whether he will ultimately be able to deal with the physicality of the English game. He is already, quite literally, a marked man; anyone who savours free spirited footballers should hope he has the necessary durability.
Shaqiri, by contrast, was spared the culture shock of a League Cup tie against League Two opposition. Though obviously lacking match sharpness, following a fallow summer, the potency of his set piece deliveries and his willingness to work hard, with and without the ball, augur well.
Fondest Farewells: Juan Cuadrado (Chelsea) & Mario Balotelli (Liverpool)
Cuadrado was treated rather like a fan who had won a competition to train with the first team for the day: everyone at Chelsea was studiously polite, but wondered what on earth he was doing there. A classic example of a player who flattered to deceive at a World Cup, the Colombian winger’s return to Serie A with Juventus, initially for the rest of the season, is probably best for all concerned.
Balotelli will still be a drain on Liverpool’s resources, financially, but spiritually his move to AC Milan is a blessing. Brendan Rodgers’ pet project was doomed to failure by repetitive character flaws and the wayward striker’s inability to realise he can no longer be indulged. There’s a sense of sadness a wonderful talent has been squandered.
Credit: BT Sport