TRANSFER REPORT: PREMIER LEAGUE

The Winter Transfer Window has been cold! No major movements or changes to the big  clubs. The others are well improving or so it seems. This piece rates and grades the activities of the  top six in the EPL.

LIVERPOOL

ARRIVALS 

Connor Randall (Rochdale, End of Loan), Ben Woodburn ( Sheffield United, End 

of Loan)

DEPARTURES 

Dominic Solanke (Bournemouth, €21million), Nathaniel Clyne (Bournemouth, Loan)

A 5 point lead and a place in the knockout stages of the Champions League is exactly where Liverpool dreamed of being some 12 months ago. On the back of some shrewd transfer activity over the last two windows, one might have to agree. An otherwise quiet window with the return of Randall and Woodburn from their respective loans adds some level of squad depth to an already deep squad. Allowing a squad player (and maybe flop) like Dominic Solanke to join Bournemouth for €21 million is some good business and should add to the team's finances. The potential returns of Oxlade-Chamberlain and Gomez should be the catalyst Liverpool need to charge towards the title.
A quiet and sensible window for the Reds.
GRADE: B+

MANCHESTER CITY

ARRIVALS

Ante Palaversa ( Hadjuk Split, €4.8million), Ko Itakura ( Kawasaki Frontale, €1.10million), Anthony Càceres ( Melbourne City, End of Loan), Marlos Moreno ( Flamengo, End of Loan)

DEPARTURES

Brahim Díaz ( Real Madrid, €17million), Ante Palaversa ( Hadjuk Split, loan), Ko Itakura ( FC Groningen, loan), Anthony Càceres ( Sydney FC, Loan), Marlos Moreno ( Santos Laguna, Loan)

Relative to last winter, the Blue Half of Manchester has been quiet. Business has been the usual: arrivals and departures of young players the world over. The only significant activity has been the departure of Brahim Díaz to Real Madrid at a tidy sum. The focus now seems to be on usurping Liverpool at the summit of the table while challenging on other fronts. Expect a splash of cash this summer.
GRADE: B-

TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR

ARRIVALS

Nil

DEPARTURES

Moussa Dembele (GZ R&F, €12.45million), Georges-Kevin N'Koudou (Monaco, Loan)

You can't but feel sorry for Mauricio Pochettino. 2019 has started off poorly for the man. Starting the season at a disadvantage with a fatigued core and no signings, this season promised to be tough one but he managed to remain  competitive.. Till January. Injuries to key men has handicapped Spurs. The exit of Dembele though deserved should have been delayed to the end of the season. Safe to say the tag of 'Bottlers' will not be put on them for the rest of the  season, they've fought for nothing and will get nothing.
An abysmal showing by Daniel Levy and his men.
GRADE: D

ARSENAL

ARRIVALS

Denis Suarez (Barcelona, Loan)

DEPARTURES

Emile Smith-Rowe (RB Leipzig, Loan)

Arsenal will always be Arsenal.  Play beautiful football, go on an  unbeaten run of some  sort, be downright depressing, stagnate, repeat. That has been the Arsenal way for some time now. Unai Emery has been dealt a bad hand with his board informing him of no signings due to a lack of funds and has been restricted to loan deals. This approach has and will not take Arsenal back to the upper echelons of English football.
The temporal addition of Suarez will add a bit of spark but nothing spectacular from Arsenal. A let down after a  vibrant summer.
GRADE: C-

CHELSEA

ARRIVALS

Gonzalo Higuain (Juventus, €9million Loan), Christian Pulisic (Borrusia Dortmund, €64million)

DEPARTURES

Christian Pulisic (Borrusia Dortmund, Loan), Alvaro Morata (Atletico Madrid, Loan), Cesc Fabregas ( AS Monaco, Free), Victor Moses (Fenerbahce, Loan), Michy Batshuayi (Crystal Palace, Loan)

Tragic. A word that best sums up Chelsea's season and transfer activity so far. Stuck with a one dimensional revolutionary who has won nothing in 28 years of coaching. The season started so well but turned to something else. This winter window has shown no signs of improvement in the short term. Signing Pulisic is fantastic, but signing him on an expiring contract for €64million is just bad business. Bringing in an out of sorts Higuain is another fail. Letting go of valuable squad players will be detrimental to the team.
Brace yourselves Chelsea fans, you're about to get blue.
GRADE: D

MANCHESTER UNITED

ARRIVALS

Joel Pereira (Vitoria Setubal, End of Loan)

DEPARTURES

Nil

United have obviously been silent but their biggest transfer has to be the hiring of club legend Ole Gunnar Solskjaer after the Mourinho madhouse. He has brought in a new belief and stability to the club and this has had a knock on effect on the club as the core players have expressed interest in renewing their contracts. 

A stabilizing window for a resurgent club.
GRADE: B