The following list is not only about the most lucrative deals; it also includes some of the most shocking moves. In the end, one of the questions that will only be best answered through time is this: Which teams and players have been smart, lucky or doomed?
Fernando Torres: Permanent Transfer Done From Liverpool To Chelsea
Moved from Atletico Madrid to Liverpool for around £20M in 2007.
Moved from Liverpool to Chelsea for £50M in January 2011.
That must be THE transfer of January – if not of the year 2011. On the private life front, Fernando Torres is well on his way to being complete. Being married and having a child, what more could the 26-year-old ask for? At the club football career level, however, Torres seems to have more difficulties achieving his goals.
His transfer from Atletico Madrid to Liverpool a few years back was meant to dramatically change the fortunes of both the player and the Reds. Fernando Torres’ unbelievable goal statistics in his first 2 seasons with Liverpool transformed the striker into a celebrated hero at the club. But goals started to become rare as injuries worried the Spaniard who couldn’t even enjoy the 2010 World Cup at the individual level despite La Furia Roja’s triumph.
During Roy Hodgson’s days, it was clear that Fernando Torres was struggling to keep his cool. As gifted as he is, he should be winning trophies instead of enduring tough moments – that’s what the player actually thought as he explained in his transfer request which got rejected by Liverpool in the last week of January. But why would the Reds keep fighting to hold on to a frustrated player when over £50M get splashed on the table?
So Fernando Torres, with a bit more than 2 years on his Liverpool contract, decided to quit Anfield for arch-rivals Chelsea. That was certainly a daring thing to do, knowing the intense rivalry that exists between the two clubs.
Was there a better way for Torres to scream out loud his obsession for success against his relationship with Liverpool’s fans and against his loyalty to the Merseyside Reds? Certainly not. "Well done Liverpool for earning as much as £50M for out-of-shape Fernando Torres. Now make sure we don't miss him," say Reds supporters.
Andy Carroll: Permanent Transfer Done From Newcastle United To Liverpool
Played at Newcastle United from his youth.
Moved from Newcastle United to Liverpool for £35M in January 2011.
Fernando Torres held the key to Andy Carroll’s future; the Spaniard’s late departure from Liverpool opened the door for the young striker to land at Anfield. Believe or not, Andy Carroll’s transfer from Newcastle United to Liverpool didn’t cost less than £35M!
He has only turned 22 years-of-age, he has never played Champions League football, he has only been capped once for England’s senior team, and above all, he has only scored a total of 34 goals in 103 appearances in his career! So how did this £35M price tag fall on Andy Carroll?
The answer is simple: that was the result of total football transfer madness - this atmosphere that reigns in the last hours of the transfer window. “Wow, how much would Ronaldo, Messi... or ME be worth 2day in this crazy market?!!! 100m+ all day!!” tweeted Manchester United’s over stunned Rio Ferdinand.
Luis Suarez: Permanent Transfer Done From Ajax To Liverpool
Moved from Groningen to Ajax for €7.5M in 2007.
Moved from Ajax to Liverpool for €26.5M in January 2011.
Well, it was certainly time for a prolific goal scorer such as Luis Suarez to get into the spotlight by switching from the Dutch Eredivisie to the English Premier League. The interesting point in the Uruguayan’s transfer to Liverpool was the ultimatum issue.
During the week on which the deal was done, Ajax coach Frank de Boer came out strongly in a press conference. The manager warned all interested clubs, and Liverpool in particular, that Luis Suarez would only be sold for €35M. Frank de Boer also made it clear that €5M would be added to the player’s price tag if conditions could not be met Saturday, January 29.
But in a way or another, Liverpool managed to strike a deal that fell €8.5M short of the expected amount. Actually, Luis Suarez’s love for England and the Reds might have played a big role in making this transfer deal a successful one.
Emmanuel Adebayor: Loan Transfer Done From Manchester City To Real 
Madrid
Moved from Arsenal to Manchester City for around £25M in 2009.
Moved from Manchester City to Real Madrid on loan in January 2011.
Emmanuel Adebayor’s loan transfer from Manchester City to Real Madrid appeared as a newsflash although speculations had been linking the Togolese with Los Blancos. This deal could be seen as a perfect match: while Real Madrid were in need of a quick replacement for the injured Gonzalo Higuain, Adebayor was also looking at a way to get some playing time instead of losing his place to other attackers at Eastlands.
So Emmanuel Adebyor joined the Spanish giants on a loan contract which will expire at the end of this season. Real Madrid will be left with the option of signing him on a permanent deal from Manchester City for £18M.
One thing fans will fear is whether Los Blancos acted too quickly in going in for Adebayor after their chances of reuniting with Hamburg’s Ruud van Nistelrooy emphatically vanished. Will Madrid really get the help that they need during the following months?
Darren Bent: Permanent Transfer Done From Sunderland To Aston Villa
Moved from Tottenham Hotspur to Sunderland for around £16.5M in 2009.
Moved from Sunderland to Aston Villa for £18M in January 2011.
It happened at the speed of a rocket. No-one really saw it coming. On January 16, Darren Bent was in fact taking part in his last game for Sunderland as the Black Cats hosted Newcastle in an afternoon kick off.
On the night of that day, Bent sent out a transfer request to his then-current club as Aston Villa had expressed their interest for a transfer. With the Villains offering as much as £18M, there was no way Sunderland were going to hold on to their star; Bent’s performances for the Black Cats were becoming questionable after all. As Steve Bruce explained, the money was too good to say ‘no’.
Ronaldinho: Permanent Transfer Done From AC Milan To Flamengo.jpg)
Moved from Barcelona to AC Milan for around €18.5M in 2008.
Moved from AC Milan to Flamengo for €3M in January 2011.
Ronaldinho’s career at the San Siro was going nowhere by being left to rot on the bench. Hours were ticking fast on the clock for the former Barcelona play maker to move on. At first, Gremio were expected to welcome Ronaldinho.
But the midfielder chose not to honour his childhood love for the club as he eventually landed at Flamengo. The race for the signature of the ex-Ballon d’Or award winner was tough and long.
Brazilian clubs Corinthians and Palmeiras even added themselves to the Ronaldinho transfer saga but at some point, Flamengo always looked favourites to win the contest. January 11 witnessed the end of all speculations as the Rubro-Negro officially announced their capture of the Brazilian superstar.
Mark van Bommel: Free Transfer Done From Bayern Munich To AC Milan
Moved from Barcelona to Bayern Munich for around €6M in 2006
Moved from Bayern Munich to AC Milan on a free transfer in January 2011
Mark van Bommel’s transfer from Bayern Munich to AC Milan was certainly not the most exciting headline in January. However, it is always intriguing to see a captain leave a club like Raul left Real Madrid for Schalke 04 last season.
The 33-year-old Dutch international had spent almost 5 good years at the Allianz Arena and he surpassed the 100-appearance mark. His emotional farewell to Bayern Munich eventually didn’t come as a surprise. Before his move to AC Milan was made official, reports explained that several club had put Van Bommel on their transfer radar. This group of hunters included Liverpool.
But the English Premier League didn’t prove to be the player’s next destination. After experiencing some moments in Spain with Barcelona back in 2005 before joining Germany’s Bayern Munich, Mark van Bommel put pen to paper to land in Italy. The Dutch international moved on a free transfer.
Edin Dzeko: Permanent Transfer Done From Wolfsburg To Manchester City
Moved from Teplice to VfL Wolfsburg for €4M in 2007
Moved from VfL Wolfsburg to Manchester City for €32M in January 2011
Here is another big money case! Count the numbers until they reach £27M (€32M); that’s what Manchester City needed to put on the table to convince Wolfsburg of selling Edin Dzeko. The Bosniac now comes just behind Robinho as the Sky Blues’ most expensive player.
Other records include the highest transfer for a Bosnian player and the highest departure transfer fee in the history of the German Bundesliga. According to Manchester City, Edin Dzeko is the type of player that can lift the club to compete better at the top.
Well, only time will tell if this perception is true. One debatable fact is that his presence at Eastlands has injected more competition within strikers – and this something which should come as a blessing for Manchester City. But will the Sky Blues make the most of this factor?
Antonio Cassano: Permanent Transfer Done From Sampdoria To AC Milan
Moved from Real Madrid to Sampdoria after making a loan deal permanent in 2008.
Moved from Sampdoria to AC Milan thanks to the Rossoneri's installment plan.
Sampdoria couldn’t stand the controversial Antonio Cassano anymore. After falling out with club president Riccardo Garrone, it was clear that Cassano’s days at Sampdoria was nearing to a prompt end.
But it’s okay, AC Milan shouldn’t be scared about the striker’s temperament as he vowed to be a good man at the San Siro. Important statements from the Italian forward explained:
“I want to thank AC Milan because they took a chance on me in such a difficult moment for me. This is my last opportunity, so I’m not going to deceive the people who believed in me.
“I think, and I am pretty sure, that this will be the last team I play for. AC Milan is the best team in the world. So, I have reached the top and there’s nothing above AC Milan – only the sky.”
David Luiz: Permanent Transfer Done From Benfica To Chelsea
Moved from Vitoria to Benfica after making a loan deal permanent in 2007
Moved from Benfica to Chelsea for €25M in January 2011
David Luiz has left Benfica to go blue at Chelsea. He has the force of an eagle and just what it takes to grow solid as a rock. From his hairstyle to his performances, David Luiz surely has the potential to become as influential as Barcelona’s Carles Puyol.
The defender’s deal seemed dead a few days before the close of the transfer window but Chelsea won the battle in the end. The Blues claim to have made a smart move as Chairman Bruce Buck described it:
“David Luiz is one of the great defensive prospects in world football and he is already a Brazilian international. I’m sure that he will prove a valuable addition to the Chelsea squad.
“It’s a delight to have completed the transfer of this fantastic young footballer whom we have admired for some time.
“David has played in the Champions League and the squad now has a more experienced look to it. We hope this will serve us well for the rest of the season moving forward.”
If Chelsea claim to have been smart, so will Benfica! You won’t always be offered €25M for a defensive player.
Live Soccer TV brings you lots of info on the January transfer window. On Tuesday night, the attention will shift back to on-the-pitch action as Fernando Torres and David Luiz are expected to play for the first time in a Chelsea jersey.
