European Football Championship 2008: "I Wanted A Sofa..."

…and they bought me a lamp.” So said Rafa Benítez of Valencia CF’s transfer dealings on his behalf. Which Euro 2008 hopefuls were on the move during January’s transfer window?

The transfer window is a manager’s equivalent of the bit in the marriage ceremony where the vicar asks the congregation to speak now of any impediment to the forthcoming nuptials or forever hold their peace. Coaches across Europe – some looking upwards, others scrambling to avoid relegation – had until midnight on 31 January to sort out their deals or shut up until the window of opportunity reopens this summer.

Activity during the January window was muted but there was a long queue of clubs hoping to acquire some more firepower. Chelsea FC’s Avram Grant probably struck the best deal, acquiring France’s Nicolas Anelka, the tenth best striker in the Castrol Performance Index, for £15m (€19.5m). The 28-year-old has now generated a world-record £84.8m (€110.2m) in transfer fees and scored goals at all eight of his clubs. Yet his strike rate for his country is only marginally better than a goal every four games.

Calculated risk

Portsmouth FC manager Harry Redknapp reinvented his front line with Jermain Defoe swapping the bench at White Hart Lane for first team football at Fratton Park and a chance to cement his place in the England squad under Fabio Capello.

Taking Czech striker Milan Baros on loan from Olympique Lyonnais is a calculated risk for Redknapp. The 26-year-old striker is the Rubik cube of European football. Only national coach Karel Bruckner seems to have discovered the key to unlocking his goalscoring potential. The striker won the golden boot at Euro 2004 and ranks 13th on the CPI strikers list but, at club level, he has recently made more of an impression off the pitch. In November 2007, he was caught driving his Ferrari F430 at 271km/h (168.4mph), the fastest speed ever recorded by police in the French region of Ain.

Moving on

FC Internazionale Milano sit so securely atop Serie A they are almost out of sight but, troubled by injuries, felt the need to take Maniche on loan from Club Atlético de Madrid as insurance. Maniche – the 15th best midfielder in the CPI – has proved indispensable to Portugal but he hasn’t really shone for any club since he left FC Porto in 2005.

FC Nantes Atlantique’s 28-year-old Swedish winger Christian Wilhelmsson continued his peripatetic tour of European football by joining RC Deportivo La Coruna, his third loan spell in just two seasons.

Two Swedish defenders are also on the move. Olof Mellberg will leave Aston Villa FC to join Juventus this summer. The 30-year-old is ranked the sixth best defender on the CPI and his versatility – he can play at right-back or in central defence – should prove useful to Juve next season. Wigan Athletic FC have snapped up Erik Edman, the 29-year-old Stade Rennais FC left-back, for £500,000 (€650,000). As the CPI has Edman as the second best Swedish defender – and the 18th best in Europe – that may be the bargain of the month.

(http://euro2008.castrolindex.com/Stats.aspx?language=en&type=4)
(http://euro2008.castrolindex.com/Stats.aspx?language=en&type=4)

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