The transfer window slammed shut with Robbie Keane’s 13 million euro return to White Hart Lane barely six months after his much heralded ‘childhood dream move’ to Anfield standing out as the most persuasive argument for abolishing mid-winter wheeling and dealing all together.
Equally farcical was Blackburn striker Roque Santa Cruz’s failure to go anywhere despite featuring highly on almost everyone’s wanted list. Moves that did come to fruition included Manchester City’s Jo pulling on a 19 million Everton jersey, Shay Given finally jumping ship at Newcastle to become the aforementioned Arab-owned club’s latest asset, and Andrei Arshavin’s protracted arrival at the Emirates. Portugal international Ricardo Quaresma also joined the Premier League for a loan spell with Chelsea.
