Chelsea gets Cuadrado
CHELSEA made the biggest splash on a low-key transfer deadline day as the Premier League leader signed Colombia international winger Juan Cuadrado from Fiorentina.
Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho had been linked with a move for Cuadrado for several weeks and he finally landed his target after making room in his squad by selling German World Cup-winning winger Andre Schuerrle to Bundesliga title challenger Wolfsburg.
Cuadrado, 26, signed a four- and-a-half-year contract with the west London club and told Chelsea’s website: “I am very happy and thankful for this opportunity I’ve been given.”
Meanwhile, left-back Ryan Bertrand’s season-long loan move to Southampton from Chelsea was turned into a permanent deal for a reported fee of $19.2 million.
Wilfried Bony’s switch from Swansea City to Manchester City for a reported initial fee of $48 million was the biggest deal of the window in the Premier League.
Despite more than $210 million being spent, spending was down in England compared with previous January transfer windows, but total spending over the entirety of the 2014-15 campaign represents a record.
After 342 appearances, Scotland captain Darren Fletcher left Manchester United for West Bromwich Albion on a free transfer after falling out of favour under manager Louis van Gaal. Fletcher penned a two-and-a-half-year deal with an option for a further year.
Wilfried Zaha’s disappointing spell at United also came to an end as his loan move to former club Crystal Palace was made permanent for an undisclosed fee.
Another winger moving to pastures new in search of firstteam opportunities was Tottenham Hotspur’s Aaron Lennon, who was loaned to Everton.
Meanwhile, Tottenham signed 18-year-old midfielder Dele Alli from Milton Keynes Dons on a five-and-a-half-year contract for a fee of almost $10 million before loaning him back to the third-tier club.
Spurs also tied star Harry Kane to a long-term contract and released Cameroon leftback Benoit Assou-Ekotto.
Southampton signed Benfica’s Serbian international midfielder Filip Djuricic on loan until the end of the season.
In a curious move, five Newcastle fringe players — Gael Bigirimana, Kevin Mbabu, Shane Ferguson, Remie Streete and Haris Vuckic — joined Scottish giants Rangers on loan.