With big money transfers such as Eden Hazard to Chelsea and Robin Van Persie to Manchester United, you could be forgiven for not noticing certain players turning out for other teams in the coming weeks. There have been some notable loan signings during the transfer window, with some teams lending their young talent out to gain exposure to first team football, while others have strengthened through loans because of low funding. Here,we will take a look at some of the notable loan signings this summer.
Nuri Sahin
The most anticipated loan saga of the transfer window was who was going to acquire the Real Madrid midfielder’s services. A number of clubs were linked with the Turkish international, but in the end he opted to join Liverpool. This is the second loan move of his career, having previously spent a season at Feyenoord whilst playing for Borussia Dortmund. Sahin had a very successful spell in the Bundesliga, winning the award for player of the season in the 2010/11 season. It was his performances for the German club that prompted his £10m move to Real Madrid.
His first season in Spanish football was hampered by injury, with the midfielder only managing to make 10 appearances in all competitions. He now joins Liverpool, where he will be able to play football at the highest level and get back to fitness, whilst in the meantime shoring up the midfield. He is the type of player to dictate play, and start an attack. He isn’t a goal scoring midfielder by any means, but what he lacks in goals, he makes up for with his link up play and range of passing.
Andy Carroll
The £35m Liverpool striker immediately found himself out of favour with new manager, Brendan Rodgers, so has been shipped out to West Ham United for the season. After enjoying a relatively successful Euro 2012 with England, and finishing last season by scoring some vital goals for the Merseyside club, many thought that the striker had finally found his feet after the big money move from Newcastle United. Previous boss, Kenny Dalglish, stuck by the player they splashed the cash on, but it was soon clear that Rodgers did not rate the forward.
Carroll is the perfect target man for the Hammers, with the style that Sam Allardyce instructs his side to play. Letting him leave Liverpool could be a bad decision, with Fabio Borini and Luis Suarez the only senior strikers in the squad. But for West Ham, an on form Carroll could be the key to helping them survive their first season back in the Premier League.
Fabio Da Silva
The Brazilian full back has left Manchester United and joined Queens Park Rangers for the 2012/13 season. Since making his Manchester United debut in 2008, Fabio has always been second choice behind his twin brother, Rafael. With this being the case, Sir Alex Ferguson has decided to allow the 22-year-old to go on loan to get some much-needed playing time. This could work out to be a very good deal for all those involved; Fabio gets first team football, QPR gain an energetic full back to help them retain Premier League status for another season, and Manchester United get to see their youngster gain experience at the highest level.
Romelu Lukaku
The Belgium international was brought to Stamford Bridge with massive potential, and with a price tag that could still rise to £18m, a lot is expected of him. After making his debut for Anderlecht just 11 days after turning 16, he went on to make 98 appearances in all competitions, scoring 41 goals. He made his international debut in 2010, and has racked up 16 caps already; and he is still only 19 years old. He failed to live up to high expectations during his first season at Chelsea, making just 12 appearances and not scoring in all competitions. He probably would have featured more if it wasn’t for injuries throughout the season. However, West Bromwich Albion have landed the powerful striker on loan for the season, which will give The Baggies some much-needed strength up front, and give the young striker Premier League experience.
Yossi Benayoun
The Israeli midfielder has returned to West Ham on loan from Chelsea, making it his second spell at Upton Park. After proving a huge success amongst the West Ham faithful in his first spell at the club from 2005-2007, the fans must surely be excited to see a former idol return to pull on the claret and blue shirt again. Having joined Chelsea from Liverpool in 2010, he has struggled to hold down a regular first team place, making just 12 appearances in a blue shirt. This prompted the midfielder to join Arsenal on loan last season, where he played in 25 games and scored 8 goals for the London club. His stay at The Emirates was successful. However, he finds himself way down the pecking order at Stamford Bridge, where the midfield has been strengthened by the arrivals of Eden Hazad, Marco Marin, Victor Moses, and Oscar. First team football will be available to him at the Boleyn Ground, in front of fans who adore him.
Danny Rose
Since joining Tottenham Hotspur from Leeds United in 2007, Danny Rose has had his fair share of loan deals. His season long move to Sunderland is the 4th in the 22 year old’s career to date, having previously spent time at Watford, Peterborough United, and Bristol City. After becoming a household name by scoring a wonder goal on his debut in the North London derby against Arsenal, Rose has struggled for first team football. He can play anywhere on the left side of the pitch, as he proved in the summer Olympic Games for Team GB. It is likely that he will be used in the left back position, as that is where most of his playing time for Spurs has come. Sunderland are getting a very pacy player who loves to get forward and whip crosses in.
Harry Kane
After taking over at Tottenham Hotspur this summer, Andre Villas-Boas stated that Harry Kane would be the club’s third choice striker for the season, behind Emmanuel Adebayor and Jermain Defoe. So it came as a surprise when it was announced that the 19-year-old would be joining Norwich City on a season long loan. This is the third loan of his career so far, after enjoying spells at Leyton Orient and Milwall. He was named Milwall’s young player of the season last year, despite only joining the club in January. Kane is rated very highly at White Hart Lane, so this loan move will be a vital spell in his career, to see if he can cut it in the Premier League. He will be able to gain experience playing alongside Grant Holt, who is in a similar mould to Kane.
Ryo Miyaichi
Having spent the second half of last season on loan at Bolton Wanderers, the Arsenal winger has secured a full season on loan at Wigan Athletic. His spell at The Reebok was largely successful, with the young Japanese player turning in some impressive displays. He has also enjoyed a successful loan at Feyenoord, where the Dutch media referred to him as “Ryodinho”, in reference to Ronaldinho. He is a very skillful, pacy winger, who will no doubt help to fill the void left by Victor Moses.
Jonathan de Guzmán
Swansea City have acquired the services of Canadian born midfielder Jonathan de Guzmán from Villareal. He made his debut for Feyenood at the age of 17, after coming up through the youth ranks at the club. He went on to make 127 appearances in all competitions, before moving to Spanish club RCD Mallorca when his contract expired. He then moved to fellow Spanish club Villareal after just one full season at Mallorca, for a fee in the region of £6m. He found first team football hard to come by in 2012 after the appointment of Jose Francisco Molina as manager, and has now subsequently joined Swansea City. He is an attacking midfielder who is renowned for his free kick taking abilities. If he can stay free of injury during his spell at the Liberty Stadium, Swansea could get the very best out of him.
Javier Garrido
Norwich City have signed Lazio left back, Javier Garrido, on loan for the season. The former Manchester City player can offer the Canaries Premier League experience, having played 49 times over 3 seasons between 2007-2010. The Spanish defender has spent the previous 2 seasons at Lazio, where he has struggled to hold down a regular first team place. He is a tireless player, who will constantly overlap down the left flank and whip in crosses to the forwards.
That concludes my summary of the major loan signings for Premier League clubs for the beginning of the 2012/13 season. Who will go on to be the biggest success? Time will tell.
