Late deals

February 1, 2008

A few late deals from the Premiership last night including a right balls up from the blue half of Manchester.

First off, strugglers Fulham signed some experience for the run-in including former Liverpool forward Jari Litmanen and defender Toni Kallio. Both feature from manager Roy Hodgson’s past, having played for him in the Finnish national side. Litmanen is initially on trial, but arrives on a free anyway, while Kallio joins from Swiss side BSC Young Boys. Stalteri also joins from neighbors Tottenham on loan until the end of the season. I make this 7 signings for Fulham in this window.

Middlesbrough broke their club transfer record signing Brazilian striker Afonso Alves from Dutch club Heerenveen. The fee is thought to be in excess of £10m, with Alves putting his name on the dotted line of a four-and-a-half year deal. He comes with the reputation of being very prolific in front of goal with an especially impressive record at former club Malmo of 45 goals in 38 games. Middlesbrough will be hoping he came recapture that sort of form as they try to avoid relegation.

Everton let defender Alan Stubbs go to Derby for some first team football and then brought in some cover for their impressive defence signing Anthony Gardner on loan from Tottenham for the rest of the season.

Speaking of Tottenham, they completed another defensive signing, with Gilberto signing from Hertha Berlin. The Brazilian left-back joins for £1.9m after medical complications were ironed out yesterday.

And finally to the City/Portsmouth saga. Portsmouth captured Defoe from Spurs for an undisclosed fee with Harry especially happy at the capture. However, the deal may have been pushed through because of the transfer of Benjani to Manchester City thought to have been a done deal, for a figure thought to be around £9m. Complications have been forthcoming with City possibly not putting through the papers for the deal before the deadline thanks to the late appearance of Benjani at the club at around 11.15pm last night. Manager Sven-Goran Eriksson was trying to get the deal complete, or at least find out if it would be, until 1am but the matter remains unresolved.

It’s not all bad news for City though as they completed the capture of Ecuador international striker Felipe Caicedo from FC Basel for a fee thought to be around £5m. Caicedo is 19 and signs a four-and-a-half-year deal at Eastlands. They also signed Filippo Mancini, 17, the son of Inter Milan boss Roberto.

Stay tuned to “winning is everything” for further developments in the Benjani saga.

Written by singy · Filed Under Everton, Fulham, Manchester City, Middlesbrough, Portsmouth, Premiership, Tottenham