The January transfer window has been closed for just over two weeks. Some might say (we’re looking at you Chelsea fans) that it’s too early to judge new recruits, others argue you’ve got to hit the ground running when you switch clubs mid-season. Wherever you stand on the matter, we’ve taken a quick glance at the impact made by January’s key signings and found most wanting.

Fernando Torres. Where better place to start the hammering than with Chelsea‘s British record breaking signing, Fernando Torres. El Niño has had a stinker since moving south; two matches played, a debut loss against his former club and a total of half a dozen touches has seen the Spaniard struggle to make an impact. Verdict: Miss. Given time we fully expect Torres to come good, so far he’s been poor.

Darren Bent. The Londoner’s move to Aston Villa marks the striker’s fifth club in 10 years. Made an immediate impact scoring the winning goal on his debut against Manchester City and followed that with a strike at Old Trafford. At 27, Villa have snagged Bent at his peak and it’s showing. Verdict: Hit. No good at Spurs but pretty special at Sunderland and now Aston Villa?

The final day of the January transfer window unfolded unlike any other.  There were twists and turns aplenty – enough to satisfy the hunger of every footy fan.  But the biggest surprises of the day were the ones that didn’t necessarily grab the headlines.

Where was Manchester City?

It’s no shock that Chelsea was in the middle of one of the biggest transfers in football history.  But the biggest surprise was that the night ended with not a peep from money-laden Manchester City.  After all, David Luiz and Fernando Torres were two targets that City have thrown money at in recent months.  And let’s not forget how Man City a couple of seasons ago scuppered Chelsea’s last-minute capture of another young Brazilian, Robinho.

No Recall for Honda

As teams across England scrambled to fill their missing pieces, one talented playermaker was left out in the cold:  Japanese midfielder Keisuke Honda.  Fresh off a great World Cup and an even better Asia Cup, Honda would instantly bring a touch of class and his fearsome free kicks to any Premier League side.  He’s indicated that he’s unhappy at CSKA Moscow – and the Russian club have even intimated they’d be willing to sell him.  But come Monday’s 11pm deadline, there were still no takers.  Maybe this summer.

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Recession? Don’t make me choke on my meat pie. The English Premier League once again proved that its  love affair with splashing the cash has in no way waned since the market crashed several years ago.

This season’s January transfer window turned out to be one of the most lucrative in memory. £225 million pounds was exchanged between clubs vying for the world’s top players. Fernando Torres joined Chelsea for £50 million. Andy Carroll and Luis Suarez landed in Liverpool for a combined £54 million. Manchester City signed Edin Dzeko for £27 million and even Aston Villa got in on the act, spending £24 million on the well-travelled Darren Bent.

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