The English Premier League (EPL) transfer deadline day lived up expectation yesterday as millions of pounds were exchanged for players. World transfer records were smashed and several club transfer records broken. There were many winners and losers in terms of what clubs got the best value for their mone given: the millions they had to pay to secure a player, the wages they put him on, and the commercial viability off the football field. All these go a long way in determining how much of a sound financial investment was made. In all of the frantic phone calls, faxes and speculation, African players were right in the mix. While some of our stars completed early moves, others went right to the wire on deadline day. Here’s a list of the most exciting deadline day moves of Africa’s football stars.
– Victor Anichebe (Nigeria), Everton to West Brom: $9.3 million
Quite a few saw this coming but when on deadline day Everton decided to make a loan move for Chelsea striker Romelu Lukaku, the chain of event saw Nigerian striker Victor Anichebe $9.3 million move to West Brom— one regarded as one of The Baggies biggest transfer deals
– Stephane Sessegnon (Republic of Benin), Sunderland to West Brom: $9.3 million
The arrival of Paulo di Canio as manager of Sunderland somehow made the Benin Republic midfielder’s stay at The Stadium of Light untenable. However, when West Brom manager Steve Clarke came calling, Sessengon had no choice but to make the move
– Osaze Odemwingie (Nigeria), West Brom to Cardiff City
Peter Osaze Odenwingie made the headlines last January transfer deadline for all the wrong reasons. He drove down from Birmingham to London in a bid to force a move to QPR without West Brom’s consent. And that singular action saw him frozen from the team for the last 7 months. However, the Nigerian international has now seen a move to another English Premier League (EPL) side materialize having made a reported $3.9 million move to EPL newcomers Cardiff City. The former Lille player says he is “looking forward to getting started” at the Welsh club.
– Victor Moses (Nigeria), Chelsea to Liverpool
Victor Moses last summer made a $14 million move to Europa League winners Chelsea. But the arrival of Jose Mourinho has seen the Nigeria deemed surplus to requirement. Nonetheless, the former Wigan man has made a loan move to Liverpool. Although details are not provided, it is expected that the Afield giants will pay a large chunk of his 55, 000 pounds ($85,685) a week salary. Moses is excited with the deal as he says wants to help Liverpool earn a top four place.
Other moves include:
– Gedo (Egypt). Al-Ahly to Hull City Tigers: loan,
– Joel Obi (Nigeria), Inter Milan to Parma: loan
– Benoit Assou Ekotto (Cameroon), Tottenham to QPR: Undisclosed
– Ryad Boudebouz (Algeria), Sochaux to Bastia: Undisclosed
– Aristede Bance (Burkina Faso), Augsburg to Fortuna Dusseldorf: Loan
And one that nearly went through but for last minute hiccups…
– Demba Ba (Senegal). Chelsea to Arsenal: loan
Mba and what may have been
Nigerian midfielder Sunday Mba may see his reported move to French second division side Bastia cancelled as his Nigeria Professional League (NPL) side Warri Wolves have rejected an offer for the ace midlfielder. Bastia had unveiled Mba, who scored Nigeria’s winning goal at the Africa Cup of Nations, but Wolves have now pulled the plug on the deal after rejecting the 250, 0000 euros ($329, 376) on offer. An official of the club told SuperSport that “the offer has been rejected and there will be no deal between us and them for Sunday Mba.”
In the coming days, Ventures Africa will bring you a comprehensive feature on African football stars who made moves in this summer’s transfer window but for now, let’s all soak in the intensity of one of the best transfer deadline days of all time.
