With the January transfer window well and truly underway, clubs have already made some big money moves. Here are the five transfers that we at the Lower Tiers believe are the transfers that have impressed the most. Leo Castledine – Chelsea to Middlesborough – Undisclosed Off the back of a stunning four-month loan spell at Huddersfield Town, contributing twelve goals […]
With the January transfer window well and truly underway, clubs have already made some big money moves. Here are the five transfers that we at the Lower Tiers believe are the transfers that have impressed the most.
Off the back of a stunning four-month loan spell at Huddersfield Town, contributing twelve goals and three assists in twenty-seven appearances for the Terriers, Castledine made the permanent switch to Championship promotion chasers Middlesborough after making just one appearance for Premier League giants Chelsea.
Many are anticipating Castledine to be the next “Morgan Rogers”, fitting a similar role in the squad, and an expectation of either greatness for Boro, or a big money move to an established Premier League side.
Either way, Castledine will likely be a catalyst behind Middlesborough’s promotion chase, particularly as they battle through a bit of an injury crisis.
Braybrooke was the shining light in an overall campaign of misery for Newport County, performing well thanks to his technical and high work-rate week-in-week-out for League Two’s basement boys, and a switch from Wales to Derbyshire could be the next step to further his EFL career.
Many Leicester supporters were shocked that a League One loan wasn’t on the cards for Braybrooke, feeling like this is a sideways step for his development, however Spireites supporters certainly won’t be complaining, with him already picking up the man-of-the-match award against MK Dons last Sunday.
Braybrooke averages the seventh highest average match rating according to Fotmob, carrying impressive numbers considering the underwhelming performances from his former employer.
Paul Warne’s clearly spending big this January to enhance MK Dons’s promotion bid, and with the backing of new Kuwaiti owners, they aren’t afraid to make statement signings, bringing in two arguably high League One standard centre-midfielders.
Frozen out at Premier League side Sunderland, Matete previously had loan spells at League One sides Plymouth Argyle and Bolton Wanderers, and dropping down a division where he is undoubetbly anticipated to flourish, could be the right move for both parties here.
MK also added fellow centre-midfielder Ben Wiles from Huddersfield Town, further bolstering a heavily experienced squad, that oozes with quality for League Two level.
Birmingham City’s return to life in the Championship hasn’t quite gone to plan, finding themselves in the bottom half of the table, despite strong investment into the squad in the summer transfer window, but Kai Wagner’s creativity from the Left-back position could be the boost “The Blues” need to battle for the playoff spots.
Widely regarded as one of the MLS’s best left-back’s, featuring in numerous All-Stars teams, Wagner is expected to compete with Alex Cochrane for Birmingham’s starting left-back spot.
Already chipping in an assist against Coventry City on his debut and a goal against Cambridge United in the FA Cup, Wagner is already making a serious claim for being one of the first named of Chris Davies team sheet!
One of the Championship’s greatest central defensive midfielders in recent years, returned to English football after a sixth month spell in Kuwait, and already is impressing in his two camos for The Robins so far.
Despite being thirty-four years of age, Morsy’s experience and mentality (that saw him captain back-to-back promotions at Ipswich Town) could be the key to unlocking Bristol City’s best performances, elevating playoff hopes that seem to have ever so slightly slowed in recent weeks.
And on a free, this low-risk transfer seems like one of the smartest pieces of business so far this January transfer window.
