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Transfer Window Round Up - Summer 2014

"Sign some ****ing players" was bellowing out from the away end at Birmingham on the second weekend of the Championship season as Brighton and Hove Albion - with just four new signings lining up and a glut of key men from the previous two seasons departed - became the first side to be beaten at home by the Blues in the league in ten months.

But oh what a difference two weeks can make. Tony Bloom promised supporters that a squad capable of challenging for a third play off spot in a row would be put together by the time the window slammed shut and he lived up to his word.

11 players in total arrived at The Amex with a pretty tasty profit turned thanks largely to the sale of Leonardo Ulloa for a club record fee.

Here is the full list of ins and outs during what was one of the busiest transfer windows in some time:

OUT:
Matt Upson - Leicester City
Rock solid at the back throughout his 18 months at the club, the traditional curse of Player of the Season moving on struck the former England centre back less than a month after he lifted the award, moving to Premier League newboys Leicester on a free after his contract expired.
Stephen Ward - Burnley
Outstanding last season, the left back returned to parent club Wolverhampton Wanderers at the end of his loan deal while the Albion haggled with Wolves over price for a permanent deal. And all that waiting proved costly as Burnley nipped in and took him from under our noses.
Leonardo Ulloa - Leicester City
Leicester had been sniffing around the Man from Argentina all summer and finally came up with an offer dealt acceptable with a club record �8m plus add ons. Nobody can begrudge him the chance to play in the top flight and having scored twice already, it looks like good business for both clubs.
Will Buckley - Sunderland
In November 2012 Gus Poyet said he was worth �10m. Quite why he only offered to pay �2.5m for him them is anyone's guess. Despite that, another who deserves a shot at the Premier League and for one so injury prone a decent fee in return as well as those memories - Doncaster in particular.
Tomasz Kuszczak - None
His agent spent a lot of the second half of last season saying he wanted a Premier League club and his wages were known to be big. Still, it came as a surprise to see the big Pole released, especially with the jury still out on whether we have adequately replaced him. Yet to find a new club.
David Lopez - CD Lugo
Never really hit the heights of the previous campaign after missing the whole pre-season while thrashing out a new contract at the Amex after originally walking away. Doubtful we'll see a set piece specialist like him for some time, he is now at Lugo in the Spanish second tier.
Andrea Orlandi - Blackpool
Another high earner who it was felt could be moved off the wage bill without seriously harming the team. Spent most of last season creating trouble for the medical team rather than opposition players which was a shame given how vital he was the previous season. Now at struggling Blackpool.
Peter Brezovan - Tranmere Rovers
The big Slovak had been nothing more than back up for the past two seasons so his release was hardly a surprise, since when he has rocked up at League Two Tranmere. Women in attendance at Prenton Park has subsequently doubled so far this campaign.
Will Hoskins - Oxford United
The sixth most expensive player in Albion history managed just seven starts, 14 substitute appearances and two goals in three injury plagued seasons at The Amex. Released as a result and now at Oxford, to say we never saw the best of him would be a massive understatement.
Others released - David Rodriquez (AD Alcorcon), Brennan Dickenson (Gillingham)
 
IN:
Sam Baldock - Bristol City
Who says perseverance doesn't pay off? The Albion secured one of their number one transfer targets for an undisclosed fee of around �2m - their SIXTH bid of the summer. He was golden boot winner in League One with 26 goals for Bristol City, where he was also club captain.
David Stockdale - Fulham
Goalkeeper who was in the England squad as recently as 2011 and played regularly in the Premier League for Fulham last season. The Albion took advantage of him being out of contract at the end of this season by snapping him up for �1.5m. Jury is still out on if he is an upgrade on Kuszczak
Adrian Colunga - Getafe
Centre forward who arrived from Getafe for an undisclosed. Has a decent scoring record in Spain across the top two divisions having spent last season out on loan at Sporting Gijon. Marked his debut at Swindon with a goal which, fingers crossed, suggests he will be more Ulloa than Rodriguez.
Chris O'Grady - Barnsley
Signed for an undisclosed six figure fee from Barnsley. Hit 15 goals as the Tykes battled unsuccessfully against the drop. Onto the 12th club of his career by the age of 28, he was the first striker through the door this summer but might struggle for game time with Colunga and Baldock's arrivals.
Aaron Hughes - Queens Park Rangers
Big nosed defender with over 500 games and 90 Northern Ireland caps to his name. Was released by QPR following their promotion and snapped up on a free as the experienced Upson replacement although Lewis Dunk's performances so far mean he may take a permanent spot on the bench.
Danny Holla - ADO Den Haag
Holding midfielder who has spent his career playing in the Netherlands. Scored 14 goals in two seasons at Den Haag despite his defensive role and already looks like a perfect fit for the Hyypia system with the Albion unbeaten since his arrival. Free transfer could be an absolute steal.
Nzuzi Toko - Grasshoppers Zurich
The deal to sign the young midfielder on a free from Grasshoppers was completed last season. Former Swiss under 21 and full DR Congo international who appears to be an absolute beast of player. With 78 midfielders on the books, he may struggle for game time.
Paddy McCourt - Barnsley
Second arrival from Barnsley of the summer. 30 year old midfielder spent five years at Celtic mainly as a substitute before moving to Oakwell and managing 23 games last year. Ran the show at The Amex when the Tykes won but hard to see him as anything more than a squad player this season.
Joao Teixeira - Liverpool
Portuguese under 21 international who looked a class above his team mates on his debut on loan from Liverpool at Birmingham. Has scored twice since arriving and looks like a player who is going to create and score a lot of goals this season. Could be the key signing.
Joe Bennett - Aston Villa
Cost Villa �2.75m when he arrived from Middlesbrough in the summer of 2012 and has since played 37 times for them. A lot younger and more attacking than Stephen Ward which means he should be more of a fit to the Hyypia style than the man who went to Burnley would have been.
Gary Gardner - Aston Villa
Another midfielder and another loan signing from Aston Villa. He is probably most famous for being the brother of Craig having made a handful of Villa appearances and a couple of nondescript loan spells with Coventry and Sheffield Wednesday. Hyypia reckons he will add quality.

Positives:

Negatives:

Rating:
  • We've been lacking in the forwards department since winning League One really - now we have three new strikers.

  • �9.5m bought in through sales makes a dent in the FFP target (that one's for you, Mr Barber)

  • Every position we needed a replacement in we have signed one.
  • David Stockdale should be a �3m goakeeper according to Fulham. �1.5m could be a bargain.
  • Teixeira and Holla already look like they could be class acts at this level
  • All three new strikers haven't done it at the top end of the Championship - can they match Ulloa for output?
  • We are very heavy in terms of midfielders - did we really need to sign five of them?
  • Clutching at straws - Paddy McCourt looks a bit like a tramp and will not do the image of the fine City of Brighton and Hove any good.

8.7
/10