Transfer deadline day: Middlesbrough, Liverpool, Man City panic buys
As the transfer deadline draws near, we thought we'd take a look back at some of the past transfer windows well-known "panic buys".
>> Breaking news from our deadline day transfer newsroom
It's only right that we start with 12million Afonso Alves.
Middlesbrough signed the striker in January 2008 from Heerenveen based on a record of 45 goals in 39 appearances - and of course the fact that he had a Brazilian passport.
However, Alves' scored just nine goals during his time on Teesside.
Over the other side of the country, Liverpool's signing of Real Madrid legend Fernando Morientes is one of the more noticeable deadline day disasters.
Having signed for 6.5million Morientes was expected to be one of the best strikers to play at Anfield.
Unfortunately, this didn't happen, and Morientes, having signed in January 2005, found himself being drove to the airport on the first flight to Valencia in Summer 2006 after scoring a mere 9 goals in 41 appearances for the Reds.
Of course, we cannot forget about a certain Robinho.
Manchester City paid a British-record 32million for the Brazilian forward, who rejected a move to Chelsea in favour of Manchester City.
He started his career at Eastlands with a 3-1 defeat to Chelsea (just to rub salt into the wounds) and his season never really kick off from there. Robinho is now off on loan to Brazilian club Santos, in an attempt to regain his form ahead of this summer's World Cup.
Transfer window panic buys don't seem to be good for footballers (or managers) careers, but then again there is the case of Jermaine Defoe.
Defoe signed for Harry Redknapp's Portsmouth back on transfer deadline day 2008, where he scored a goal every two games during his 12-month stay.
So it's not all negative news, but we still have the rest of today to see if any sides will panic buy, or keep their cards close to their chest until the summer.
By Anthony Gair
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Tuesday 07 February 2012
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