Opinion: Our Best January Business

On Tuesday the January transfer window slammed shut and Birmingham City have been the most active than I have seen for years in the transfer market. The cash injection giving to Gianfranco Zola was one of the things that were promised upon arrival and the staff behind the scenes have done their best to bring in players to fit Zola’s style of play.

In order to assess the best buy, it is really quite difficult. Firstly some of the buys are important purely due to the nature that they are needed and in very important positions. As I have said previously, we didn’t have wing backs under Gary Rowett and that is shown by his faith in Paul Caddis and Jonathan Grounds. Now Zola is in charge, it is obvious that he was going to have to change the players there or it wouldn’t fit the style that he was trying to implement. Therefore Emilio Nsue and Cheick Keita had to be brought in as a matter of urgency. They were absolutely vital additions to the club.

Nsue will be a great signing. I have spoken to a lot of Middlesbrough fans who say that they are sad to see him go as he was a really attacking player with a good work rate and always gave 100% for the team therefore becoming a fan favourite. Furthermore, he has the attributes to play on either flank. Although the fact that he didn’t start against Reading either shows that he is not fit or that Josh Dacres-Cogley is a better player in Zola’s players.

Craig Gardner was also a good addition. The loan signing from West Bromwich Albion despite being a good player was brought in, in my opinion to appease fans. Zola wanted the first signing to get the fans back on board after his controversial appointment and so I feel that Gardner was brought in purely to try and make the fans happy. Having said this, he is a player of good quality and we did need to strengthen in that more attacking midfield area. Diego Fabbrini and Reece Brown have both moved on for the time being and so it has left a gap for Gardner to make his own.

But the best signing of the window in my opinion was Jerome Sinclair. I have seen him at Liverpool in the youth ranks and he looks a real player. He has speed which has been lacking at Birmingham city for some years and he loves to drive at defenders. I’ve not seen anyone more attack minded than him for a long time and he has no fear whatsoever! I am very excited about him playing alongside Che Adams too as they both are very unpredictable for the defence and they have an eye for goal which is so crucial and something that has been lacking.