The January 2015 Transfer Window thread

[Adam]

People underestimate the importance to clubs of their back-up goalkeepers. Valdes seems the ideal foil for De Gea to help him continue his progression. It's the same reason people like Richard Wright sign for Man City aged 36.

[TCO]

You can't really compare Richard Wright to Victor Valdes.

[Jimmy]

You're right, Valdes had never had a standout season in the Premier League like Wright has :/

[Ant]

Is Richard Wright still with City or did he retire? I remember when he was with ipswich, he was pretty much the most highly rated goalkeeper in the country at that time.

[stokeriño]

Supposedly Sunderland were interested in loaning Mo Salah (just to add them to the list of suggested clubs including QPR, Inter Milan, etc.), but were told that he will be staying at Chelsea for the remainder of the season.

Meanwhile, in actual loan news, Lewis Baker has joined Sheffield Wednesday until the end of the season.

[Lineker]

Oldham have pulled out of any deal for Ched Evans.

[TCO]

I do think it's a bit unfair the way he's been ostracised from the game. Given he's served his time and some of the other criminals that have been allowed continue playing without a fuss.

[Jimmy]

His crime is pretty different from other players who've been let back into the game, though.

[Lineker]

He's shown zero remorse. He should be allowed to earn a living but not one where he is acting as a role model in the public eye.

[Nerf]

I do think it's a bit unfair the way he's been ostracised from the game. Given he's served his time and some of the other criminals that have been allowed continue playing without a fuss.

How is it unfair for an unapologetic racist to be condemned?

[TCO]

I just don't think he should be stopped by the general public from pursuing his chosen profession. Lee Hughes killed somebody with his car and fled the scene, then got done with sexual assualt, yet he is still playing.

He still maintains his innocence and it's under review so I understand why he hasn't apologised yet. Even if he is "innocent" of the rape, what he did was disgusting but I don't think society as a whole should cast judgement when the person has already paid their debt to society.

[Jimmy]

It's his prerogative to try get a job in football again, but that doesn't mean he deserves one. Clubs would be idiotic to risk alienating fans, players and sponsors alike through hiring a convicted rapist.

[Hobo]

I just don't think he should be stopped by the general public from pursuing his chosen profession. Lee Hughes killed somebody with his car and fled the scene, then got done with sexual assualt, yet he is still playing.

He still maintains his innocence and it's under review so I understand why he hasn't apologised yet. Even if he is "innocent" of the rape, what he did was disgusting but I don't think society as a whole should cast judgement when the person has already paid their debt to society.

He hasn't served his time though. He has just completed the custodial part of his sentence.

[TCO]

Oh I fully understand why he's not getting work and wouldn't want him at my club. I'm just a bit put off by the double standards, particularly Lee Hughes who by all accounts is a despicable human being and nothing was made of him when he walked back in.

[DavidMarrio]

It's more to do with the fact he hasnt shown any remorse or apologised.I'm all for rehabilitation and think he should be allowed to play football again but at the same time It's a bit hard to rehabilitate someone who as I said before hasn't shown any remorse or apologised.

He won't apologise either cause he feels he was wrongly convicted and until his conviction is either overturned or he has shown an ounce of remorse he's not gonna get signed.

[brenchill]

The "he's served his time!" thing is an odd way of looking at it. Just because you've served your time it doesn't mean you can just come out of jail and do any job. His crime would prevent him from being a Police Officer for example, or join the Army, Fire, etc. The sickening thing for me is that football clubs will employ anybody as long as they can play football well. Rapist, murderers, etc.

I do agree there's some serious double standards here though. I don't remember this much fuss about Lee Hughes.

[TCO]

Apparently there were threats made to staff and their families of Oldham over it too. It's all getting a bit out of hand now, he's probably better off disappearing for a while until he sees fit to apologise or gets the conviction overturend.

[Rafael]

Leicester City have reached agreement with Rijeka and agreed personal terms with Andrej Kamaric, but he may not be able to secure a work permit.

Anderlecht's Marko Mitrovic is being lined up as a possible replacement for Wilfried Bony at Swansea.

[peteypirahna]

To be honest, "but Lee Hughes actually KILLED people..." isn't really a good excuse either because Lee Hughes really shouldn't have been allowed back into football either, especially when drink driving can also catastrophically change the lives of those affected by it, even those not involved in the incident.

It's just really hard to sympathise with an unrepentant, convicted rapist, currently dating a millionaire not being able to walk back into his career.

[Hobo]

I think the differences between Lee Hughes and Ched Evens is that in 2015 it's a lot harder to go unnoticed if you've been convicted of a serious crime. Especially after the posthumous revelations about Jimmy Saville, which followed on to Rolf Harris' conviction and more recently the revelation that Bill Cosby is a serial rapist.

Lee Hughes and Luke McCormack get brought up a lot but they've show remorse about it. I know Hughes has had assault charges since that though (charged with common assault, fined £500 and allegations of sexual assault dropped says Wikipedia).