Top Striker Signings – Best of the Rest

Following yesterday’s article on how the Premiership’s Top 5 have strengthened during the transfer window, we focus on striking signings that clubs have made in an attempt to keep them clear of the relegation zone and push them towards the upper reaches of the table.

David Nugent (Portsmouth) was courted by several clubs including Sunderland and Everton during the summer window. However, after his boyhood heroes Everton refused to pay above £4 million, Harry Redknapp splashed out £6 million to secure the England international. Portsmouth are clearly not afraid to put their money where their mouth is in the transfer market and will hope that Nugent, wearing his Umbro X Boot III, can replicate his Championship form and fire Pompey into Europe.

FB rating 3.8/5

Craig Bellamy (West Ham) will be hoping to put his chequered past behind him and create back page rather than front page headlines this season. Big spenders West Ham paid 7.5million for the Welsh international and his Nike T90 Laser’s. Fed from midfield by fellow new signing Scott Parker (Puma V-Konstrukt), his partnership with Puma V-Konstrukt II wearer Dean Ashton, will cause a handful for many premiership defences.

FB rating 3.5/5

Diomansy Kamara’s (Fulham) goals nearly pushed West Brom to promotion last season. If Fulham are to retain their Premiership status at the end of next season, a lot will depend on whether the physically impressive Kamara (Nike Mercurial Vapor III) and Northern Ireland international David Healy (Adidas +Predator Absolute) can score enough goals to keep them out of the drop zone.

FB rating 3.4/5

Rolando Bianchi (Manchester City). In the short time that Sven Goran Eriksson has been at Manchester City, there has been an influx of foreign players to Eastlands. Sven has even admitted that he has only seen some of his new signings on DVD! His first signing however, Rolando Bianchi (Adidas +Predator Absolute) scored 18 goals for Serie A outfit Reggina last season. Although an unknown quantity in England, the Italy U-21 player will hope, that after a successful preseason, he can begin to repay his £8.8 million price tag and not suffer the ‘couldn’t hit a barn door’ curse of recent City strikers.

FB rating 3.7/5

Alan Smith (Newcastle Utd) – Alan Smith (Adidas +Predator Absolute) is one of those players who wears his heart on his sleeve. Rarely does he give anything less than 110%. Newcastle have often been criticised in the past for buying players who have been happy to just pick up their pay cheque every month. The signing of Smith adds some real fire to the Toon attacking options. Alongside fellow new boy Mark Viduka (Puma V-Konstrukt II), Michael Owen (Umbro X Boot III) and Obafemi Martins (Nike Mercurial Vapor III), Newcastle look red hot up front. It will be interesting to see whether Joey Barton (Nike T90 Laser) can supply the ammunition to the Newcastle forward line, whilst the St James’s Park often shaky defence can shut up shop at the other end.

FB rating 4/5