Ahead of the upcoming winter window, we look back at Villa’s five least successful January signings.
The January transfer window is almost upon us again as clubs prepare to enter the frenzied winter market.
For Aston Villa, this year’s window is the first under Steve Bruce’s management, and represents a chance for the boss to both put some of his own stamp on the club and bolster his squad as Villa look to cement a play-off challenge in 2017.
Not every January signing is a transfer masterstroke, however. Far from it. Ahead of the window opening, we’ve looked back at the five worst bits of business Villa have done in January over the past 14 years.
5) Grant Holt (Wigan Athletic, 2014)
Villa were in 13th place in the table at the start of January 2014 under Paul Lambert, and looking like a club that was going nowhere, neither up nor down. In light of what has happened in the years since, that doesn’t sound so bad.
However, at the time it was demoralising for Villa fans, particularly after a dreadful December run. The signing of Lambert’s former Norwich favourite Grant Holt on loan from Championship Wigan was an illustration of just how far the club had fallen, in many supporters’ eyes. The veteran striker would score once in 10 games before the end of the season.
4) Robert Pires (Villarreal, 2011)
The inclusion of such great player in this list may seem harsh, but Pires’ best years were far behind him when he rocked up at Villa Park in January 2011 as a 37-year-old on a six-month contract.
Some Villa fans may have forgotten he even played for the club. Brought in by compatriot Gerard Houllier on a six-month deal, Pires may have inspired awe from youngsters in training, but on the pitch he contributed little, often looking off the pace despite his obvious technical quality. He left the club that summer and did not play professionally again until moving to India three years later.
3) Wayne Routledge (Tottenham Hotspur, 2008)
An absolute write-off of a signing, Routledge joined Villa in January 2008 but the winger would make just two league appearances for the club in 12 months, both as a late and ineffectual substitute.
He was farmed out on loan to Cardiff City just 10 months after arriving, and left Villa Park for QPR two months later, to be immediately forgotten in B6.
2) Eric Djemba-Djemba (Manchester United, 2005)
Initially touted as a long-term replacement for Roy Keane at Old Trafford, Djemba-Djemba’s deficiencies were drmaatically exposed at United, and this continued after then-Villa boss David O’Leary inexplicably paid to sign him in January 2005.
Often cited by Villa fans and neutrals as one of the worst signings in Premier League history, the Cameroonian played just 11 times in two years for Villa. His career has since taken him to Qatar, Denmark, Israel, Serbia, Scotland, India, and Indonesia. He didn’t quite manage to emulate Keane.
1) Jean Makoun (Lyon, 2011)
How do you top Djemba-Djemba, then? Well, with a player from whom a lot was hoped and expected, but who abjectly failed to meet those expectations. In first place in our list is Djemba-Djemba’s compatriot Jean Makoun.
Houllier payed over £6 million to sign the defensive midfielder, who had been a star in France for Lille and Lyon. However, he failed dismally to impress at Villa Park, making just 11 appearances before being shipped out to Olympacios on loan after just seven months.
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