With the transfer window now closed Niall Quinn feels West Ham United and Middlesbrough stand out from the crowd.
West Ham manager Slaven Bilic
The Hammers were actually one of the busiest clubs of the window.
Slaven Bilic kicked things off by releasing the likes Alex Song, Emmanuel Emenike and Victor Moses from loan deals.
He also sanctioned the £10 million sale of defender James Tomkins to London rivals Crystal Palace.
West Ham brought in 13 players in total signing Manuel Lanzini, Havard Nordtveit, Toni Martinez, Domingos Quina, Sofiane Feghouli, Ashley Fletcher, Gokhan Tore (loan), Arthur Masuaku, Jonathan Calleri (loan), Edmilson Ferdnandes, Alvaro Arbeloa and broke their transfer record with the £20.5 signing of Andre Ayew from Swansea City and could break that further still if and when Simeone Zaza’s loan move is made permanent.
Middlesbrough manager Aitor Karanka
Meanwhile newly-promoted Boro were busy too, with Aitor Karanka signing 12 players with former Manchester City striker Alvaro Negredo the star arrival.
The striker is joined at the Riverside by Viktor Fischer, Colombian defender Bernardo Espinosa, Marten de Roon, Scotland U21 captain Jordan McGhee, Barcelona legend Victor Valdes, another Spaniard Antonio Barragan, Uruguayan Gaston Ramirez was made a fully-fledged Boro player, ‘keeper Brad Guzan signed up as did former Manchester United star Fabio da Silva while Calum Chambers and Adama Traore completed the incomings.
Niall Quinn
When asked who had done the standout business of the transfer window on Sky Sports, pundit Quinn said the Hammers and Boro were the standouts.
“For me West Ham have really packed them in,” Quinn said on Sky Sports.
“I know there’s lots of injuries there at the moment, the likes of Ayew etc hasn’t got going yet, Lanzini is there, they’ve done some really good business.
“Middlesbrough, I think their chairman packed in a good few quality players into that Middlesbrough setup.
“The likes of Negredo going there, they’ve had a good window too.”
Middlesbrough manager Aitor Karanka
It remains to be seen whether both clubs can mould those new signings into a team capable of getting the results needed for their respective aims this season.
But one thing is for sure both have given themselves more than a fighting chance with Boro already well on their way to showing they have what it takes to remain a Premier League side.
The injury-ravaged Hammers have had a more difficult start, crashing out of Europe to Romanian minnows Astra Giurgiu and losing two of their first three Premier League matches, albeit both away at rejuvenated Chelsea and Manchester City.
Bilic will hope his side improves as a legion of injured stars make their way back to full fitness in the coming weeks and months.
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