Top 5 best value-for-money deals this January

Lewis Holtby

Before Lewis Holtby’s move to Tottenham Hotspur on 28 January 2013, only Jefferson Farfán (51) had created more chances for Schalke during the 2012/13 Bundesliga campaign, therefore the 23-year-old’s move to North London was seen as a shrewd piece of business from André Villas-Boas.

Indeed, the inventive German midfielder began in confident fashion, picking up two assists in 11 of the remaining 15 Premier League fixtures.

However, the lucrative sale of Gareth Bale to Real Madrid paved the way for a whole host of creative attacking midfield players to stroll through the doors of White Hart Lane, severely limiting Holtby’s playing time.

If René Meulensteen can utilise Holtby within his preferred central role, supplying the ammunition for the likes of Darren Bent and new acquisition Konstantinos Mitroglou, Fulham may have acquired a player on loan who can help keep them in the league.