Harry Redkmapp picks his top six summer arrivals

Posted Sunday, September 30, 2012 by The Sun

NOW that the dust has settled on the summer transfer window, who has pulled a rabbit out of the hat?

SunSport columnist HARRY REDKNAPP picks his six of the best new arrivals.

SANTI CAZORLA (Arsenal)

HE first really caught my eye a couple of years ago in a pre-season game, when he was still with Villarreal.

They came to Tottenham for a pre-season game and he absolutely ran the show — he was fantastic.

I really wanted him at White Hart Lane after that and he was always top of my list to bring to Spurs, but we never managed it.

Cazorla is a superb footballer and I think Arsenal have got a real diamond. However much they got for Cesc Fabregas, £40million or whatever it was, they have managed to replace him for less than half the money.

I am a huge fan of Cesc, but I honestly don’t think there is anything between the two of them. They’re both top
Spanish internationals — and Cazorla will be a truly great signing for the Gunners.
Probably the best one any side made this summer, in my opinion.

DIMITAR BERBATOV (Fulham)

THIS one may surprise a few, but Berbatov would feature high on my list. He would have been ideal for Chelsea, who are short of strikers, and Liverpool for the same reason.

Let’s be honest, he’s that good he could have gone anywhere and fitted in. Technically he is a fantastic talent.

I know people moan that he doesn’t run 40 or 50 metres chasing down a keeper or whatever, but neither does Zlatan Ibrahimovic and he went to PSG for bucketloads — and you don’t see him doing that either. Well, I put
Berbatov on the same level.

The one thing you can guarantee when you go to a game in which he’s playing is that you will see something special, whatever the result. In terms of passing ability and getting the ball in and around the box and finding space, he’s different class.

Berbatov always gives you something that takes your breath away. He can do anything with the ball and for a relatively small fee in £4m, he will prove a great buy for Fulham.

STEVEN PIENAAR (Everton)

HE went back there on loan for the back end of last season, but they only turned it into a permanent deal in the summer — and what a good bit of business by David Moyes.

I took Pienaar to Tottenham and although it sadly didn’t work out for him due to a few reasons, there is no doubting his ability.

The problem for him at White Hart Lane was that he prefers the left flank, where we had Gareth Bale, while it was tough to put him in every week when we also had the likes of Luka Modric, Scott Parker and Sandro.

Steven is a lad who really needs to be playing and that’s what he will get with Everton — he’ll be in there every week.

And I have to say his partnership with Leighton Baines down the left is as good as any pairing you will find in the Premier League.

Even though he wasn’t in every week at Spurs — and he had a bit of an injury at one stage too which didn’t help — he stuck at it and is a great lad. I’m sure he will be a big part of anything and everything Everton achieve.

ROBIN VAN PERSIE (Man United)

OK, no prizes for originality on this one and I know he doesn’t exactly come under the bargain-basement tag, but when you consider what he could help them win at Old Trafford, even the £22m he cost could look cheap.

Look, they only lost out on the title last season on goal difference and no one will ever convince me that if they’d had Van Persie in the side he wouldn’t have proved decisive.

When you put it like that, with the millions on offer in the Premier League, he suddenly doesn’t look overpriced at all.

If you had to put your life on one man putting the ball in the net, you’d be hard pressed to come up with someone better — and he will be worth another eight, nine or 10 points to United this season.

In my book, that could be the difference between winning the title and not.

The way he’s started life at Old Trafford, you’d have to fancy he will end the season with 25 goals or more — plus whatever he does in the Champions League — and if that leads to United winning the Premier League or conquering Europe again, there won’t be many saying that he’s not good value.

JAN VERTONGHEN (Spurs)

HE’S a hell of a player — one of the growing number of Belgians who are tearing up the Premier League.

Vertonghen is someone who is right up there with the best.

To be honest he was on our radar for a long time when I was manager at Spurs and the deal was pretty much done by the end of the season. In fact he was in the crowd to watch our final Premier League game of the season against Fulham.

He can play as a left-sided centre-back or at left-back and he stands out in either position. Plus he is capable of chipping in a few goals, which is priceless for a defender.

He got his first for Spurs at Carlisle in midweek, and it won’t be the last.

One of the things which has really impressed me about Vertonghen is his mentality — he is such a strong
character. He’s an established international and is already proving that he’ll have no trouble adapting to the English game. Even if he had cost £12m, he would be a real steal.
ADAM JOHNSON (Sunderland)

WATCH this guy really take off now he is up there and playing regularly, because there is no doubting Johnson is a genuine talent.
And at £10m, he looks good value to me in today’s market.

Make no mistake, this lad could be as good a winger as there is in this country. A lot of people have said he’s the most natural dribbler since Ryan Giggs, and while he has a long way to go to match his achievements, I can see where they’re coming from.

When Johnson is on his game he is virtually impossible to defend against, he is so tricky and fast — and he can find a goal as well. He is what I’d call a natural footballer.

Now that he’s playing under Martin O’Neill — maybe he needed someone like that who really believes in him – just watch him progress.

It wouldn’t surprise me to see Johnson have an outstanding season.