Scottish Premiership ins and outs - January 2014

There weren't as many noughts on the cheques as there were south of the border, but Scotland's top flight enjoyed one of its most lively transfer windows for some time.

Once again, it was only Celtic who were able to pay substantial sums in transfer fees and, even then, manager Neil Lennon's focus in signing Leigh Griffiths and Stefan Johansen was not so much on results in the second half of the season but on preparing for next season's assault on the Champions League qualifying rounds.

The motivation for the rest was not on forming any kind of challenge to the runaway reigning champions at the top but on securing a place in the top six by the time the Scottish Premiership splits into two for the final round of fixtures.

Indeed, even more importantly, the thought of finishing in the second bottom spot, which this season comes with it the prospect of relegation via a play-off against a side from the Championship, led to a plethora of changes in the squads near the foot of the table.

Aberdeen

Key arrivals: Adam Rooney could not reproduce his Inverness Caledonian Thistle form with Birmingham City and Oldham Athletic, but the Irish striker has scored two in two games on his return to Scotland's top flight. Rooney's addition comes after Calvin Zola failed to become a regular starter following his arriving from Burton Albion in the summer.

Manager Derek McInnes will hope that Shaleum Logan or Alan Tate, who had arrived from Brentford and Swansea City respectively, prove to be as classy in defence as Michael Hector, who has returned to the Reading bench after his loan at Pittodrie.

In: Adam Rooney, forward (Oldham Athletic). Loan: Alan Tate, defender (Swansea City); Shaleum Logan, defender (Brentford)

Out: Gregg Wylde, midfielder (St Mirren); Scott Ferries, midfielder (Ross County), Chris Clark, midfielder (Cove Rangers); Craig Duguid, defender. Loan ended: Michael Hector, defender (Reading). Loan: Josh Magennis, forward (St Mirren); Lawrence Shankland, forward (Dunfermline Athletic); Stephen O'Neill, midfielder (East Fife); Jamie Masson, midfielder (Elgin City); Danny Rogers, goalkeeper (Airdrieonians)

Summer signing report card

Pass: Barry Robson, midfielder (Sheffield United); Willo Flood, midfielder (Dundee United); Michael Hector, defender (Reading)

Jury's out: Calvin Zola, forward (Burton Albion); Nicky Weaver, goalkeeper (Sheffield Wednesday); Lawrence Shankland, forward (Queen's Park)

Fail: Gregg Wylde, midfielder (Bolton Wanderers)

Celtic

Key arrivals: With summer signings Teemu Pukki and Amido Balde having failed to match the strike rate of Norwich City-bound Gary Hooper, manager Neil Lennon can expect Leigh Griffiths to guarantee goals on the domestic front even if he only reproduces the form he showed while on loan with Hibernian. However, the big test will be whether a player who was in and out of the Wolves side in England's League One can make the step up to the Champions League stage next season.

Stefan Johansen should prove to be an adequate replacement for Joe Ledley after the Wales international's departure to Crystal Palace once the Norway midfielder settles in Glasgow.

In: Leigh Griffiths, forward (Wolves, undisclosed); Stefan Johansen, midfielder (Stromgodset, £2m); Holmbert Aron Fridjonsson (Fram Reykjavic, £150,000)

Out: Joe Ledley, midfielder (Crystal Palace, undisclosed); Mo Bangura, forward. Loan ended: Max Oberschmidt, goalkeeper (Fulham). Loan: Tom Rogic, midfielder (Melbourne Victory); Dylan McGeough, midfielder (Coventry City); Bahrudin Atajic, forward (Shrewsbury Town); Jo Chalmers, defender (Falkirk); Stuart Findlay, defender (Morton); Paul George, midfielder (Hamilton Academical); Michael Miller, defender (Dumbarton)

Summer signing report card

Pass: Virgil van Dijk, defender (Groningen, £2.6m)

Jury's out: Steven Mouyokolo, defender (Wolves); Derk Boerrigter, midfielder (Ajax, £3m); Nir Biton, midfielder (Ashdod, £700,000); Amido Balde, forward (Vitória Guimarães, £1.5m); Teemu Pukki, forward (Schalke 04, undisclosed)

Dundee United

Key arrivals: Dundee United thought they had pulled off the coup of the summer by bringing David Goodwillie back on loan from Blackburn Rovers. However, the troubled Scotland striker was kept out of the side by a combination of Nadir Ciftci, the young Turk who arrived from Breda, and the emerging talent of 17-year-old Ryan Gauld.

Farid El Alagui, who was so prolific with Falkirk, looks like an able replacement for Goodwillie and the on-loan Brentford striker scored in only his second United start.

In: Loan: Farid El Alagui, forward (Brentford); Curtis Good, defender (Newcastle United)

Out: Ryan Ferguson, midfielder (Brechin City); Ross Smith, defender (Peterhead). Loan ended: David Goodwillie, forward (Blackburn Rovers). Loan: Chris Erskine, midfielder (Partick Thistle); Mark Miller, midfielder (Falkirk); Kudus Oyenuga, forward (Boreham Wood); Ross Gilmour, defender (Airdrieonians); Darren Petrie, midfielder (Brechin City). Joe McGovern, goalkeeper (Clyde)

Summer signing report card

Pass: Mark Wilson, defender (Bristol City); Paul Paton, midfielder (Partick Thistle); Andrew Robertson, defender (Queen's Park); Nadir Ciftci, forward (Breda); Brian Graham, forward (Raith Rovers)

Jury's out: Calum Butcher, defender (Hayes & Yeading); Aidan Connolly, midfielder (Queen's Park)

Fail: David Goodwillie, forward (Blackburn Rovers); Chris Erskine, midfielder (Partick Thistle); Kudus Oyenuga, forward (Hayes & Yeading)

Heart of Midlothian

Key arrivals: Hearts manager Gary Locke has been lamenting the lack of a striker in his squad all season and got his wish when Paul McCallum arrived on loan from West Ham United as part of the one-out, one-in rule governing the signing embargo imposed because they are in administration.

However, his arrival is likely to come too late to save the Edinburgh side from relegation. To expect a 20-year-old, no matter how talented, to make up the deficit created by a start-of-season 15-point penalty is too much to ask.

Many Hearts fans had seen Rudi Skacel as a potential saviour, but the veteran midfielder struggled to make an impact with Dundee United before being released in the summer and the Scottish Professional Football League rejected the club's request to sign the Czech in any case.

In: Loan: Paul McCallum, forward (West Ham United)

Out: Adam King, midfielder (Swansea City, undisclosed); Alan Combe, goalkeeper (remains as coach)

Summer signing report card

Pass: Danny Wilson, defender (Liverpool)

Hibernian

Key arrivals: Almost uniquely outside of Celtic, Hibs actually forked out a substantial transfer fee to take James Collins from Swindon Town in the summer. However, the Irishman's failure, along with fellow striking additions Paul Heffernan and the now-departed Rowan Vine, to come anywhere near matching the goal rate of former loanee Leigh Griffiths perhaps more than anything led to Pat Fenlon's departure as manager.

New boss Terry Butcher says it will be the summer before he is able to reshape the squad in the way he wants, so for now he is having to hope that Danny Haynes, on loan from Notts County, or Sunderland teenager Duncan Watmore will provide the extra goalscoring spark. Meanwhile, on-loan Arsenal defender Daniel Boateng will be aiming for more game time than he achieved at Swindon Town and Oxford United.

In: Loan: Daniel Boateng, defender (Arsenal); Danny Haynes, forward (Notts County); Duncan Watmore, forward (Sunderland)

Out: Rowan Vine, forward (Morton); Fraser Mullen, defender (Raith Rovers); Tim Clancy, defender. Loan: Ross Caldwell, forward (Alloa Athletic); David Gold, midfielder (Cowdenbeath)

Summer signing report card

Pass: Michael Nelson, defender (Bradford City); Ryan McGivern, defender (Manchester City); Liam Craig, midfielder (St Johnstone)

Jury's out: Owain Tudur Jones, midfielder (Inverness Caledonian Thistle); Paul Heffernan, forward (Kilmarnock); James Collins, forward (Swindon Town, £200,000); Abdellah Zoubir, midfielder (Istres)

Fail: Rowan Vine, forward (St Johnstone); Fraser Mullen, defender (Hearts)

Inverness Caledonian Thistle

Key arrivals: Greg Tansey has already made an impact on his return to Caley Thistle from Stevenage, the midfielder scoring and being a solid influence in the Scottish League Cup semi-final win over Hearts.

However, the departure of Terry Butcher summer signings Torbjorn Agdestein and Curtis Allen means new manager John Hughes lacks options up front should top scorer Billy McKay be injured or suspended.

In: Greg Tansey, midfielder (Stevenage)

Out: Torbjorn Agdestein, forward; Curtis Allen, forward (Glentoran). Loan: Calum Ferguson, forward (Montrose)

Summer signing report card

Pass: Dean Brill, goalkeeper (Luton Town); James Vincent, midfielder (Kidderminster Harriers); Marley Watkins, midfielder (Hereford United)

Jury's out: Nick Draper, goalkeeper (Lincoln City); Carl Tremarco, defender (Macclesfield Town); Joe Gorman, defender (Crewe Alexandra); Ben Greenhalgh, midfielder (Ebbsfleet United); Danny Williams, midfielder (Kendal Town); Adam Evans, midfielder (Burnley)

Fail: Torbjörn Agdestein, forward (Brighton & Hove Albion); Curtis Allen, forward (Coleraine)

Kilmarnock

Key arrivals: If skilful midfielder Alexei Eremenko makes as good an impression in his second spell at Rugby Park as he did in his first, manager Allan Johnston will be well pleased. However, the Finland international is now 30 and has since had anonymous spells with Russia outfit Rubin Kazan and in Khazakhstan with Kairat Almaty.

David Moberg Karlsson is only 19, but the on-loan Sunderland winger has first-team experience with IFK Gothenburg that should help him make an impression in the Scottish Premiership.

In: Alexie Eremenko, midfielder (Kairat Almaty). Loan: David Moberg Karlsson, (Sunderland); Vitalijs Maksimenko, defender (Brighton & Hove Albion)

Out: Gabriel Reuben, midfielder (Waasland-Beveren); Rabiu Ibrahim, midfielder; Kyle Jacobs, midfielder (Livingston); Mark Stewart, forward (Derry City); Gary Fisher, midfielder (East Fife). Loan: James Fowler, midfielder (Cowdenbeath); Jude Winchester, midfielder (Cliftonville)

Summer signing report card

Pass: Craig Samson, goalkeeper (St Mirren); Sean Clohessy, defender (Southend United); Barry Nicholson, midfielder (Fleetwood Town); Jackson Irvine, midfielder (Celtic, loan)

Jury out: Antonio Reguero, goalkeeper (Inverness Caledonian Thistle); Conor Brennan, goalkeeper (Leicester City); Darren Barr, defender (Heart of Midlothian); Ismael Bouzid, defender (Alger); Michael Gardyne, forward (Dundee United)

Fail: Caoimhin Bonner, defender (Derry City); Kyle Jacobs, midfielder (Livingston); Mark Stewart, forward (Dundee)

Motherwell

Key arrivals: Motherwell manager Stuart McCall had the best success rate of any Scottish Premiership manager during the summer. Which, in addition to a budget made tighter by an early Scottish Cup exit, perhaps explains why he was also the least active in January.

His priority was the extension of winger Lionel Ainsworth's loan from Rotherham United and retaining striker Henri Anier, who has now made a permanent switch from Viking Stavanger. Neither Anier, nor fellow summer arrival John Sutton, has managed to match individually the scoring rate of Michael Higdon, who left for Nijmegen. However, as a partnership, with 18 goals between them, they are well on their way to surpassing the total of 31 reached last season by the Englishman and Anier's departed Estonia team-mate, Henrik Ojamaa.

In: Loan to permanent: Henri Anier, forward (Viking Stavanger)

Out: Loan ended: Dan Twardzik, goalkeeper (Dundee). Loan: Bob McHugh, forward (Queen of the South); Adam Cummins, defender (Dundee)

Summer signing report card

Pass: Gunnar Nielsen, goalkeeper (Silkeborg); Stephen McManus, defender (Middlesbrough); Iain Vigurs, midfielder (Ross County); John Sutton, forward (Heart of Midlothian); Lionel Ainsworth, midfielder (Rotherham United); Henri Anier, forward (Viking Stavanger)

Jury out: Fraser Kerr, defender (Birmingham City); Paul Lawson, midfielder (Ross County); Ben Hall, midfielder (Dungannon Swifts)

Partick Thistle

Key arrivals: The reviews of Partick Thistle on their return to Scotland's top flight have generally read: "Nice play, shame about the finishing". So in has come Lyle Taylor, who manager Alan Archibald witnessed terrorising Scottish Championship defences while with Falkirk before heading for Sheffield United. Three goals in his first two games showed promise, but none in his next four suggests the Englishman will need more creative help from a midfield bolstered by three loan signings - Prince Buaben, Chris Erskine and George Moncur - who arrived just before the January deadline.

In: Lee Mair, defender (St Mirren). Loan to permanent: Gary Fraser, midfielder (Bolton Wanderers). Loan: Lyle Taylor, forward (Sheffield United); Prince Buaben, midfielder (Carlisle United); George Moncur, midfielder (West Ham United); Chris Erskine, midfielder (Dundee United)

Out: John Baird, forward (Raith Rovers); Hugh Murray, midfielder (Dumbarton); Mark McGuigan, forward (Albion Rovers); Mark Kerr, midfielder (Queen of the South); Ross Forbes, midfielder (Dunfermline Athletic). Loan ended: Henoc Mukendi, defender (Liverpool). Loan: Liam Lindsay, defender (Alloa Athletic); James Martin, forward (KV Turnhout); Darren Brownlie, defender (Cowdenbeath)

Summer signing report card

Pass: Paul Gallacher, goalkeeper (Ross County); Isaac Osbourne, midfielder (Aberdeen); Kallum Higginbotham, forward (Huddersfield Town)

Jury out: Gary Fraser, midfielder (Bolton Wanderers); Gabriel, defender (Rayo Vallecano); Darren Brownlie, defender (Ayr United); Simon Colina, midfielder (Barcelona); Declan McDaid, midfielder (Morton); Dale Keenan, midfielder (East Fife)

Fail: Mark Kerr, midfielder (Dunfermline Athletic); John Baird, forward (Dundee); Henoc Mukendi, defender (Liverpool)

Ross County

Key arrivals: Ross County manager Derek Adams has been the most active in the January transfer market, adding four players on permanent deals and the same number on loan. His summer signings with previous Scottish top-flight experience having proved more successful than the influx from the Netherlands, Adams in January turned to the English market.

On-loan Cardiff City midfielder Filip Kiss has already proved his worth with four goals, even if he blotted his copybook with a red card at the weekend. As has Blackburn Rovers defender Yann Songo'o, who had added two strikes of his own.

In: Erik Cikos, defender (Slovan Bratislava); Yoann Arquin, forward (Notts County); Evangelos Ikonomou, defender (Veria); Scott Ferries, midfielder (Aberdeen). Loan: Filip Kiss, midfielder (Cardiff City); Yann Songo'o, defender (Blackburn Rovers); Michael Tidser, midfielder (Rotherham United); Jordan Slew, forward (Blackburn Rovers)

Out: Mihael Kovacevic, defender; Branislav Micic, defender. Loan ended: Orhan Mustafi, forward (Grasshoppers). Loan: Steven Ross, midfielder (Brora Rangers)

Summer signing report card

Pass: Brian McLean, defender (Dundee United); Ben Gordon, defender (Yeovil Town); Graham Carey, midfielder (St Mirren); Melvin de Leeuw, midfielder (Cambuur-Leeuwarden)

Jury out: Steven Saunders, defender (Motherwell); Marc Klok, midfielder (Utrecht); Kevin Luckassen, forward (AZ Alkmaar)

Fail: Orhan Mustafi, forward (Grasshoppers Zurich); Darren Maatsen, midfielder (Excelsior Rotterdam)

St Johnstone

Key arrivals: Chris Iwelumo was the most eye-catching of St Johnstone's January additions - not just because of his height but because of his pedigree as a former Scotland striker. After Murray Davidson was ruled out for the rest of the season late in January, manager Tommy Wright swiftly changed his targets to bring in two midfielders - Mark Davies and James Dunne.

However, most Saints fans appear to have concerns about a central defence that was not bolstered during the January window.

In: Chris Iwelumo, forward (Scunthorpe United); Wayde Joyce, midfielder (Barnsley); Michael O'Halloran, forward (Bolton Wanderers); Fisayo Adarabioyo, midfielder (Birmingham City). Loan: Mark Davies, midfielder (Nottingham Forest); James Dunne, midfielder (Stevenage)

Out: Rory Fallon, forward; David Robertson, midfielder (Morton); Sanel Jahic, defender. Loan return: Gwion Edwards, midfielder (Swansea City). Loan: Chris Kane, forward (Dumbarton); Liam Caddis, midfielder (Alloa Athletic); Zander Clark, goalkeeper (Queen of the South)

Summer signing report card

Pass: Steve Banks, goalkeeper (Dundee United); David Wotherspoon, midfielder (Hibernian); Gary McDonald, midfielder (Morecambe)

Jury's out: Brian Easton, defender (Dundee); Lee Croft, midfielder (Oldham Athletic); Mark Hurst, goalkeeper (Livingston); Alex Kitchen, defender (Newcastle United); Scott Brown, midfielder (Bradford City); Scott Stevenson, midfielder (Motherwell); Anthony Higgins, midfielder (Alloa Athletic); Scott-Taylor MacKenzie, midfielder (Livingston); Dwayne Coultress, midfielder (Aldershot); Dylan Easton, forward (Berwick Rangers)

Fail: Rory Fallon, forward (Aberdeen); Sanel Jahic, defender (Karabukspor); Gwion Edwards, midfielder (Swansea City)

St Mirren

Key arrivals: With most of his summer signings having failed to shine, St Mirren manager Danny Lennon appears to have upped his game for January. Adam Campbell, Josh Magennis and, in particular, Gregg Wylde have already impressed and should increase the Buddies' threat going forward.

The experienced Eric Djemba-Djemba should help protect the back four - and they might need it considering the Paisley squad has shed three defenders without replacing them.

In: Eric Djemba-Djemba, midfielder (Partizan Belgrade); Gregg Wylde, midfielder (Aberdeen). Loan: Adam Campbell, forward (Newcastle United); Josh Magennis, forward (Aberdeen)

Out: Lee Mair, defender (Partick Thistle); Danny Grainger, defender (Dunfermline Athletic); David Barron, defender, Kealan Dillon, midfielder (Athlone Town). Loan ended: Jack Caprice, midfielder (Blackpool); David Cornell, goalkeeper (Swansea City). Loan: Gary Harkins, midfielder (Oldham Athletic); Callum Thomson, defender (Dumbarton)

Summer signing report card

Pass: Conor Newton, midfielder (Newcastle United, loan); Marian Kello, goalkeeper (Wolves)

Jury's out: Christopher Dilo, goalkeeper (Blackburn Rovers)

Fail: Danny Grainger, defender (Heart of Midlothian); Gary Harkins, midfielder (Dundee); David Cornell, goalkeeper (Swansea City); Kealan Dillon, midfielder (Hull City), Jake Caprice, midfielder (Blackpool); Stéphane Bahoken, forward (Nice)

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