The calm before the storm perhaps?

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Wolverhampton Wanderers v Liverpool

The January transfer window will soon slam shut and there has been a distinct lack of Premier League transfer activity. The mid-season opportunity to recruit players is rarely taken advantage of, but things have been even quieter than usual this time around.

Andrei Arshavin was the notable new arrival in January 2009, whilst Tottenham Hotspur splashed out around £40m on three major signings – Jermain Defoe, Wilson Palacios and Robbie Keane. Manchester City recruited Craig Bellamy, Nigel de Jong, Shay Given and Wayne Bridge. Hugo Rodallega and Emile Heskey were other notable signings.

City were keen to spend some of their funds on overhauling their squad, as were Spurs albeit on a smaller scale. They were in relegation trouble and needed to spend big in order to move up the table. Arsene Wenger perhaps felt the pressure to use some transfer funds after suffering criticism for his lack of activity.

Things are different this season. City are now more intent on developing as a squad rather than adding to it, and there are no clubs languishing near the foot of the table able to buy their way out of trouble. The title race is a three-way battle and that means none of the big guns need to venture into the transfer market.

Arsenal have dabbled in the window this time around, bringing in Sol Campbell and Samuel Galindo. Indeed, free signings and loan deals have dominated the 2010 January window.

Liverpool have brought in Maxi Rodriguez, a fresh face to perk up an under-pressure squad. Many are now betting Europa League success will be a priority for Rafa Benitez and Rodriguez could boost the side’s chances of lifting the trophy.

Birmingham City, enjoying the wealth of new owners, have signed Michel and Craig Gardner in a bid to maintain their superb run of form, but it is clubs in the bottom half who have been most active.

It is no surprise that the teams battling relegation have been most active. Bolton, Wolves, Sunderland, Hull and Wigan have all brought in new faces and this leaves West Ham and Portsmouth as the clubs most in need of new signings in the final days of the window.

However, in the case of the south coast club they will need a miracle as the football betting odds suggest relegation is all but certain.

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