COS contributor Andy Ryan takes a look at deals that almost happened as the Emirates, Old Trafford, Anfield and Eastlands and examines what the repercussions of these failed deals may be.

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Mark Schwarzer/Shay Given/Hugo Lloris to Arsenal

Given would perhaps have been the best option but it was always improbable that City would help out a rival. Schwarzer would certainly have been reliable. The youngster Lloris was a more typical Wenger signing and could potentially been a long-term solution.

Will they regret not signing him?

Yes. There are a lot of keepers out there who would be an improvement on the error-prone Almunia. A couple of errors will leave Arsenal fans cursing Wenger’s unwillingness to spend.

Carlton Cole to Liverpool

This signing was never going to send Merseyside into celebrations. It would have been interesting to see how Cole responded to the challenge. While the pressure would have been huge, he would have benefited from much-improved service. Reports suggest Liverpool were put off by West Ham’s £10 million valuation. For a player with 20 goals from his last 52 Prem starts, that doesn’t sound terrible value.

Will they regret not signing him?

A little bit. When Fernando Torres is injured, Liverpool’s limited front-line options will again be exosed. Cole would not have been prolific but he is a better option than Ngog or Babel.

Jack Rodwell to Manchester United

Long-identified as “the next big thing”, Rodwell will move to a title-chasing club sooner rather than later. Ferguson would not have trusted the youngster week-in week-out this season; it was more about getting hold of him for the future.

Will they regret not signing him?

Probably. It’s unlikely that Rodwell would have had a massive impact in his first season at the club. If, however, he has an excellent season, United will find themselves having to offer much more for him in the summer

Emmanuel Adebayor out of Manchester City

The Togolese striker has been telling anyone who will listen that he is unhappy about not starting. He is just one of a growing band of irritated bench-warmers at City.

Will they regret keeping him?

Hard to say. His Premiership scoring record is comparable with the best in the division. That said, he upset the Arsenal dressing room and could become disruptive at City.

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