Four of the best Premier League free transfers
Monday 2 January 2017 21:29, UK
It's not all about spending big money in the transfer window - these four players didn't cost anything in transfer fees, but have played important roles for their clubs in the first half of the season.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic
Having scored 12 Premier League goals since his arrival at Old Trafford in the summer, Zlatan Ibrahimovic is Manchester United's leading top-flight scorer not only this season, but over the whole of 2016. The 35-year-old left Paris Saint-Germain having won Ligue 1 in the final year of his contract and has quashed any doubts he would struggle to keep pace with the intensity in the Premier League. He has already likened himself to a fine red wine and says he could play until he is 50.
Paul Pogba has been influential, albeit coming as the world's most expensive transfer, in providing Ibrahimovic with chances in the United side, laying on another assist for the striker in the 3-1 win over Sunderland on Boxing Day. However, it is Ibrahimovic who is already looking set for a new contract extension in Manchester, with Jose Mourinho declaring the deal "a formality".
Victor Anichebe
"Let's put it into context - he's not a £20million centre-forward." Those were the words of Sunderland manager David Moyes on Victor Anichebe after signing the free agent following the close of the summer transfer window. Moyes may sound like a harsh realist, but the partnership Anichebe has formed with Jermain Defoe has helped Sunderland climb off the bottom of the table.
Anichebe, 28, has never been a prolific goalscorer and failed to find the target last season for West Bromwich Albion, while the three goals he has scored this season came in a two-game flurry in November. However, with Defoe having scored eight of Sunderland's 16 top-flight goals in the current campaign, Anichebe is helping fuel his strike partner's form by dragging away defenders and laying on chances for the 34-year-old.
Victor Valdes
Middlesbrough have conceded the fewest number of goals (20) outside the top eight in the Premier League, and their defence remains vital to keeping them in the division. In Victor Valdes, who flopped at Manchester United following his departure from Barcelona, they have a goalkeeper with Champions League medals to his name to help protect their cause.
The 34-year-old has already kept more clean sheets for Boro than he made top-flight appearances for United, helping the newly-promoted club to four shut-outs.
Joel Matip
The former Schalke defender's biggest contribution to Liverpool can be seen in the games in which he has not played for Jurgen Klopp's side this season. Although the Reds beat Arsenal on the opening weekend, they shipped three goals without the centre-back, following that result up with a 2-0 defeat at Burnley in his absence. Liverpool also suffered a 4-3 defeat at Bournemouth early in December without Matip in the backline.
Klopp's valuation of Matip was clear from the outset of the Liverpool boss' reign, signing the defender on a pre-contract agreement back in February, and Klopp will be further delighted with Matip's decision to snub Cameroon for their African Cup of Nations campaign.
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