January transfer deadline day 2014: Done deals

His versatility and mobility no doubt will serve him well in Walter Mazzarri’s midfield system, and this could well be the best signing we’ve seen in Serie A this January. With Hernanes having been pretty quiet so far this season, hopefully he’ll be able to discover top form once again.

Quoted on the club’s website, Berba commented:

The 33-year-old Bulgarian hasn’t impressed as Fulham have toiled near the bottom of the Premier League so far this season, having netted just four times in 18 matches. Hopefully now with a better team around him, he’ll be able to recapture some of the form which saw him score 15 league goals for the Cottagers last season.

Arsenal have completed one of the most eye-raising transfers of the entire window, signing Spartak Moscow’s experienced Swedish international Kim Källström on loan until the end of the season.

Upon completing his move, the 31-year-old told Arsenal’s official site:

Napoli owner Aurelio De Laurentiis has confirmed the club have signed defender Faouzi Ghoulam from French side Saint-Étienne. De Laurentiis tweeted:

As every Napoli fan knows, a deal isn’t a deal until it’s been announced and hashtagged #ADL. But, in case that’s not enough official confirmation, Napoli have made it official on their website.

Armero has struggled for first-team football under Rafael Benítez so far this season, and indeed hasn’t been at his best since making the move to the San Paolo from Udinese last year. He has traditionally excelled when used as a wing-back rather than a full-back, with his defensive attributes unable to live up to his offensive ones.

However, with the Hammers having seen their defence plagued by injury throughout the season, it makes sense that they’ve moved to bring in reinforcements. Armero is fighting for a starting place at Brazil this summer, so he certainly shouldn’t be short on motivation -- and will hopefully be able to find his top form again.

He leaves Olympiakos having scored 14 goals this season, making him the top goal scorer in the Greek Super League. If he can translate that success to the Premier League, he’ll be an excellent signing of the Cottagers.

The Blues announced the deal ahead of José Mourinho’s press conference on their official website, confirming that the youngster would not be joining up with the Chelsea squad until summer.

Fulham are going through a monumental retooling process in this window in an effort to escape relegation, and Holtby should be seen as a far more reliable alternative to AC Milan-bound Adel Taarabt. But he’s not going to help with their main issue, which is the defence, and we can probably expect more inbound at Craven Cottage.

It’s a move that makes a great deal of sense for Queens Park Rangers, who will be adding a Premier League-calibre centre back to their push for promotion back to the top flight -- they’re currently second in the Championship but news that ace striker Charlie Austin will be out for the rest of the season puts their position in at least some doubt.

Fulham, meanwhile, must be intending to bring in some defensive reinforcements. Their back line has been leaky, having already conceded 50 goals so far this season, and losing Hughes is hardly going to make things any better.

Still just 21 years of age, it’s likely Manchester United simply want Zaha to get some Premier League experience. Cardiff will be hoping his experience fighting will promotion will translate into the talent needed to keep the Bluebirds from getting relegated.

Andres Guardado will join Bayer Leverkusen on loan for the rest of the season and the German club will have the option to buy him this summer. The Mexican leave Valencia for the Bundesliga’s second place club, where he doesn’t fill an obvious hole.

Bayer have played a 4-3-3 almost exclusively this season with Sebastian Boenisch at left back and Son Heung-Min at left forward, the two places Guardado would most naturally slide into. With both Boenisch and Heung-Min playing well, the Mexican will have an uphill battle to bypass either, but it may be possible at left back.

Taarabt made just nine starts for Fulham this season, putting in some outstanding performances -- like against Manchester City -- with several forgettable ones. Once hailed as a future star, even labeled “the next Zidane,” the 24-year-old has struggled to live up to expectations in England. He never caught on at Tottenham Hotspur, who loaned and later sold him to QPR. He helped the Hoops earn promotion to the Premier League, but once back in the top flight Taarabt struggled to impress week in, week out.

Undoubtedly skilled, Taarabt is hoping that Milan and Seedorf can finally unlock his talent. Seedorf has Milan playing free, with four attacking players allowed to move, interchange and essentially do as they please. That kind of system and freedom might finally be what Taarabt needs to make good on his expectations.

It might not work, of course, but for Rene Muelensteen, this is a gamble worth taking.

Everton’s forward line is about to get even more physically imposing. The Toffees, fresh off an unfortunate 4-0 loss at Anfield, have some good news for their fans today: They’ve completed the loan signing of 6’8” Monaco centre forward Lacina Traore.

Yes, 6’8”. The man is a giant:

While PSG and Newcastle did not release the terms of the deal, Cabaye’s transfer fee has been rumored to be £20 million. Newcastle paid just £4.3 million to bring him to the Premier League from Lille.

PSG have plenty of bodies in midfield, but no one with Cabaye’s versatility who is in the prime of their career. Marco Verratti is one of Europe’s top talents, but his defensive work leaves something to be desired. Thiago Motta has been solid this season, but he has a history of injury troubles. Adrien Rabiot looks like a star in the making, but he’s just 18 years old and probably not ready to start key Champions League knockout-stage games. Blaise Matuidi is still an excellent workhorse in midfield for PSG, but more likely than not, Cabaye will lock down a starting place quickly.