Johnny Cantor: Any new arrivals will need to hit the ground running for Brighton

Some people say it is outdated, some say they hate it, some say it brings drama but the transfer window is here at the moment and we have to deal with it.
Leonardo Ulloa (left) starred for Brighton after joining in the 2013 January transfer windowLeonardo Ulloa (left) starred for Brighton after joining in the 2013 January transfer window
Leonardo Ulloa (left) starred for Brighton after joining in the 2013 January transfer window

It is an opportunity for clubs to strengthen but it also is a time when they can lose players too. Owners can spend money, agents can make money.

The stakes are so high in the Premier League that the business done in these four weeks or so can make or break the season and seasons to come, even though we are more than halfway through the campaign.

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At the top of the table, the draw of the Champions League may entice players away or the looming end of a contract may prompt a player or club to act.

It is certainly always interesting to see some stories that have clearly been leaked by agents to make clubs aware a player may want to move or alert other potential suitors.

For Brighton and Hove Albion, the next two weeks may prove crucial as the recruitment team look to deliver. It is never easy in January but recent form suggests deals need to be done.

Anyone who gets the chance to go to the training ground and the stadium knows the set-up is good. Some players may not want to be away from the bright lights of London or Manchester but others may prefer a slower pace of life on the coast.

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One factor that may make dealings tricky is the table and the form book. For players abroad, and that’s where much of the searching is taking place, the appeal of a battle to survive in the Premier League may not be attractive.

However, it must also be seen as an opportunity to impress. Some players have used the Championship as a stepping stone. Just look at Leonardo Ulloa. The man from Argentina may not have got as much football as he wants at Leicester but he is now on the big stage.

You may well become a hero, a club legend if you provide the requisite goals.

A move to a bottom half side or mid-table team can also turn into a big money switch to a top six club and a crack at the Champions League further down the line.

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The powers of persuasion will be put to the test between now and 11pm on January 31 and it is a selling job but often money talks.

The deadline occurs just over an hour after the final whistle at St Mary’s later this month but you feel with the lack of goals and injuries to Izzy Brown and Steve Sidwell, the Albion will need to have at least a few in place before then to mount a concerted effort at staying in the top-flight.

Any new arrivals will also need to hit the ground running ahead of crucial games against relegation rivals.