Premier League: 10 Summer Transfers That Simply Made No Sense

3. Alex Song - Barcelona To West Ham

Two years ago, the deep-lying Cameroonian midfielder had the world had his feet. At just 24 years old, he had established himself as a key component in a talented Arsenal midfield, earning himself a blockbuster £15 million move to the Nou Camp. Hailed as one of the finest architects in European football, it makes little sense that he has now ended up at Upton Park on a pithy one-year loan deal a mere 24 months later. His time at Barcelona was never going to be easy. If Cesc Fabregas found playing time hard to come by, then Song was always going to struggle to establish himself at the club, especially with rival Sergio Busquets in such sparkling form. Having registered just 39 league appearances in two seasons, it was no surprise that his availability was on the cards this summer, and there were no shortage of suitors, if sources are to be believed. Spurs, Liverpool and even Manchester United were all said to have enquired about his availability, leading many to believe that Song was ready to rebuild his career in the higher echelons of Premier League football. Instead, he will be lining out alongside Mark Noble under Sam Allardyce. On one hand, the loan deal makes sense - Song is clearly using the club as a stepping stone, as he flaunts his natural talent, showcasing his skills to an array of suitors. Essentially, he is using Upton Park as a medium for people to remember that he does still exist. But on the other hand, one could view it as three steps backwards for a player whose career was on such an upturn only a couple of years ago. One could assume that had the former Arsenal lynchpin held out for just a little longer, then perhaps he could have found a club more suited to his undoubted ability.