Fernando Torres, Andy Carroll and the 10 worst January transfer window signings by Premier League clubs

Jose Antonio Reyes couldn’t have had a better start to his Arsenal career, winning the Premier League title within months of his transfer from Sevilla in January 2004.

But, despite winning and scoring in the 2004 Community Shield victory against Manchester United, Reyes failed to consistently hit top form in north London.

Reyes was on the winning side against United again in the FA Cup final in 2005 but was sent off in the game and, just over a year later, after complaining of being homesick, eventually joining Real Madrid in a loan exchange deal with Julio Baptista.

A striker who has enjoyed several prolific spells in his career, James Beattie has also had his fair share of barren runs throughout his career.

Beattie’s goalscoring exploits with Southampton earned him a move to Everton, but he would score just two goals following his move to Goodison Park in January 2005, and was sent off for a headbutt on Michael Essien against Chelsea just five games into his stay at the club.

Beattie would score 11 goals for Everton the following season, but struggled for goals in 2006-07 and was sold to Sheffield United, embarking on a good spell with the then-Championship side.

Despite arriving at Rangers in summer of 2004 on a free transfer, Newcastle United boss Graeme Souness felt he'd seen enough promise to splash out 8 million pounds for the defender's services in the following transfer window.

Boumsong's first term in England started with promise but his second season was far from perfect, and with mistakes leading to goals becoming a frequent trait, the France international wasn't given the chance to atone for his mistakes and found himself sold to Juventus, which had just been relegated to Serie B.

Signed from Benfica in 2007 by Martin Jol, Ricardo Rocha was brought in at Tottenham to bolster the defensive options following an injury to Ledley King, but his slip against Arsenal in the League Cup semifinal second leg against Arsenal came in his first handful of games for the club.

Jol was soon replaced by Juande Ramos, though, while Rocha fell out of favor and didn’t play a single first-team game in his final season at the club, before being released in the summer of 2009.

Shipped in to sprinkle Brazilian flair along Teeside, Alfonso Alves entered the Premier League boasting a record befitting of any top European striker after netting 45 goals in 38 games for Dutch side Heerenveen.

But Alves failed to replicate the sparkle produced by fellow countryman Juninho during his time at the club, as well as his form in the Eredivisie, scoring just four goals as Middlesbrough slumped to relegation from the Premier League.

Boro got shot of the Brazilian striker in September 2009, but only managed to claw back 6 million pounds as he went to ply his trade for Qatari side Al-Sadd.

Brought in by Luiz Felipe Scolari to liven up Chelsea's midfield, the winger, who was awarded Serie A's 'Golden Bin' award in his inaugural season in Italy, fared no better in the Premier League.

The Portuguese midfielder failed to impress former Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho at Inter, cue the loan spell at Stamford Bridge which ended in a paltry five appearances and 97 minutes of uninspiring league football.

It was difficult to understand why Newcastle United rejected bid worth 30 million pounds from Liverpool for Andy Carroll last year, but even further beyond comprehension was Kenny Dalglish's side re-entering negotiations and subsequently bringing the striker to Anfield for 35 million pounds.

With the signing of Stewart Downing (who has also failed to convince the red half of Merseyside) you would think Carroll's clear heading prowess would be used to devastating effect, boosting Liverpool into the Champions League places and beyond.

As it stands, Carroll looks like a square peg in a round hole, floundering as the ball is played into his feet 20 yards from goal, rather than to his head inside the six-yard box. Four goals in 24 appearances means either Carroll must adapt to intricate build-up play, or Liverpool needs to change its style to suit its record signing.

After a largely successful spell with Blackburn Rovers, West Ham parted ways with around 2.5 million pounds for Benni McCarthy, who had fallen out of favor at Ewood Park following the excellent form of Roque Santa Cruz.

But McCarthy could not resurrect his Premier League career with the Hammers, who eventually terminated the South African’s contract for 1.5 million pounds – which still had 14 months to run – in April 2011, after 14 appearances and no goals.

The club’s vice chairman, Karen Brady, revealed the striker had struggled with weight gain and described the signing as a “big fat mistake”.

Chelsea broke the bank to sign Fernando Torres on a dramatic deadline day in January 2011 in an attempt to keep its aim to retain the Premier League title alive.

But the Spain international could not replicate the performances that had looked set to make him a Liverpool legend upon his arrival at Stamford Bridge, scoring just once in 18 appearances last season.

Torres has since added a further four strikes and a red card in 23 games, and while the jury is still out on whether or not the striker can turn his Chelsea career around, Roman Abramovich has not received the immediate return on his outlay he would undoubtedly have expected.