BIG spending Sven-Goran Eriksson made the most the January transfer window, but admitted he aims to ignore it next year.

The Blues boss was one of the busiest managers of all in the final 24 hours of this month’s long spree, splashing out more than £5.2 million on Ecuador striker Felipe Caicedo from Swiss side Basel on a four and a half year deal.

Eriksson was also burning the midnight oil in a bid to tie up a near £8million switch for Zimbabwe international Benjani from Portsmouth.

The Blues recouped around £1.5million with the sale of teenager Ishmael Miller to Championship favourites West Brom, while veteran striker Paul Dickov headed for a loan deal at Blackpool. Andreas Isaksson’s proposed move to Galatasaray fell through.

“It is good that the winter window exists but I didn’t know it would be that difficult to find players,” said  confessed Eriksson.

“It has been extremely% difficult. We have been on about ten cases during January and you think you are almost there and there comes a ‘no’ from a club. I'm happy the window closed and the telephone stopped ringing.

“Next season I will approach things differently but hopefully we will not need that much in the way of players next January. We hope to do what we need next summer.”

Meanwhile, he is more than happy with the business conducted this month that has seen Rolando Bianchi and Ousmane Dabo go out and Nery Castillo come in.

Left-sided Caicedo may soon be competing for a place with home grown talent Daniel Sturridge who has scored in each of his last two outings.

The 19-year-old Ecuador international has been plying his trade in Switzerland’s Super League since he was 17 years-old and can play in midfield as well as up front. At 6ft 1ins he will add height to the Blues attack and knows his way to goal having scored 12 times at a little over one every three games for Basel.

He is the second player to arrive from the Swiss top division after Gelson Fernandes and was extensively scouted by Eriksson’s right hand man Tord Grip. He has 15 fifteen caps for his country and is currently a vital member of their World Cup qualifying squad.

He will not be available for Saturday’s game with Arsenal and according to his agent, Saif Rubie, is not expected to arrive in England until Sunday or Monday.

“This deal was in the making for two months,” he revealed. “There were three other teams wanting him but he really wanted to play for Sven. He will settle well. He is ready to get stuck in.”

Eriksson first saw Caicedo play when he went to watch Elano play for Brazil against Ecuador.

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