Sometimes a new player can change the destiny of an entire season. In the winter transfer market, clubs try to overcome their weaknesses or try to enlarge the gap with their opponents. The players purchased by the Serie A top teams in the transfer window that has just ended are not so famous in the rest of the world. Let's say it clearly: we are not talking about Cristiano Ronaldo or Thiago Silva, but these players could really change the balance of the 2013-2014 season.

Jorginho Frello (22), from Hellas Verona to Napoli
Last saturday, Jorginho made the assist for Inler, who scored the equaliser that started the comeback over Milan. That was not his first decisive play since his arrival in the Southern city. The Brazilian central midfielder (Italian-passport-provided) moved from Hellas Verona to Napoli. He started playing football in Italy with the Scaligeri youth team. In Rafa Benitez's plans, he'll be the playmaker Napoli have been lacking so far.

He will obviously be an important pawn in the current season, but he’ll be especially useful in the coming ones. Jorginho is an extraordinary passer and his good personality allows him to try creative plays. But, at the same time, he's good in marking and tackling opponents, although he still has to improve in the defensive phase (and he needs to get physically stronger). Jorginho, who is 22 years old, is a signing for the future as his potential is huge. His WhoScored rating is 7,28, the 40th best in Serie A (and the best among Napoli's footballers). There's another clue of his strong personality: he was Hellas Verona penalty kicker. A not common responsibility for such a young player. Jorginho will compete with Gökhan Inler and Blerim Dzemaili for the 2-men line in the 4-2-3-1 scheme Benitez is adopting. Competition is something good, especially in this part of the pitch: the defensive midfielder's pair has been the weak point of the Partenopei so far.

Radja Nainggolan (25), from Cagliari to Roma
The Belgian-Indonesian midfielder is a jolly-midfielder like Jorginho. But he has more pace and is sturdier than him. In the middle of the pitch, Nainggolan is a warrior who chases his opponents trying to steal them the ball…by hook or by crook: he collected 8 yellow cards in 20 caps so far.

He can play as central midfielder or on the left in a 3-men midfield. To sign Nainggolan Roma beat to the draw Juventus and Milan. The price the club paid for him says it all about how much the Giallorossi believe in “the Ninja”: 3 € M for the loan, plus 6,5€ M only to obtain the co-ownership! With Kevin Strootman and Daniele De Rossi, Nainggolan forms the rockiest midfield in Serie A. Three days after Nainggolan's arrival in Rome, Rudi Garcia chose him for the starting eleven of the Coppa Italia match against Sampdoria. And Radja did not disappoint the French coach. His arrival allows De Rossi and Strootman to breathe easy and, sometimes, to rest on the bench.

Hernanes (28), from Lazio to Inter
After having tried to sign Mirko Vučinić selling Fredy Guarin to Juventus (a deal fiercely contested by Inter fans), Erick Thohir decided to head for Lazio's Brazil international player. He costed 15 € millions, an expensive signing indeed. But coach Walter Mazzarri really needed a player with such skills. With Diego Milito at the end of his career and the promising Mauro Icardi more interested in tweeting than playing football (Ishak Belfodil went to Livorno on loan), Rodrigo Palacio has been the only forward Inter can really rely on.

Why are we talking about him as if he were a forward? Because in Italy his role radically changed: in Brazil he was a volante (a playmaker who protects the defense), whilst in Serie A he's been more of a trequartista. He gan give a decisive goal-scoring contribution to Inter, as he perfectly knows how to beat goalkeepers. In the last four season, the 28-years-old offensive midfielder scored 33 goals with Lazio's jersey. Mazzarri hopes he'll never lose this good habit. But il profeta also knows how to assist his team-mates: sunday night, in his first official match Inter, he made the assist for the decisive goal scored by Walter Samuel. Hernanes's signing can be also interpreted as a replacement for Fredy Guarin, who seems to be very unhappy to be forced to stay in Nerazzurro when he wants to wear the Bianconero...

Pablo Daniel Osvaldo (28), from Southampton to Juventus
After a couple of months of irrelevance in Premier League, the bizarre Italian-Argentinian forward has finally come back to Italy. And he almost scored on his debut in Verona, where Juventus drew 2-2 against Hellas: the ex Roma player hit the post. Osvaldo, who was sold to Southampton for 15,1 € millions last summer, is now wearing the white-and-black jersey of the Italian defending champions.

With his signing, Conte will have a deluxe array of forwards. Osvaldo is virtually a center-forward, but his technique and vision allow him to play as a second striker without any problem. He does not score bunches of goals, but with the finishing skill of Arturo Vidal, Fernando Llorente and Carlos Tevez, Juventus does not need such a player anymore. With Osvaldo in his team, Antonio Conte could easily adopt a 4-3-3 scheme, with Llorente as center-forward and Tevez/Osvaldo switching their position around (or besides) the Spaniard. He's capable of outstanding goals and, when he's on form, he comes back to help his teammates when they're struggling the more. But he lacks of continuity and he has a bad habit: punching people.

Keisuke Honda (27), from CSKA Moscow to Milan
Did Milan really need him? After a few games, doubts remain. After having chased him for all the 2013 summer, Milan finally managed to sign the Japan international as a free agent. At least, nobody will say that he's been a waste of money! But Keisuke Honda is not (only) a merchandise attraction: he's a real football player with pace, vision and technique.

In the offensive scheme that Clarence Seedorf is implementing, Honda plays alongside with Kakà and Robinho besides the lone striker Mario Balotelli. It isn’t easy for three similar players to play together without stepping on each other’s feet. But the Japanese is not a selfish number 10: he’s very dynamic and he often goes back to help the defense. He showed some good plays so far, but he's still far from expressing his full potential. Maybe, this is not the right season to judge Keisuke Honda: he arrived in a team adrift, with a tactical chaos and a shocking defense. The past teaches us that in seasons like this one, it is easy to make huge blunders.