You might not think Makoun is a big signing and you wouldn't be wrong thinking bringing in Kyle Walker on loan isn't a big move. But I think Makoun is a big signing and I think we are in pole position to bring in Kyle Walker permanently.
To top it all off, I fully expect Darren Bent to be unveiled today as the next Aston Villa player and you'd have to be mad to think he isn't a big signing and not just because of the money getting paid.
After Drogba and Rooney, Bent has scored the most Premier League goals since 2005 and when you add it all up; £24mn is not a lot of cash for that type of player, especially when you factor in his age and all things pointing to him coming into his prime.
Just one more
The thing is, he isn't an Aston Villa player yet, or he could be, it just hasn't been confirmed. We don't know and because we don't know, anything could happen, but I expect it to go through and I expect to see him holding up his Aston Villa shirt today.
But I also think we will get one more big signing this January and I think it will be a keeper. I like Big Brad and think he can play on this season, but I just have a feeling we have a keeper coming and if that happens, it will signal the end of his time with us, but probably not football. I think he could go another season, it is just a case of it he wants to go another season.
But, this is just me speculating. We might not sign another player and Houllier might have splashed all he is going to get on Bent, but something inside me says that the owner hasn't stopped spending and that Houllier has his eye on someone.
Who do these players replace?
We know who Kyle Walker is replacing - his position is too defined to think otherwise. Luke Young has wanted out for a while and it was only because Liverpool failed to match his salary demands in the summer that stopped him moving to Anfield.
Jean Makoun is a tougher one to call, but I fully expect his name to be the first one down on the team sheet week in week out from the day he gets his work permit and it will come at the expense of either Petrov or Reo-Coker. I think the manager will prefer Petrov but I'd rather Reo-Coker got a little run with a player like Makoun to show us what he is capable of. Reo-Coker has something else in the locker that Makoun might just help bring out.
As for Bent, if he signs, this is a tough one. You see Bent will be the best striker we have at the club and the best we have had since Yorke and he will play week in week out and this I'm afraid, will be at the expense of Gabby.
Gabby is well liked at the club but he has failed on so many occasions to put away chances. We need someone like Bent who instinctively knows where the goal is and I think he will be partnered, for the most part, with Emile Heskey, but it wont be a traditional 442.
A big day
So, expect Bent to be unveiled just before lunch. If it doesn't happen then, don't start to worry, but do wonder why it hasn't happened and maybe, hope for something from the club; a little news on what if anything is happening.
But like I've said above, I fully expect it to happen today and I fully expect that Carew will be leaving too to make way, but maybe not to West Ham, as the man supposed to take over their has thrown his toys out of his pram.
So, changes are happening. The manager is making progress. Anyone think he should still be sacked?