Arsenal – Ivan Toney
The Gunners evidently hold a serious interest in the Brentford ace and clearly are in need of a proven goal-scorer, even if they’re presently doing just fine without one.
A fee north of £80m should prise the returning striker away from the Gtech and if that seems steep, just consider how invaluable his goals could prove in a title race.
Aston Villa – Alex Baena
Firstly, who wouldn’t want to go to Villa right now, the club’s stock and league position at a record high under Unai Emery.
If given the funds this January – and he will be – the Spaniard can focus on the upper reaches of his shopping list, knowing the Villans can attract just about anyone.
On that note, with Emi Buendia out for the foreseeable, some further creativity in the final third would not go amiss and Baena fits the bill nicely.
The 22-year-old attacking midfielder excelled under Emery at Villarreal and is excelling again in La Liga this term, averaging 2.4 shots per 90 and 2.3 key passes.
Bournemouth – Alvaro Garcia
In a similar vein to Baena, the Rayo Vallecano star is an attacking midfielder equally adept playing on the left.
But what you also get from Rayo’s statically best outfield performer in 2023/24 is a goal-threat, with four to his name already.
It took a good while for the Cherries to assimilate Andoni Iraola’s ways and what they don’t want is to start that process afresh with a new signing.
Garcia was one of the stand-out practitioners of Iraola-ball during their time working together in Spain.
Brentford – Assane Diao
A recent slump in form and results has seen the Bees’ drift in the sports betting in their quest to secure European football.
The goals have started to dry up, their reliance on Bryan Mbeumo to score them becoming costly.
Enter Assane Diao, the flying teenage winger with six on the board already across all comps for Real Betis.
A call-up to the Spanish Under-21 squad in the autumn was just reward for a player with a big, bright future.
Brighton – Eiran Cashin
The Seagulls are one of only two teams yet to keep a clean sheet in the top-flight and with a defender topping their wish-list they may well go back for Derby’s highly-rated 22-year-old, a centre-back they coveted last summer.
Voted Young Player of the Year at Pride Park for 2022/23, the ball-playing Irishman has entered the final year of the contract. The Rams therefore may be tempted to *cough* cash in.
Burnley – Ben Brereton-Diaz
It would certainly put the cat among the pigeons up in Lancashire, but the Clarets reportedly have every intention of testing Villarreal’s resolve post-Christmas with a bid for the former Blackburn star, who fired 38 goals in his last two campaigns at Ewood Park.
In Spain, the Chilean international has singularly failed to ignite, still to get off the mark in 17 appearances, so a chance to resurrect his career in the Premier League would surely appeal.
As for Burnley, minus Lyle Foster to illness and with the third lowest goal return among the elite, even a half-promise of prolificacy is a no-brainer for a low fee.
Chelsea – Victor Osimhen
Despite spending over £1 billion in the Boehly era, the Blues are still finding goals hard to come by, with a plethora of chances going begging on a weekly basis that a ruthless hit-man would capitalise on.
Even with Christopher Nkunku nearing fitness therefore, another big-money move beckons, with Napoli’s lethal forward their dream candidate.
It would take a record transfer fee to persuade the Italian club to relinquish their brilliant asset, especially mid-season. That’s not going to put off Chelsea.
Crystal Palace – Kasey McAteer
When Eberechi Eze is unavailable, the Eagles become a perfectly ordinary proposition, for all that Michael Olise impresses.
It’s why Roy Hodgson has prioritised a creative in January. It’s why Leicester’s game-changing young winger McAteer is very much on their radar.
Yet this surprises given that Palace are hardly flush and the Foxes are chasing promotion, with McAteer at the fore. They will for sure be seeking top dollar for one of the Championship’s most impactful players this term.
An ongoing contract dispute however does muddy the waters.
Everton – Eric Dier
Even with injury concerns limiting his options, Ange Postecoglou has handed the England international just a solitary start all season.
After making 272 appearances, some as captain, Dier’s time in North London appears to be coming to an end.
The Toffees meanwhile are short of bodies at the back, crossing their fingers and toes every weekend that James Tarkowski and Jarrad Branthwaite remain fit.
With their FFP problems, this only gets done as a loan or a free transfer. Neither should be ruled out.
Fulham – Andre
Fulham have long resigned themselves to losing Palhinha, the midfielder’s aborted move to Bayern Munich in the summer merely putting off the inevitable.
Not letting the grass grow beneath their feet though, the Cottagers have wasted little time sourcing a player in Andre they deem a perfect replacement.
Tenacious and mobile, expect to see the Fluminense wonder-kid depriving Premier League opposition of the ball at Craven Cottage sometime soon.
Liverpool – Goncalo Inacio
The Reds were in the market for a defender anyway. Now that Joel Matip has sadly succumbed to an ACL injury that forces their hand to get busy this January.
Aged just 22 but already capped numerous times by Portugal, Inacio has been closely tracked for some time, with a summer move previously anticipated for a centre-back who has a release clause of £52m.
Expect such a move to be brought forward with options limited at the back and with a title on the line.
Luton – Oscar Zambrano
The Hatters deserve credit for their sensible approach to recruitment after securing promotion to the top-flight. An outlay of just £25m is a rare example of a club successfully balancing ambition with pragmatism.
It would have been a few million more had they lured Zambrano to Kenilworth Road from LDU Quito in Ecaudor, the two clubs apart in their valuations.
The teenage midfielder has been compared to Moises Caicedo and don’t rule out a usually frugal Luton having a second bite.
Manchester City – Khephren Thuram
City haven’t made any moves mid-season for five years but that might imminently change with Kalvin Phillips set to move on, Matheus Nunes failing to make any significant impact, and Kevin De Bruyne out for a while yet.
It’s a midfield slight in numbers and horribly reliant on Rodri to perform.
With their title chances ever-widening in the football odds, don’t be surprised then if a bid comes out of left-field for Thuram, the all-action Nice star who has been a level above most in Ligue 1 for two years and more.
Capable of holding or cleverly linking up further forward, the 22-year-old would solve many of the Blues’ problems at a stroke.
Manchester United – Florian Wirtz
What United want and need to revive themselves cannot be resolved in a single transfer window but Wirtz, for £75m or thereabouts, would be a heck of a start.
With the Reds’ stable of attacking talent all either flattering to deceive this term or pushed to the very periphery of the squad, the German’s relentless endeavour and intelligent creativity would be a hugely welcome addition at Old Trafford, a proverbial shot in the arm for a club constantly veering between false dawns and crisis.
Superb for Bayer Leverkusen this season, he has already accrued nine goals and assists in the league alone.
Newcastle – Kalvin Phillips
As the Magpies’ ridiculous injury curse gradually eases we will soon be left with a hole in midfield, until recently filled by the technical adroitness of Sandro Tonali.
He will be a big loss in the months ahead even if Sean Longstaff has covered for him admirably.
It’s an open secret that Manchester City want shot of Phillips, and with the player fearful of missing out on the Euros next summer, a loan switch to the North-East just makes sense for all concerned.
Nottingham Forest – Serhou Guirassy
Forest made five signings last January, and they’re hardly averse to getting busy in the summer either.
Yet, despite recruiting five out-and-out strikers since gaining promotion, it is only really Taiwo Awoniyi who has hit the ground running. And he is currently recovering from groin surgery.
Guirassy has been the talk of the Bundesliga this term, smashing a Kane-esque 16 goals in 12 for Stuttgart.
Moreover, his £15.3m release fees means he is a much wanted man right now, with Forest said to be heading the queue.
Sheffield United – Chuba Akpom
The 28-year-old scored three in two against the Blades last season so they know all about his clinical edge, Akpom going on to notch 28 in the Championship for Middlesbrough.
Since moving to Ajax however, the forward has found himself pushed to the margins, having to settle for two or three minutes here and there off the bench.
With the Dutch giants reportedly open to a loan deal, Sheffield United should be all over it, desperate as they are for greater firepower to ward off the threat of relegation.
Tottenham – Sebastian Caceres
It will be fascinating to see who Spurs target next month as Ange Postecoglou continues to mould his squad to his own brand of football. A forward is a possibility. A centre-back is a must.
Focusing on the latter, links to Bournemouth’s Lloyd Kelly and Crystal Palace’s Marc Guehi feel like dead-ends, with neither side likely willing to relinquish key players halfway through a campaign.
Tottenham’s interest in Caceres however has legs. Regularly outstanding for Mexican side Club America, the Uruguayan seems destined for Europe, and potentially North London.
West Ham – Sam Greenwood
The 21-year-old’s loan spell to Middlesbrough from Leeds has produced six goal involvements from nine starts to date and unquestionably he would be a very decent addition to the Hammers’ attacking roster.
David Moyes appears to be of the same thinking which is why he has identified the England Under 21 international as his chief January target.
This is a versatile young talent whose development ceiling has not yet been reached.
Wolves – Victor Nellson
Wolves’ main consideration this January is not to lose any of their key personnel, namely Jose Sa who is wanted by two Saudi Arabian clubs, and Pedro Neto, who was this season’s Premier League assist king until injury struck.
A cheeky £10m bid for Nellson though might well appeal, the Danish centre-back having fallen down the pecking order at Galatasaray.
*Credit for all of the photos in this article belongs to Alamy*
