The January transfer window has rather crept up on us amid all the festive football. But rest assured the hearsay and nonsense will begin in earnest between sips of Berocca and the plundering of wrapper-filled selection boxes for a missed Galaxy Caramel or Purple One on New Year’s Day.
In preparation we’ve come up with five Premier League moves we can see happening in the winter window.
Liverpool – Antonee Robinson (Fulham)
A report claims Arne Slot is happy not to make any signings in January in a perfectly reasonable shrug of the shoulders given that policy in the summer has worked wonders so far this season. We now fully expect them to cruise to the Premier League title and few would be surprised if this squad is deep and talented enough for them to win the Champions League as well.
But then again it’s pretty clear which positions are in need of strengthening. Joe Gomez has done very well in the absence of Ibrahima Konate, but another centre-back injury could be a problem. And if there’s a weak link in the starting XI it’s at left-back, with Andy Robertson not what he once was and Kostas Tsimikas never quite reaching the required level.
If Liverpool don’t sign a left-back in January they definitely will do in the summer and it’s hard to imagine a player staking their claim as the ideal addition in that role to a greater degree than Robinson in the intervening time. The sticking point will be Fulham’s willingness to part with the American given their own European ambitions, but if Liverpool can negotiate a fee it feels like a no-brainer to get the perfect left-back through the door at a point when he can help them battle on multiple fronts this season.
Tottenham – Ko Itakura (Borussia Monchengladbach)
No Spurs player would welcome the signing of a new defender more than Archie Gray. The 18-year-old had never played a game at centre-back before joining Tottenham for £30m in the summer but has played nearly as much football in that alien role as anywhere else under Ange Postecoglou, with just 29 of his minutes coming in the spot we all assumed he was being bought to play in. We genuinely believe he has the quality to become Tottenham’s Declan Rice.
Conceding goals at a rate of one every 30 minutes in his last four starts at centre-back casts doubt over the validity of claims that Any Experience Is Good Experience for young players finding their way in the Premier League.
The problem Ange and Spurs have when sourcing a new centre-back is finding one that’s good enough to be a backup but also willing to play that bit-part role. They will struggle to improve upon either Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero even if they had the wherewithal to sign someone that good, and we can’t see someone like Milan Skriniar – whom they’re also linked with – settling for a spot on the bench when everyone’s fit.
We’re guessing Itakura would jump at the chance to move to Tottenham, even on the proviso of limited game time. He’s very, very quick, meaning Spurs’ high line may not be quite so fraught with danger when Van de Ven’s not around, and also plays a bit like Jan Vertonghen apparently, which will be nice for the nostalgic Spurs fans reminiscing over that time they Nearly Won something or other.
Manchester City – Martin Zubimendi (Real Sociedad)
The combination of Manchester City being sh*te and Pep Guardiola insisting they won’t make short-term signings means gossipmonger eyes will be trained on the Etihad in January; there may well be a significant chunk of change spent on new players this winter.
“Holding midfield and central defenders [is where] we need help,” Guardiola said this week. “The market is the market, it’s not easy. It’s expensive so we will see what the club can do.”
Fabrizio Romano says they’re keen on Zubimendi, along with Arsenal, which makes a lot of sense and must have Liverpool laughing as having been embarrassed by the Spaniard snubbing them in the summer the Reds can now sit back and watch a bidding war between their Premier League rivals while Ryan Gravenberch cruises through games as their answer to a previous problem.
Zubimendi would be wise to question what will happen to him when Rodri – whom he’s watched play ahead of him for Spain – returns from injury. Then again, it’s Manchester City and it’s Pep Guardiola, for a short time at least.
Manchester United – Andreas Christensen (Barcelona)
Probably not the Barcelona player that Manchester United fans would hope to sign in January. Whatabout Dani Olmo? Raphinha? At least another attempt to sign Frenkie de Jong?!
Belief that any footballer of repute is going to be tempted by a mid-season move to a club currently a helluva lot closer to the relegation zone than a Champions League qualification spot, in the midst of a new manager splat rather than a bounce, joining a squad full of mediocre players who have dragged decent ones down to their level, is fanciful in the extreme.
They need a left-back more than a centre-back, but we couldn’t, in good conscience, get Red Devil hopes up by claiming they’re in with any chance of signing Nuno Mendes from PSG or Fulham’s Robinson from under Liverpool’s nose. Even Milos Kerkez must look at United and wonder whether he wants to be the canary down that particular mine.
Christensen may well have similar doubts, but has less to lose and possibly believes he has something to prove having never quite earned the respect his displays for Chelsea deserved, particularly under Thomas Tuchel as part of his back three at Stamford Bridge.
That makes him an attractive signing for Amorim of course, as does his ability to move into a defensive midfield role. He also won’t cost United a lot (possibly nothing at all as Barcelona want players out so they don’t lose Olmo), has lots of experience, both in the Premier League and in Europe, but has enough left in the tank as a 28-year-old.
Arsenal – Matheus Cunha (Wolves)
Manchester United also want Cunha, and without other clubs also in the mix to sign him, if (and it looks like a big if right now) United were able to find a buyer for Rashford to raise sufficient funds, we could see it happening. Unfortunately for Amorim – who supposedly sees Cunha ‘as the key piece to reinforce his side’ – Arsenal are interested in the Brazilian too.
Unless United are ready to offer him a significantly higher salary – and Sir Jim Ratcliffe is dead set against that these days – there is no earthly way that Cunha snubs Arsenal for the Red Devils. Champions League football, the opportunity to play with top players under a proven Premier League manager and although there would be no doubt whatsoever of a starting spot under Amorim, we also can’t see Kai Havertz or Gabriel Jesus keeping him out of the team at the Emirates.
He’s been so, so good in a terrible Wolves team this season, with his dynamism, versatility and tactical adaptability making him a hugely attractive mid-season buy; he’s the sort of player that won’t need time to bed in and can hit the ground running for the Gunners in their bid to keep pace with Liverpool and go deep in the Champions League.
