We guide you through all the likely big moves that will take place in the January window.
With the transfer window set to finally open once again for business at the turn of the year, we assess the ten biggest deals that may take place in January:
Luis Suarez: Liverpool to Real Madrid
The Uruguay international has not hidden the fact that he is still determined to quit the Merseyside giants for a rival club that is both competing for honours, and in the Uefa Champions League, neither of which Brendan Rodgers’s men seem capable of achieving just yet, despite their impressive start to the new campaign.
And with los Blancos known to be desperate for a new front man to help ease the burden on current striker Karim Benzema at the Santiago Bernabue, and given that Suarez will not be cup tied in Europe come January, expect Madrid to move for the Reds’ star man when the window reopens.
Ander Herrera: Athletic Bilbao to Manchester United
The Red Devils came close to landing the former Spain Under-23 international in the final hours of transfer deadline day, only for new United head coach David Moyes to pull back at the very last minute after being reluctant to meet the value of Herrera’s £30.5 million release clause in his contract with the Basques.
However, with the Premier League champions having struggled badly for both creativity and goals from the centre of the park in recent weeks, and Moyes having continued to scout the 24-year-old, expect United to this time come up with the cash to bring the Spaniard to Old Trafford at the turn of the year.
Andres Iniesta: Barcelona to Manchester City
Speculation has been rife in recent weeks that the coveted Spain midfield creator could be on his way out of Camp Nou after a break down in contract talks between the player’s representatives and the Liga champions, with the word coming out of Catalonia that Iniesta would quit Barca unless his financial demands were met in full.
And with there still to be any clear resolution between the two parties of late, mega-rich Premier League giants Manchester City are understood to be waiting in the wings ready to pounce should the 29-year-old indeed opt to depart Barcelona in January, with City being one of the few clubs in world football thought capable of affording the playmaker’s transfer fee and wage demands.
Leighton Baines: Everton to Manchester United
The marauding left back’s start to the new campaign has only served to underline the England international’s worth, with United having already tried on numerous occasions during the summer months to lure Baines to Old Trafford.
However, each time the Red Devils’ approach was rebuffed by their counterparts from Goodison Park, although with the full back believed to have since told new Toffees boss Roberto Martinez that he wants to leave the club to be reunited with his former manager at the ‘Theatre of Dreams’, it is believed that an offer of £15m plus from United will be enough to see the 28-year-old move to the champions in January.
Martin Skrtel: Liverpool to Napoli
The Southern Italian giants came desperately close to landing the powerful centre back in August, only for his move to Naples to collapse at the last minute.
However, Napoli coach Rafa Beneitez, who was the man who signed the Slovak for the Merseysiders, is known to still be desperate to bring the 28-year-old to Serie A when the window reopens in the new year, especially given the fact that the defender will not be cup tied in the Uefa Champions League.
And despite Skrtel having recently won his place back at the heart of the Reds’ back four, it is understood that Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers sees Daniel Agger and recent new big-money signing Mamadou Sakho as his first-choice central defenders going forward, and so is happy to allow the player to leave Anfield in January.
Fabio Coentrao: Real Madrid to Tottenham Hotspur
The highly rated Portugal international was told that he could leave the Santiago Bernabeu earlier this summer by new Real boss Carlo Ancelotti, with the Italian instead preferring Marcelo as his first-choice left back in the Spanish capital this season.
And the defender was on the verge of joining Spurs and Manchester United, only for both deals to be called off at the very last minute, although with the 25-year-old still set to leave the Liga giants in January, and United now planning on signing Everton left-back Leighton Baines instead at the turn of the year, expect the north London club to go back in for Coentrao when the window reopens as manager Andre Villas-Boas continues his long-running search for a top-class left-sided full back to bring to White Hart Lane.
Iker Casillas: Real Madrid to Manchester City
It is now an open secret at the Santiago Bernabeu that the Spain international will be leaving his boyhood team the minute the transfer window swings open in January, after new Madrid head coach Carlo Ancelotti left the club captain on the substitutes’ bench once again this season in favour of backup shot-stopper Diego Lopez.
And that surprise move is said to have been the final straw for the legendary Madrid and La Roja captain, who has now asked his agent to secure him a move to a club on the Continent that is competing in the Uefa Champions League, with Eastlands believed to be the 32-year-old’s preferred destination owing to his previous harmonious working relationship with current City manager Manuel Pellegrini, who coached Casillas at Madrid in the 2009-10 season.
Mario Balotelli: AC Milan to Arsenal
The word coming out of San Siro is that ‘Super Mario’ has already become disillusioned with life in Serie A following his 20m euro move from Manchester City in January, especially after the striker was recently hit with a three-game ban after allegedly verbally assaulting a referee, while ‘Balo’ is also believed to be unhappy with certain racist elements in many of the crowds in Italy since his arrival at the Rossoneri.
As a result, the Italy international is understood to favour a return to the Premier League as early as the new year, with Arsenal said to be keen on bringing the controversial forward to the Emirates to partner Olivier Giroud in attack in north London as manager Arsene Wenger looks to add the final piece to the Gunners jigsaw following the Frenchman’s recent club-record capture of Mesut Ozil from Real Madrid.
Christian Benteke: Aston Villa to Liverpool
The prolific Belgium international has started the new campaign exactly where he left off at the end of last season, that is, banging in the goals for Paul Lambert’s side.
However, the powerful front man is also understood to be desperate to take his burgeoning career on to the next level by joining a so-called ‘bigger’ club, as we saw during the summer when Benteke unsuccessfully tried to force through his exit from Villa Park.
But come the new year, expect the same scenario to happen once again, although this time with a different outcome with Liverpool prepared to meet Villa’s £25m asking price for the 22-year-old.
Sergio Ramos: Real Madrid to Manchester City
The one area that new City coach Manuel Pellegrini is said to be concerned about at Eastlands is the club’s back four, who at times since the Chilean took over this season have been letting in goals for fun, including three at both Cardiff City and Aston Villa in recent weeks.
As a result, the Chilean has now asked director of football Txiki Begiristain to get him unsettled Madrid centre-back Sergio Ramos at the turn of the year, after news emerged that the experienced Spain international’s relationship with los Blancos had broken down over the Liga giants’ recent refusal to offer Ramos a pay rise.