A look at 20 big deals that could be on the cards this January.
Wilfried Zaha (Manchester United to Newcastle)
One to look out for in the loan market this January is likely to be young Manchester United winger Wilfried Zaha. The 20-year-old has endured a frustrating time at Old Trafford since completing his move to the club in the summer. Zaha originally looked like a terrific prospect during his time at former club Crystal Palace, with several sides thought to be in for him before United pulled off a deal. Still, with that transfer being completed by former Red Devils boss Sir Alex Ferguson, Zaha has not managed to impress new manager David Moyes so far this season, and looks set to leave the club on a temporary basis to gain some first-team experience.
Crystal Palace had shown a strong interest in taking him on loan again in the summer, only for United to reject their bid. Now the likes of Stoke and Fulham are chasing him, but Newcastle are the club looking most likely to win the race for his signature. With Alan Pardew possibly facing the departure of Hatem Ben Arfa, Zaha’s presence on the flanks could be of great use to the Magpies in the second half of the season.
Fernando (Porto to Inter Milan)
A rumoured target for Everton during the summer, Tottenham have also shown some interest in signing combative Porto midfielder Fernando this January, with the possibility that injury-prone Sandro may leave the club for a move to Roma. Fernando would be an ideal replacement for his fellow Brazilian at White Hart Lane, but appears to favour a move to Serie A with Inter Milan. The Italian giants are increasingly confident of landing the 26-year-old, and could make him a strong addition to their squad this season.
Tom Ince (Blackpool to Tottenham)
One of the most in-demand young talents in England at the moment, Blackpool starlet Tom Ince could finally be set for a big move this January after a series of impressive performances in the Championship for the last couple of years. The 21-year-old has attracted interest from a long list of Premier League clubs in recent months, with Newcastle, Aston Villa, Everton and Cardiff all looking at signing him during the summer, only for him to remain at Bloomfield Road.
Ince has also attracted strong interest from abroad, with Serie A trio Juventus, Napoli and Inter Milan all monitoring his situation, as he could be available on the cheap this January for foreign teams. However, Tottenham’s interest in signing a wide-player when the transfer window re-opens looks to have seen Ince emerge as their top target. Spurs could try their luck with a £4m bid for the England Under-21 international, and in the process may well land themselves with one of the game’s most exciting prospects.
Kurt Zouma (Saint-Etienne to Arsenal)
A highly talented young defender, 18-year-old Kurt Zouma is wanted by three of the Premier League’s giants this January, with Arsenal, Manchester City and Manchester United all eyeing him up as a possible candidate to strengthen their struggling defences.
Zouma has been in extremely impressive form for Saint-Etienne in Ligue 1, and looks a great prospect as a player who could become one of the world’s best centre-backs in the next few years. With Arsenal’s record of handing opportunities to promising youngsters, particularly with manager Arsene Wenger’s connections to French football, the Gunners may well be the most attractive prospect to Zouma, as he knows he will be given a chance to shine and prove himself at the Emirates Stadium, whilst the likes of City and United may favour expensive big-name purchases in their back four.
With Arsenal lacking a real alternative to current first-choice partnership of Per Mertesacker and Laurent Koscielny, the injection of youth to their squad could be a good choice this January.
Antonio Valencia (Manchester United to Galatasaray)
A talented player on his day, but sadly inconsistent, it would be no surprise to see Antonio Valencia on his way out of Manchester United this January. In fairness, you couldn’t blame the Red Devils for expecting more from any of their current wide players, with Nani and Ashley Young also rather off form, but with Valencia emerging as a target for Turkish giants Galatasaray, they may decide to cash in on the Ecuardor international.
Managed by former Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini, Galatasaray are keen to continue bringing in big names to the club, having managed to attract former Chelsea striker Didier Drogba and former Inter Milan playmaker Wesley Sneijder to Turkey last January. Valencia could probably do with a fresh start and may perform better in a league of a lower standard, fitting in well alongside the club’s big names at the moment.
Shinji Kagawa (Manchester United to Borussia Dortmund)
Another player looking like being on his way out of Manchester United is Japanese midfielder Shinji Kagawa, with the 24-year-old growing ever more frustrated at being left on the bench at Old Trafford. Signed as a terrific prospect from Borussia Dortmund by Sir Alex Ferguson last year, Kagawa has been unable to convince new boss David Moyes that he is deserving of a regular place in the team, and looks set to complete a romantic return to his old club, where he is still adored by Dortmund’s fans.
After shining in his first spell in the Bundesliga, it is no surprise that Kagawa wants a return to German football after a difficult time with United. However, rumours of a swap deal involving Neven Subotic look unlikely, with Dortmund keen to keep hold of their talented Serbian centre-back. Dortmund’s gain could end up being United’s loss in the end, as it seems Moyes is strangely denying a gifted player the chance to shine in his team.
Kevin De Bruyne (Chelsea to Werder Bremen)
After impressing greatly on loan with Werder Bremen last season, Chelsea youngster Kevin De Bruyne could be set for a return to the Bundesliga club this year after failing to get into the first-team plans of Jose Mourinho this season.
The talented 22-year-old is a highly skillful midfield playmaker, and contributed an impressive 10 goals and 10 assists to Bremen in his time on loan there last term, but he faces a great deal of high class competition for a place in Chelsea’s starting lineup, with the likes of Juan Mata, Eden Hazard, Oscar, Willian and Andre Schurrle all to contend with for one of the three attacking midfield spots.
Several other teams are interested in taking De Bruyne on loan, with other Bundesliga sides such as Bayer Leverkusen and Wolsburg monitoring his situation, as well as Dutch Eredivisie giants Ajax, and a move seems increasingly likely for the Belgian starlet after he was dropped to Chelsea’s Under-21 side recently by Mourinho.
Demba Ba (Chelsea to Galatasaray)
Another player who could be sent packing by Chelsea is Demba Ba, who has been a big disappointment since joining the club from Newcastle last season. The Senegalese international had earned a reputation as being one of the most prolific strikers in the Premier League during his time at St James’ Park, but he has failed to maintain that form in a blue shirt, scoring just twice in the league in sixteen appearances for Chelsea.
Arsenal were known to be keen on taking him on loan on the final day of the summer transfer window, though this move to their rivals was blocked by Chelsea and Jose Mourinho, though it is understood that he still does not really feature in the plans of the Portuguese coach, and may be offered to Turkish giants Galatasaray this January as part of a proposed swap deal lined up by Chelsea, who have their eye on a far more impressive striker to solve their problems upfront.
Burak Yilmaz (Galatasaray to Chelsea)
The striker in question is Burak Yilmaz, whom Galatasaray have openly admitted they would consider selling, as they do not want to block the talented finisher’s path to a top European club. The Turkish international enjoyed a highly successful campaign last year, scoring 32 goals in 39 games in all competitions for Galatasaray, and finished as the joint-top scorer in the Champions League alongside Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo with 8 goals.
Chelsea were also linked with Yilmaz over the summer, and may look to beat off competition from the likes of Arsenal, Liverpool and Lazio for the 28-year-old by offering Ba in return, in what would be great business by the Blues.
Will Hughes (Derby to Manchester United)
Manchester United seem determined to beat Liverpool to the signing of exciting Derby County starlet Will Hughes. The young midfielder has been a highly impressive performer for the Championship side over the last couple of seasons, and looks like having a great future in the game at a top club. Compared with Barcelona pair Xavi and Andres Iniesta in his style of play, Hughes would certainly add some much-needed creativity to United’s midfield this season, despite his youth and inexperience.
Liverpool were told in the summer that Hughes would cost around £15m, and as such they appeared to cool their interest, so a move to Old Trafford now seems likely for one of English football’s most promising up-and-coming talents.
Ross Barkley (Everton to Manchester United)
Another England youngster on David Moyes’ radar this January is Everton midfielder Ross Barkley, who has really caught the eye this season after some tremendous early form for Roberto Martinez’s side. The 19-year-old has had injury problems in the past, but now looks to be justifying his reputation as one of Everton’s most exciting young players, with some impressive midfield displays that have drawn comparisons with a young Michael Ballack.
Chelsea are also said to be interested in Barkley as they eye a new addition for their midfield this January, and Everton may already value their star player at around £20m. This price tag may put Chelsea off for the moment, and make United favourites to snap up this excellent young midfielder.
Ramires (Chelsea to Real Madrid)
After becoming one of Chelsea’s most important players over the last few years, Brazilian midfielder Ramires has emerged as a top target for Spanish giants Real Madrid this January, with Carlo Ancelotti already under pressure to improve his squad and catch rivals Barcelona at the top of the La Liga table. The all-action box-to-box player looks like he would be a useful addition to Real’s squad, who lack a player with both the ability to protect their slightly leaky defence and also move play forward. Ramires has all these qualities and is also known for his knack for scoring important goals, which Ancelotti will know well from his time working with him at Stamford Bridge.
Iker Casillas (Real Madrid to Manchester City)
After bizarrely being dropped by Real Madrid, legendary goalkeeper and one-club man Iker Casillas could be on his way out of the club this January to play the first-team football he’ll need to ensure he is first-choice for Spain at next summer’s World Cup, where he will be hoping to captain his national side as they look to defend the trophy they won in South Africa in 2010.
Casillas is undoubtedly one of the best goalkeepers the game has seen, and Real’s loss will be someone else’s gain, and perhaps Manchester City look the most likely to land him at the moment, give their own goalkeeping problems with current no.1 Joe Hart. Asmir Begovic and Willy Caballero have also been linked with making the move to the Etihad Stadium, but City would be wise to make the most of this unique situation in Madrid at the moment.
Jeremy Menez (PSG to Liverpool)
With Liverpool keen to sign a new winger this January, PSG’s out-of-favour wide-man Jeremy Menez has emerged as a top target for Reds boss Brendan Rodgers. The French international is a highly skillful player capable of providing assists and the ammunition Liverpool’s strikers will be craving, and could be a great addition for the Anfield side if they manage to capture him.
Liverpool shifted the likes of Stewart Downing and Oussama Assaidi during the summer and managed only to sign Victor Moses on a season-long loan from Chelsea, so they will be keen to enhance their numbers in the wide areas, though it is also rumoured that they could face competition from Juventus for the signing of Menez, who has attracted a great deal of attention as he seems increasingly unlikely to sign a new contract with the Ligue 1 champions.
Javier Pastore (PSG to Liverpool)
Liverpool could make it a double raid on PSG as they are also rumoured to be in for Argentine playmaker Javier Pastore. This would also make it a triple swoop since the summer with the Reds also signing French centre-back Mamadou Sakho from the Ligue 1 champions.
Pastore was one of the first players to join the PSG revolution following their Qatari takeover in 2011, though his first-team place looks increasingly under threat as the club continue to bring in more and more big-money purchases to the Parc Des Princes, and as such Pastore could be made available this January.
Arsenal and Chelsea have also been linked with the talented attacker, though Liverpool will hope to sign him as they look to improve on their creative options from the middle of the park, having missed out on the likes of Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Christian Eriksen during the summer. The 24-year-old would certainly fit their style of play perfectly, and would make an excellent signing this January.
Lars Bender (Bayer Leverkusen to Arsenal)
Arsenal’s pursuit of a new midfielder seems to have led them to step up their interest in Bayer Leverkusen star Lars Bender. The talented German international has been a key player for the Bundesliga giants in recent years and looks the ideal candidate to shore up Arsenal’s midfield.
Although the Gunners brought in Mathieu Flamini on a free transfer this summer, the club are still in need of a more long-term replacement for Alex Song after selling the Cameroon international to Barcelona last year, and also for Mikel Arteta as he enters the twilight years of his career.
Bender is also a target for Manchester United, but Arsenal would do well to beat their rivals to the signing of this highly talented player.
Fernando Llorente (Juventus to Arsenal)
After catching the eye at former club Athletic Bilbao, Fernando Llorente made the keenly-anticipated move to Juventus this summer, though so far he has failed to live up to expectations in Serie A. With the likes of Carlos Tevez, Mirko Vucinic and Fabio Quagliarella currently ahead of the Spaniard in the pecking order, the likes of Arsenal, Tottenham and Chelsea have been alerted to his potential availability in the January transfer window.
All three teams are short of quality options upfront, but recent reports suggest Arsenal could be the favourites to land Llorente on a loan deal for the rest of the season. The Gunners desperately need a backup to Olivier Giroud, having failed to bring in their summer targets Gonzalo Higuain and Luis Suarez, and Llorente could be an ideal solution for them this season, as he will be keen to play regularly in the build-up to next summer’s World Cup.
Juan Mata (Chelsea to PSG)
Although Juan Mata’s situation at Chelsea looks to have improved slightly in recent weeks, he is still likely to be the subject of much interest this January after suffering a difficult start to the season under new manager Jose Mourinho, when he found himself inexplicably dropped to the bench.
PSG were supposedly in for him during the summer, and the big-spending French giants are likely to revive their interest again when the transfer window re-opens, particularly if they lose the likes of Javier Pastore and Jeremy Menez in the middle of the season. Mata will not want to be on the bench at risk of losing his place in Spain’s World Cup squad, and may feel he is justified in looking to leave Stamford Bridge, as he is certainly a player who has shown himself capable of starring in almost any team in the world, with his superb performances for the Blues over the last few years.
Few other clubs could afford a player of Mata’s quality, and although Chelsea’s Premier League rivals Arsenal and Tottenham are also keen on the Spaniard, PSG seems the 25-year-old’s most realistic destination.
Luis Suarez (Liverpool to Real Madrid)
After trying to force a move away from Liverpool during the summer, Luis Suarez is likely to spark more transfer speculation this January as well, with Real Madrid hoping to force Liverpool’s hand with a bid of £45m. The Uruguayan is undoubtedly one of the best players in the world on his day, but is he worth the trouble for Liverpool? Suarez only recently returned from a ten-game suspension for his bite on Chelsea defender Branislav Ivanovic last season, and has previously embarrassed himself and the club with his racist abuse of Manchester United’s Patrice Evra.
If the right bid comes along, Liverpool may be wise to cash in on the troubled forward, especially as they would presumably rather sell him abroad than to rivals Arsenal, who were also keen on him during the summer.
Although there are signs that a superb strike partnership with Daniel Sturridge is developing, with Suarez likely to bring in a hefty transfer fee, Liverpool could certainly reinvest that money well and bring in several new attacking players to make up for the 26-year-old’s absence. Real Madrid, meanwhile, are desperate to land him as their replacement for the out-of-form Karim Benzema, and Suarez is definitely a player worthy of ‘Galactico’ status.