With the January transfer window set to slam shut for the season at midnight on Friday, we take a look at 20 last-ditch deals that could take place between now and the end of the month …
SEE ALSO: Top 10 Players: Best Footballers In the World Ever
Julian Draxler: Schalke 04 to Arsenal
The north London club are expected to complete the £24.1m capture of the coveted Germany international in time to beat the midnight cut-off on Friday after lodging a final take-it-or-leave it offer with the Bundesliga outfit this week, according to reports on the Daily Star.
Eliaquim Mangala: FC Porto to Manchester City
The mega-rich Premier League outfit have lodged a last-gasp £38m bid with the Portuguese champions for their highly rated young France international centre back in the hope of being able to persuade his club to part company with the player in this month’s winter window, says Goal.com.
Luke Shaw: Southampton to Manchester United
The Premier League champions are desperate to lure the brilliant England Under-21 international from St Mary’s to Old Trafford this month, with the Red Devils having already seen one offer of £22m for the 18-year-old rejected out of hand by the south coast club, but expect them to return again with a second improved bid before Friday claims the Independent.
Tom Ince: Blackpool to Liverpool
The highly rated England U21 wide man has now been given permission by the seasiders to open talks with interested parties over a switch to the Premier League in January, with the player’s former club Liverpool having now entered the race to land the youngster before the window closes on Friday night, says the Daily Mirror.
Domenico Berardi: Juventus to Tottenham Hotspur
The north Londoners have been negotiating with the Serie A champions over the course of the past few days to sign their up-and-coming front man, with a deal expected to be completed in time for the Italian to move to White Hart Lane before midnight on Friday, reports the Metro.
Bruno Martins Indi: Feyenoord to Everton
The Toffees are in urgent need of more cover in the heart of their back four following an injury to key centre-back Sylvain Distin and the likely departure of Johnny Heitinga to Galatasaray this month, with boss Roberto Martinez eyeing up a move for the Eredivisie giants’ highly rated central defender, says the Sun.
Nicolas Otamendi: FC Porto to Manchester United
Following the collapse at the very last minute of the experienced Argentina international’s proposed loan move to La Liga outfit Valencia this week, the Premier League champions look set to now make a late swoop for the centre back before the January window closes for the season at the end of the week, claims the Daily Express.
Mirko Vucinic: Juventus to Arsenal
The cultured Montenegro international has largely found himself warming the subs’ bench in Turin for the majority of this campaign, and as a result the Gunners hope to be able to seal an initial six-month loan deal for the forward this week with a view to them signing the player on a permanent deal this summer, says the Daily Mail.
Antoine Griezmann: Real Sociedad to Chelsea
The west London club’s head coach Jose Mourinho is said to be a huge fan of the young French wide man, who has been shining for the Basques in recent times, so much so that the self-styled Special One is now set to make a late swoop for the player ahead of the closing of the January transfer window on Friday, reports the Daily Mirror.
Saul Niguez: Atletico de Madrid to Liverpool
A whole host of big-name Premier League clubs are said to keeping close tabs on the exciting Spanish starlet, however, it looks like it will be the Merseyside giants who win the race to sign the player ahead of the midnight cut-off point on Friday, if reports in the Daily Mirror are to be believed that is.
Javier Hernandez: Manchester United to AS Monaco
The mega-rich Ligue 1 side are now in urgent need of reinforcements up front following the recent long-term knee injury picked up by prolific Colombia international Radamel Falcao, with the Red Devils’ out-of-favour Mexican striker being the man to replace him in the South of France this month, claims the Independent.
Dani Osvaldo: Southampton to Juventus
The Italy international is currently suspended by the south coast club following a recent training-ground dispute involving Jose Fonte, and now it appears as though the Old Lady of Italian Football are set to pounce in order to lure the front man to Turin on an initial six-month loan deal, with a view to then signing the player in a permanent deal this summer, reports Goal.com.
Rodrigo: Benfica to Arsenal
The Gunners are still on the lookout for a new striker to bring to the Emirates in January to help provide support for current first-choice front man Olivier Giroud in the capital for the second half of the campaign, with boss Arsene Wenger now likely to make a shock swoop for the former Bolton Wanderers attacker before the closing of the window on Friday, says the Daily Mirror.
Andre Gomes: Benfica to Liverpool
Following the untimely recent knee injury to key holding midfielder Lucas Leiva, Reds boss Brendan Rodgers has made the purchase of the Portuguese giants’ own defensive midfielder his number one priority for the January transfer window, with the Merseysiders expecting to be able to complete a £12m deal for the player before midnight on Friday, according to reports on talkSport.co.uk.
Raul Meireles: Fenerbahce to West Ham United
The experienced and highly rated goalscoring midfielder is being targeted by the struggling east London outfit, with under-pressure Hammers head coach Sam Allardyce hoping to be able to lure the Portugal international to Upton Park before this month’s window closes on Friday night, says ESPN.
Romulo: Spartak Moscow to Liverpool
Reds manager Brendan Rodgers is expected to tie up a deal for the Brazil international ahead of the closing of the winter window at midnight on Friday, with the holding midfielder arriving at Anfield to cover for his injured compatriot Lucas Leiva in front of the back four, claims the Independent.
Sergio Canales: Valencia to Fulham
The struggling west London club are desperate to add more quality to their midfield, and as such the Cottagers are confident of being able to capture the former Spain Under-21 international from los Che by the end of this week, if recent reports in the Daily Mirror are to be believed.
Luuk de Jong: Borussia Monchengladbach to Newcastle United
The Magpies have been closely tracking the highly rated young Netherlands international for some time now, and now the north-east giants are lining up a swoop for the striker which should be completed ahead of the closing of the January window at the end of this week, says BBC Sport Online.
Ever Banega: Valencia to Sunderland
The relegation threatened Black Cats are confident of being able to persuade the Argentina international to swap the Mestalla for the Stadium of Light in this month’s transfer window, with a deal expected to go through over the course of the next few days, claims the Daily Mail.
Ivan Ramis: Wigan Athletic to Cardiff City
The Bluebirds want more reinforcements at the back for the second half of the campaign in their battle to avoid the drop, and the man the South Wales outfit are set to bring in is the Latics’ one-time Spain U23 international, according to reports on Goal.com.
SEE ALSO: PES 2014 best players: the 20 highest ranked players on Pro Evolution Soccer 2014.