Counting down the biggest, most important January deals that have been rumoured this month…
The January transfer window is still awaiting its first major deal involving a Premier League super-power, and while Manchester City’s £30m move for Wilfried Bony looks an inevitability, we’re yet to see much in the way of further movement.
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Here are the top ten potential January shockers, including major deals for Liverpool, Manchester United and Arsenal. We ranks the deals below, and tell you just how likely we think they are to happen:
10) Isco (Real Madrid to Arsenal)
Arsenal have usually saved their marquee deals for the summer transfer window, with Arsene Wenger well known for his dislike of the winter market. But with the Gunners struggling in the league, could he be tempted into making a pricey exception for a player struggling for first-team football.
9) Lionel Messi (Barcelona to Chelsea)
This would be the deal of the century if this one was to come off. However, Messi has cut an increasingly frustrated figure at the Camp Nou in recent weeks, and if he doesn’t get his own way in regards to the manager situation, he could be tempted to force through a move to England.
8) Alexandre Lacazette (Lyon to Liverpool)
The young French forward has been in deadly form so far this season, scoring goals for fun in a Lyon shirt. Unfortunately for Liverpool, they spent the vast majority of their annual transfer budget during the summer, and are unlikely to come up with the £25m plus that would be required.
7) Jermain Defoe (FC Toronto to Tottenham)
Defoe seems destined to leave the MLS this year, and could a short-term deal at old club Spurs be a possibility? Mauricio Pochettino looks set to ditch several of his stars in January, and could fancy Defoe as a stop-gap solution as he analyses potential new targets.
6) Marc-Andre ter Stegen (Barcelona to Liverpool)
Liverpool are in desperate need of a new goalkeeper, and are known to be long-term admirers of the young German, who has been stranded on the Barcelona bench so far this season. With the offer of first-team football a tempting prospect, could the Reds pull of a shock move here.
5) Morgan Schneiderlin (Southampton to Tottenham)
Arsenal and Tottenham have both been chasing the Frenchman for several months. While it looks as if the player is ready to commit to the Saints, at least until the end of the season, a big-money move could still tempt them to sell, especially considering how well they recruited and replaced their former stars in the summer.
4) James Milner (Manchester City to Liverpool)
Milner is out of contract at the end of the season, and if he insists that he wants to leave, the Premier League champions could be highly tempted to cash in during the January window. The most likely scenario however, is that this one plays out until the end of the season.
3) Mats Hummels (Borussia Dortmund to Manchester United)
Yes, this one is raising its ugly head again – and that’s the transfer deal, not the player himself! United have been linked to Hummels more times than Louis van Gaal has complained about the fixture list, and yet there has still been no movement. With Dortmund struggling in Germany, could this one finally come off?
2) Saido Berahino (West Brom to Liverpool)
Talking of a team being regularly linked with a player, how about Berahino and West Brom. The young striker is refusing to commit his future to Albion, but with question marks over his attitude, will Brendan Rodgers and co decide to hold off until the summer. The 21-year-old has scored 13 times this term.
1) Wilfried Bony (Swansea City to Manchester City)
This one is done, with the two team’s having already agreed a fee. Yes, it could still go wrong, but this will likely be the deal that starts our transfer merry-go-round. Credit to City, who will once again have the most fearsome strike force in the Premier League by some distance.
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