What every Premier League club needs in January

Arsenal

January ins:

January outs:

Roma are close to finalising a loan deal for Arsenal midfielder Ainsley Maitland-Niles. The deal under discussion is expected to be a loan until the end of the season with the option to make the move permanent. Maitland-Niles has started two Premier League games this season and the 24-year-old’s contract is up in the summer of 2023.

Arsenal will consider offers for Pablo Mari and Calum Chambers. Both players have struggled for playing time this season and don’t appear to be part of manager Mikel Arteta’s long-term plans – neither have featured in the Premier League since August. Mari has a contract until 2024 and Chambers is in the final six months of his deal.

A January departure for striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has not been ruled out and suitable offers for the 32-year-old would be considered. Aubameyang has 18 months left on a contract that pays ?350,000 per week.

Aston Villa

January ins:

January outs:

Keinan Davis – Nottingham Forest, loan

Aston Villa are one of six Premier League clubs thought to be interested in signing Barcelona midfielder Philippe Coutinho. The former Liverpool player wants to return to England and sign for an ambitious club where he can play regularly. Villa have made a tentative enquiry to Barcelona but Villa’s bosses are conscious of avoiding a bidding war with other clubs. Villa boss Steven Gerrard is a keen admirer of Coutinho, having played alongside him at Liverpool for two-and-a-half years.

Sky Sports News has been told that Villa are interested in highly-rated Scottish defender Aaron Hickey who currently plays for Bologna. The 19-year-old moved to Italy in the summer of 2020 after breaking through at Hearts and has played 19 times in Serie A this season, scoring four goals.

Striker Wesley Moraes has asked for his loan at Belgian side Club Brugge to be cut short so that he can instead discuss a possible loan deal with either Internacional or Sao Paulo. Whether a move to South America would be sanctioned by Gerrard remains to be seen. Wesley has played less than half an hour of football for Brugge in just two Champions League appearances so far this season. His agent has said the 25-year-old is desperate for regular football, in the hope of staking a claim to be part of Brazil’s World Cup squad next winter.

Brentford

January ins:

Jonas Lossl – FC Midtjylland, loan

January outs:

Brentford have been a surprise package for teams in the Premier League this season, playing a front-foot brand of football that has seen them involved in numerous entertaining fixtures. Notably, the Bees beat Arsenal 2-0 on the opening day of the season and have had thrilling 3-3 draws with Liverpool and Newcastle. However, Thomas Frank may want to shore up his side’s defensive capabilities with an eye on conceding fewer goals and it is understood that Brentford are in the market for a wing-back during the January transfer window.

Brighton

January ins:

Kacper Kozlowski – Pogon Szczecin, ?8m

January outs:

Aaron Connolly – Middlesbrough, loan

Jurgen Locadia – VfL Bochum, undisclosed

Leo Ostigard – Genoa, loan

Genoa are interested in signing defender Leo Ostigard on a season-long loan deal. The Norwegian centre-back started the season on loan at Championship side Stoke, but Brighton recalled the 22-year-old on December 27. Ostigard has completed a medical with the Serie A club ahead of his proposed move.

Burnley

January ins:

January outs:

Jacob Bedeau – Morecambe, loan

Burnley have struggled for form this season and despite having been involved in a 3-1 win against newcomers Brentford and a 3-3 draw with Patrick Vieira’s Crystal Palace, have only scored 16 goals in the Premier League. This leaves them as the third-lowest scoring club in the division, with only Wolves and Norwich having scored fewer than the Clarets. With this in mind, manager Sean Dyche is understood to be interested in signing an attacking midfielder.

Chelsea

January ins:

January outs:

Thomas Tuchel has said that striker Romelu Lukaku is fully committed to the club after accepting that his interview with Sky Italy was a mistake. It is understood that there is no truth in reports linking Lukaku with a move to Tottenham to work with manager Antonio Conte again.

Defender Antonio Rudiger’s contract with Chelsea expires this summer. Real Madrid, PSG, Bayern Munich and Juventus have opened talks with Rudiger’s representatives over a potential pre-contract agreement this month. Chelsea wish to extend Rudiger’s contract and the prospect of him staying with the club has not been ruled out. Manchester United interim manager Ralf Rangnick is understood to be a long-term admirer of the defender and knows Rudiger’s brother (and agent) very well.

Rudiger is said to remain 100% focused and committed to Chelsea and has started 20 Premier League games this season – the most of any Chelsea outfield player.

Crystal Palace

January ins:

January outs:

Crystal Palace had a busy summer transfer window, bringing in six players alongside new manager Patrick Vieira. Their arrivals had an average age of 23.4 and despite the positive form of Chelsea loanee Conor Gallagher and former Celtic striker Odsonne Edouard, inconsistent results have left the Eagles 11th in the Premier League. After seeing his team lose 3-2 to West Ham on New Year’s Day, Vieira spoke about his squad’s inexperience.

It is understood that Palace are ready to do business in this transfer window and could potentially look to complement their squad with more Premier League experience – one or two players could arrive at Selhurst Park in January.

Everton

January ins:

Nathan Patterson – Rangers, ?16m

Vitaliy Mykolenko – Dynamo Kiev, undisclosed

January outs:

Chelsea, Newcastle, West Ham and an as yet unnamed fourth Premier League club are said to be interested in left-back Lucas Digne. Napoli are also interested in striking a deal for the 28-year-old, though the Serie A side are only interested in a loan deal with an option to buy, which does not meet Everton’s demands. Sky Sports News has been told Everton want around ?30 million for the French defender, who they signed from Barcelona in 2018. Digne has not featured for the Toffees since a 4-1 defeat to rivals Liverpool on December 1 after falling out with manager Rafa Benitez.

Inter Milan have cooled their interest in Digne as Everton are not interested in a loan or swap deal for the defender. Everton are interested in selling Digne in order to raise money for new additions and stay within Financial Fair Play parameters.

Leeds United

January ins:

Mateo Joseph Fernandez – RCD Espanyol, undisclosed

January outs:

Ryan Edmondson – Port Vale, loan

Marcelo Bielsa’s Leeds have endured a difficult first half of the season, having been hit by injuries to several key players such as Pascal Struijk (hip), Kalvin Phillips (hamstring), Patrick Bamford (hamstring) and Rodrigo (heel). The club have especially missed Bamford’s influence on the pitch and despite only making six Premier League appearances this season, he is the side’s second-highest goalscorer (two) behind Raphinha (eight). Could Leeds move for a forward in January to get them firing for the second half of the season?

Leicester

January ins:

January outs:

Leicester City have no fit strikers and only one centre-back available. Long-term injuries to Wesley Fofana (fibula fracture) and James Justin (cruciate ligament) as well as Ricardo Pereira (hamstring) have seen Brendan Rodgers’ side concede 33 Premier League goals this season. Only Watford (36), Leeds (37), Newcastle and Norwich (both 42) have conceded more goals. The club is said to be searching for a central defender on loan but Sky Sports News understands the Foxes will not be spending big money.

Liverpool

January ins:

January outs:

Tony Gallacher – St Johnstone, free

Morgan Boyes – Livingston, free

Defender Nat Phillips is attracting interest from clubs both at home and abroad.

Neco Williams could be allowed to leave in this transfer window. The 20-year-old defender is conscious of his place in the Welsh national team with World Cup qualifiers coming up in March and would like to gain more regular first-team football. Williams has made six appearances this season, with one Premier League outing as an 83rd minute substitute against Watford on October 16. It is unclear at this point whether any potential move away for Williams would be on loan or a permanent transfer.

Man City

January ins:

January outs:

Ferran Torres – Barcelona, ?54.7m

Manchester City have been in imperious form this season and have taken 33 points from their last 11 Premier League games. Pep Guardiola’s side last lost to Crystal Palace on October 30 and have since earned impressive victories against derby rivals Manchester United as well as Leicester and Arsenal. Despite Ferran Torres’ departure to Barcelona, they are favourites to retain their Premier League title this year. But could Guardiola be tempted to make additions to his squad this transfer window in order to further extend their 10-point lead at the top of the table?

City were interested in pursuing a deal for Tottenham’s Harry Kane last summer – could they look for another central striker during this transfer window, or will they wait until the summer?

Youngsters James McAtee and Liam Delap are the subject of interest from Southampton.

Man Utd

January ins:

January outs:

Ethan Laird – Bournemouth, loan

Teden Mengi – Birmingham City, loan

Manchester United are understood to be in the market for a midfielder. Marseille‘s Boubacar Kamara and Wolves‘ Ruben Neves are two of a number of players the club has been looking at. Kamara is in the last six months of his contract at Marseille and can sign a pre-contract agreement with clubs outside of France. Neves is contracted to Wolves until 2024.

United would prefer to conduct their business during the summer transfer window but are open to doing business in January if a long-term target becomes available.

Paul Pogba can sign a pre-contract with a foreign club as he is into the last six months of his contract at Manchester United. However, it is increasingly unlikely that this will happen this month. United offered Pogba a new contract in 2021 which has yet to be accepted or rejected and it is possible the French midfielder could stay with the Red Devils. Pogba is said to have been impressed with his dealings with interim manager Ralf Rangnick.

Newcastle United

January ins:

Kieran Trippier – Atletico Madrid, ?12m

January outs:

A Saudi-led consortium’s takeover of Newcastle was completed in October and the club’s new owners could be looking to make a big impact in their first transfer window. Eddie Howe’s side have struggled this season, having only picked up one win from their 19 Premier League matches – a run of form that saw former manager Steve Bruce sacked after a 3-2 defeat to Tottenham.

Newcastle are said to be interested in Lille centre-back Sven Botman, though a potential deal could be difficult to conclude due to Lille’s high asking price for the defender. The Magpies could also be looking to secure a move for Nico Schlotterbeck, who plays as a centre-back for SC Freiburg.

Everton have made a bid for midfielder Sean Longstaff. Toffees manager Rafa Benitez is understood to be interested in a reunion with the 24-year-old, who he worked with during his time with Newcastle.

Norwich

January ins:

January outs:

Tyrese Omotoye – Carlisle, loan

Dean Smith’s Norwich are experiencing a similar season to Newcastle and have 10 points after playing 19 matches. The club last earned a point in their 1-1 draw against Howe’s side on November 30. The Canaries have scored the fewest goals in the division (eight) and have conceded the joint-highest number of goals along with Newcastle (42). Could Smith look to make additions to his squad in the January transfer window in order to solidify his team’s defence and attacking threat?

Norwich are also anticipating interest from other clubs in defender Max Aarons and midfielder Todd Cantwell but have not yet received offers for either player.

Southampton

January ins:

January outs:

Sam McQueen, retired

Southampton are interested in Manchester City youngsters James McAtee and Liam Delap. 19-year-old McAtee is an attacking midfielder and England U20 international, while 18-year-old forward Delap is also an England youth international at U18 level. The two academy players fit Southampton’s philosophy of signing young players who can contribute to the club right away.

The Saints are in talks with goalkeeper Willy Caballero to extend his stay with the club beyond January 5.

Tottenham

January ins:

January outs:

Following his side’s 2-0 loss to Chelsea in the first leg of the Carabao Cup semi-final, manager Antonio Conte called for a rebuild at Tottenham and the club could look to make several signings this month.

Tottenham are said to be interested in signing a right wing-back, a centre-back and a centre-forward in the transfer window.

Watford

January ins:

Hassane Kamara – OGC Nice, undisclosed

January outs:

Watford have lost their last six Premier League games – a run that stretches back to November 20, when Claudio Ranieri’s side last won against Manchester United. Having conceded 36 goals at this point in the season, it is understood that the club will look to sign defenders and a midfielder as the Hornets bid to avoid relegation from the Premier League.

It is understood that defender Danny Rose will not play again for the club and will be allowed to leave during this transfer window.

The club are also close to announcing the signing of 27-year-old Brazilian centre-back Samir from Udinese.

West Ham

January ins:

January outs:

West Ham are looking to sign a striker, and have held talks over the signing of Flamengo‘s Gabriel Barbosa, though it is looking increasingly unlikely that a deal will be pursued. Two other Premier League clubs are understood to be interested in pursuing a permanent deal for Barbosa, who is said to be impressed with the job manager David Moyes is doing at the Hammers and wants to come to England as he feels it would provide him with the best chance of cementing his place as Brazil’s starting number 9 at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. The striker has scored five goals in 17 appearances for Brazil.

Wolves

January ins:

Hayao Kawabe – Grasshopper Club Zurich, undisclosed

January outs:

Wolves have recalled defender Dion Sanderson from his loan spell at Championship side Birmingham Cityto help bolster Bruno Lage’s squad.

Midfielder Ruben Neves has been linked with a move to Manchester United.

Wolves have scored the second-fewest goals in the Premier League this season with 14, and may be looking to add some firepower to their front line to address this for the second half of the season.