Christmas has come and gone and most of our wallets are looking pretty worse for wear. The same can’t be said about the football clubs around the world that are preparing themselves for the January transfer window which is set to open on 1 January 2022.
Whilst most of the world will be nursing a massive hangover, chairpersons, managers and club owners alike will be making their first moves in acquiring some fresh talent for their squads. As usual there’s been plenty of speculation and even more fake news about who might be going where, but we’ve made a list of some of our predictions based on commentary from pundits, managers and transfer experts from around the globe.
Our most reputable source is Italian football journalist and transfer expert Fabrizio Romano. Romano has worked for Sky Sport Italy since the age of 19 and has amassed a large following on social media, having over six million followers on Twitter, and usually what Fabrizio says isn’t far from what ultimately happens. He was the first to break the news about Messi leaving Barcelona for PSG and called Jack Grealish’s departure from Villa to City.
We’ve done some digging of our own and measure up against Fabrizio’s findings and this is what we’ve made of it.
Will Mbappé stay or go?
Mbappé may have personally ruled out a move in January but there remains a slim chance that the French forward could join Real Madrid this month after their failed attempts to sign him in the summer.
Mbappé is entering the final six months of his contract with Paris Saint-Germain and can therefore sign a pre-contract agreement with the Spanish giants, although talks are said to be on hold until after the two clubs meet in the second leg of their last-16 Champions League on 9 March.
Whether Madrid will attempt to force the issue before then remains to be seen, but Mbappé would be a welcome signing wherever he goes.
Raphinha too hot for Elland Road?
The Leeds United forward has been heavily linked with Bayern Munich and the German champions could decide to make their move should they allow Kingsley Coman to join Barcelona, who are licking their wounds and trying to rebuild their squad as best they can. Any offers would be strongly resisted, however, by Leeds, who are wary of losing their key creative player while they are battling against relegation.
Liverpool have also been linked with the player signed from the French side Rennes in October 2020, whose contract expires in 2024. The Brazilian could cost around £60m and would be a huge signing for any club that wants him. Leeds would struggle to hold onto Raphinha should some of the bigger clubs linked with him actually follow through on their intent.
A player of his calibre shouldn’t be fighting to stay in the top flight and it would be highly surprising if he were to turn down a move to Munich or Anfield. If Leeds negotiates well enough they could pick up a pretty penny for Raphinha and potentially add two or three good names to their squad in an attempt to salvage their season.
Vlahovic could be the next big thing
21-year-old Dusan Vlahovic has been turning heads around Europe all season having scored 16 goals in Serie A for Fiorentina already and is well on course to beat the 23 he managed last season.
Vlahovic’s contract ends in 2023 and he has already rejected an offer to become the highest-paid player in the club’s history, with some of the Premier League’s biggest sides reportedly monitoring the situation. While it could take an offer north of £70m to tempt Fiorentina into doing business in January, they may decide to cash in if the right deal presents itself.
Rumour has it Chelsea could be on Vlahovic’s tail after Romelu Lukaku shocked the footballing world on Thursday in an interview with Sky, telling reporters that he misses Italy and isn’t happy at Stamford Bridge. No matter what form he’s in, nobody wants a player that doesn’t want to be there.
Martial’s time at United has to be over
United manager Ralf Rangnick has made no secret of Martial’s desire to leave Old Trafford six years after he became the most expensive teenager in history, but his destination remains unclear.
A loan bid from Sevilla that would have involved the Spanish club paying half of Martial’s £150,000 a week wages was rejected, with United not prepared to finance any loan move.
Barcelona and Juventus have also been credited with interest in the 26-year-old, who has slipped down the pecking order following the return of Cristiano Ronaldo and has played only 200 minutes in the Premier League this season.
Martial’s decline began when Mourinho was at the helm at Old Trafford but pundits believe there’s still more to be seen from a player who was once pegged as a future great. Let’s see what happens.
Zakaria destined for bigger things?
Swiss international Denis Zakaria has already decided not to sign a new contract with Borussia Mönchengladbach. His decision to cut ties with his club has put several big clubs on high alert, with West Ham and Juventus among those to have been linked in recent days.
A defensive midfielder who is also capable of filling in at centre-back, Zakaria moved to Germany in 2017 from Young Boys and has also merited attention from Manchester United and Liverpool. He’d be a massive signing for the likes of United who have suffered without a world class central defensive midfielder for almost 6 seasons. Zakaria will definitely go somewhere this January and we can’t wait to see where.
Arsenal would be silly to let Maitland-Niles go.
In August, Maitland-Niles took to Twitter to voice his frustration after being blocked by his club to join Everton on a season-long loan. Despite being praised by manager Mikel Arteta after a convincing win over Watford, the 24-year-old has not featured since in the Premier League. The England international has made only two starts in the Premier League and is expected to join Roma, linking up with the former Chelsea striker Tammy Abraham and, of course, José Mourinho, in what could be a permanent deal for around £12m.
Roma will gain a young, dynamic and versatile winger/wing back whilst Arsenal might lose a player with immense potential in a position where they probably need the most reinforcement.
Nate Phillips to the Hammers rescue
When Liverpool had lost Van Dijk, Matip and Gomes to injury, young Nathaniel Phillips was thrust into first team football far earlier than he, or anybody else could have anticipated. He was hardly world-class, but the young centre back certainly improved every game and started to make a name for himself at the back of Liverpool’s line-up. Alas, Jürgen Klopp has yet to feature in the Premier League this season having filled in admirably during the club’s injury-ravaged title defence.
Now it could be time for a new chapter after Phillips asked to move on in January should they receive a suitable offer, with the 24-year-old recovering from a fractured cheekbone that kept him out of the festive fixtures.
West Ham – in the midst of their own defensive crisis – are among those to have been linked.
Trippier’s homecoming
Kieran Trippier has thrived under Diego Simeone since joining Atlético from Tottenham in 2019 but looks likely to return to the Premier League as Newcastle’s first major signing since the Saudi takeover.
Talks are said to be progressing well and the 31-year-old would bring undoubted experience and quality to a side who are struggling to survive under their new manager, Eddie Howe, with Trippier likely to earn a significant pay rise for swapping the top of La Liga for the bottom of the Premier League.
This could be a really interesting move for all involved and certainly a massive win for sinking Newcastle.