January transfers
January can be a difficult month to get deals done, with clubs loath to lose key men midway through the campaign. The winter window does give out-of-favour players an opportunity to jump ship, though, while others whose contracts are close to expiring often try and plot their escapes at the turn of the year.
Liverpool were the first club to pull off a major deal by capturing Virgil van Dijk from Southampton. In this slideshow, we pick out a few more Premier League transfers we think will happen in the coming weeks – but please don’t blame FourFourTwo if your favourite club don’t follow through on our predictions...
Steven N’Zonzi (Sevilla to Arsenal)
N’Zonzi is a player who would fill one of Arsenal’s problem areas. The Frenchman grew in stature during his time at Blackburn and Stoke, and since joining Sevilla in 2015 has established himself as one of Spain's most reliable midfielders.
A fall-out with former boss Eduardo Berizzo left him out in the cold, though, and while new boss Vincenzo Montella wants to keep the 29-year-old, this is an ideal time for a Premier League club to make their move. Granit Xhaka continues to blow hot and cold, Francis Coquelin is out of favour and Mohamed Elneny isn't up to scratch for a top-four team, making N'Zonzi a sensible target for the north Londoners.
Hatem Ben Arfa (PSG to Leicester)
The talented but troubled ex-Newcastle winger got his career back on track in 2015/16, when his 17 goals and six assists helped unfancied Nice to a top-four finish in Ligue 1. A subsequent switch to PSG always seemed like a risk, and so it’s proved: after just five league starts last term, Ben Arfa’s yet to play a single minute in 2017/18.
A transfer therefore looks nailed-on this month, and Leicester could be a suitable fit. The 30-year-old, who can play on either flank or in a central role behind the striker, would be a ready-made replacement for Riyad Mahrez, who could depart the King Power Stadium in the coming weeks. Even if he doesn’t, the sight of Ben Arfa combining with Mahrez and Jamie Vardy would be one to behold.
Danny Ings (Liverpool to Newcastle)
Hopes were high when Ings signed for Liverpool in 2015, but an ACL injury in Klopp’s first training session has limited him to just 14 appearances for the Reds. Cruelly, upon his return he damaged his other knee and faced another nine months on the sidelines. Although Ings is now fit again, he’s unlikely to break into the starting XI at Anfield and would benefit from a move away.
Newcastle have hit a terrible run of form and the pressure is building on Rafa Benitez’s side, who have scored just 20 goals this season: top scorers Dwight Gayle and Joselu have three each, only one more than centre-backs Jamaal Lascelles and Ciaran Clark. A failure to improve that tally in the second half of the campaign could cost the Magpies their Premier League status.
Alexis Sanchez (Arsenal to Manchester City)
With Sanchez’s contract set to expire in June and Manchester City still heavily interested in signing him, a move away from Arsenal could be on the cards this January. Pep Guardiola may previously have been tempted to wait until the summer, but an injury to Gabriel Jesus could see the Catalan go knocking on Sheikh Mansour’s door as City attempt to conquer Europe as well as England.
On the other end of the phone, Arsene Wenger has previously expressed a determination to keep the Chilean at the club. However, the manager will be concerned at reported rifts in the dressing-room around the Sanchez situation, and could decide to move on sooner than anticipated.
Riyad Mahrez (Leicester to Arsenal)
Arsene Wenger rarely attempts to replace players like-for-like, and even if he did, it would be difficult to discover doppelgangers for Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez. However, he does like to buy attacking midfielders who drift between the lines and link well with others, and there are few better examples than Riyad Mahrez.
The quicksilver Algerian has long been linked with a move away from Leicester, most recently to Liverpool, and Wenger might decide that recruiting a ready-made replacement in the creative department makes the outlay worthwhile. After all, Mahrez knows the league and could help Arsenal squeeze back into the top four – possibly saving Wenger’s job.
Michy Batshuayi (Chelsea to Monaco, loan)
Batshuayi was Antonio Conte’s first signing as Chelsea manager, with the west Londoners splashing £33m on the Belgian striker. He scored five Premier Legue goals last season, including the title-clincher against West Brom, but has since fallen out of his manager’s plans despite the departure of Diego Costa in the summer.
The Blues aren’t exactly flush with out-and-out strikers – Batshuayi is essentially second in line to Alvaro Morata – but Conte has said he won't stand in a player's way with the 2018 World Cup ahead. Monaco, meanwhile, lost Kylian Mbappe to PSG and are reliant on club captain Radamel Falcao to score their goals.
With former Chelsea director Michael Emenalo now in their corner, the French principality club could use the Nigerian’s influence to land Batshuayi on loan.
Islam Slimani (Leicester to Besiktas)
Slimani signed for Leicester for a club-record fee of £30m in summer 2016, but has never found his best form for the Foxes. With Jamie Vardy the obvious first choice up front, plus Kelechi Iheanacho, Shinji Okazaki and Leonardo Ulloa waiting in the wings, the Algerian will probably be on the move this month.
Besiktas could be the ideal fit. Everton are on the brink of securing a deal to sign their star man Cenk Tosun, and Slimani could fill the void left behind. The Turkish club would be an attractive switch for the 29-year-old too, what with Champions League football back on the table.
Daniel Sturridge (Liverpool to Brighton, loan)
Sturridge is one of England’s best strikers when fit – but that's been his problem. While the 28-year-old has kept Liverpool’s physios busy, Jurgen Klopp has reinforced heavily up front and Sturridge's first-team prospects at Anfield now look bleaker than ever.
The ex-Chelsea frontman notched 21 goals in 29 games for the Reds in 2013/14, when he and Luiz Suarez almost fired the Merseysiders to the Premier League title. It’s been a tale of decline since then, though, Sturridge finding the net just 17 times in the last three-and-a-half league seasons.
Back fit again but still struggling for game, Sturridge would likely welcome a loan move for the final few months of 2017/18. Brighton are desperate for some added firepower up top and could give the him the football he needs to woo Gareth Southgate in time for a World Cup recall.
Theo Walcott (Arsenal to Southampton, loan)
Walcott signed for Arsenal from Southampton in January 2006; five months later, he was on England's plane for the World Cup having yet to make his Premier League debut.
The forward has never really scaled the heights expected of him since then, largely down to confusion over his best position and a long list of injury lay-offs. His time at Arsenal certainly seems to be approaching an end, with just five league appearances this term – none of them starts – evidencing his lowly place in the pecking order.
Southampton have scored just 21 times this season and are in desperate need of attacking reinforcements. Walcott could be exactly what they need to pull clear of the drop zone and relieve the pressure on manager Mauricio Pellegrino.
