The January transfer window is open now, and clubs all over Europe are digging deep into the transfer market to strengthen their squads for the second half of the season.
Here in this article we’re looking at the biggest transfer needs of the English Premier League’s “Big Five” looking at the final weeks of the window.
But who are the Big Five? They actually not the current top five sides, but rather the biggest clubs in top flight of English football with the most name recognition—Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City and Manchester United.
Arsenal: Need to seal Elneny deal
Arsenal have certainly enjoyed a decent first half of Premier League this season. The Gunners are two points clear atop the league table and have managed to put themselves in a position to clinch their first Premier League title since 2003-04.
But, Arsene Wenger is well aware that he still needs to improve in certain areas of his team. “I will be busy (in January), that is for sure, I have already said we are short.”
The most concerning area in which Arsenal lack genuine options right now is the central midfield. With Francis Coquelin, Santi Cazorla and Jack Wilshere all out with injury, Arsenal desperately need reinforcements for their title charge.
Over the past 2-3 weeks, the Gunners have been heavily linked with a move for Basel’s Egyptian midfielder Mohamed Elneny. However, the deal has been drawn out due to work-permit issues, but Wenger has assured that he hopes to complete the signing very soon. “I expect Mohamed, yes; we are positive that this week it can happen.”
For Arsenal in this transfer window, the biggest need is a very simple one: Seal the deal first.
Chelsea: An inform Center-Forward
To say the least, this season has been a disaster for Chelsea. The defending Premier League champions are languishing in 14th place, only six points above the relegation zone.
The arrival of interim boss Guus Hiddink might have steadied the ship for the time being, but the frustrating start to the campaign has already proved too costly, as manager Jose Mourinho was fired last month.
A defensive record of 29 goals conceded in as many as 20 matches, shows reinforcements mostly required in the back four, but just look at the other end of the pitch. Right now, Chelsea are very much reliant on controversial Diego Costa at centre-forward. When Costa out with injury, banned or searching for form, the Blues’ options remain limited.
One possible transfer target in January is AC Milan’s Carlos Bacca. The Colombian striker has scored eight goals in 19 Serie A appearances this term, but he would demand a large transfer fee for sure.
Other potential targets Hiddink has shortlisted include Leicester City’s Jamie Vardy and Atletico Madrid’s Jackson Martinez, as per the reports from the Telegraph or may be Chelsea are looking at a striker we don’t know about yet!
Liverpool: Reinforcements needed All Over
Just like Chelsea, Liverpool have already replaced their manager this term after a run of poor results. Since replacing Brendan Rodgers, former Borussia Dortmund boss Jurgen Klopp has received a typical crash course regarding the physical demands in English football.
When the hectic festive period ended, Liverpool’s injury list looked more like a lineup for a Premier League fixture. A hand full of first-team regulars are sidelined with hamstring injuries, including Philippe Coutinho, Martin Skrtel, Dejan Lovren and Daniel Sturridge. Whereas, non-hamstring injury concerns refer to Jordan Henderson, Divock Origi and Mamadou Sakho.
That means Liverpool have their key players missing from all over the pitch, so in the remaining weeks of the January transfer window, Jurgen Klopp simply needs reinforcements from wherever he can find them and time is running out for him.
The Anfield hierarchy have already secured the service of Steven Caulker on loan, and that certainly won’t be Klopp’s last business this January.
Schalke’s 20-year-old midfielder Leroy Sane, Juventus defender Martin Caceres and West Brom forward Saido Berahino are all have been targeted by Liverpool and you can expect the transfer gossip to keep rolling in throughout the remaining of the month as Klopp search high and low for reinforcements.
Manchester City: Defensive help
The first half of this season was a disappointment for Manchester City fans and yet, with 20 games played, the Citizens are only three points off the league summit despite being defeated five times.
One of the biggest concerns that Manuel Pellegrini needs to discuss is the back line. Sure, City have managed to allow only over a goal per game (21 goals in 20 matches), but it doesn’t show you the full story. Without skipper and centre-back Vincent Kompany in the lineup, the defence have find it difficult to keep clean sheets which has apparently made life more difficult even for Pellegrini.
For both Eliaquim Mangala and Nicolas Otamendi City spent huge transfer fees when they arrived at Etihad, but till now, they haven’t lived up to the expectation. Kompany hasn’t played a match for Manchester City since 8th November, and his return is believed to be nowhere near.
Yet the Chilean boss doesn’t seem to feel the need to reinforce the back four which is quite surprising.
All that may be true, but if City don’t strengthen the back line, it could undo their title challenge. While attacking options are also in demand to bring more depth behind injury prone Sergio Aguero, the defence remains a much more critical issue of late.
Manchester United: Attack, Attack and Attack
Everybody knows Manchester United are boring. You know it. We know it. Even manager Louis van Gaal knows it well.
“There are matches that I have enjoyed, and there are also matches where I’m very bored or angry because we are not disorganising our opponent’s defence,” the arrogant United manager finally admitted this week. “But that is football.”
Maybe that’s just football, or maybe it’s ‘Philosophical Louis van Gaal’. Either way, United fans are accustomed to a better quality. Over the years, the Red Devil’s many memorable, all-conquering squads have kept the fans thrilled with attacking, exciting football. But the point is, that has not been the case this term, with Manchester United scoring only 24 goals in 20 league appearances.
That is the fewest of any team right now sitting in the top six, and attacking help is needed for sure. Perhaps quite unsurprisingly, United, like Chelsea, have been linked with AC Milan’s Carlos Bacca. Another reported target for van Gaal is Lazio’s attacking midfielder Felipe Anderson.