It already appears that several clubs are likely to be more active than others, with Manchester United topping the list – especially in trying to move players on. Jose Mourinho will be keen to sell four players on big wages as quickly as he can.
Rivals Manchester City will also be working out how they can better their squad in the second half of the season, although Josep Guardiola isn’t one for a panic buy. Perhaps the injury to Ilkay Gundogan will change that.
Chelsea, too, are likely to be active players but Antonio Conte will protect the nucleus of his first-team squad as they charge toward a second title in three years. They've already banked £60 million ($102 million) for the sale of Oscar to Shanghai SIPG, so there is money to spend. Across London, West Ham have been linked with a multitude of deals and new Crystal Palace boss Sam Allardyce is a transfer window devotee.
Merseyside will be a hub of activity, especially at Everton. Some of their best-known players are potentially on the market, which could fund a bevy of new arrivals. Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp will be keen to add to their squad and move on some fringe players.
Regardless of your team, with £185 million spent by English Premier League clubs last January – and with China’s clubs exceeding that figure - it promises to be a roller-coaster of a month that could make or break dreams at either end of the table.
The moves most likely...
Morgan Schneiderlin
Age: 27
Position: Defensive Midfielder
Current Club: Manchester United
Linked to: Everton, West Bromwhich Albion
Potential fee: £18 million ($ 30 million)
Schneiderlin is one of several squad members Jose Mourinho has virtually no faith in. Everton have an abundance of central midfielders – which arguably makes this a strange deal - but this rumour might have legs if either of Ross Barkley or James McCarthy find a new home in January. West Brom are also interested but it may be seen as a big step down.
Memphis Depay
Age: 22
Position: Winger/Forward
Current Club: Manchester United
Linked to: Everton, Tottenham
Potential fee: £20 million ($34 million)
With Yannick Bolasie out for the rest of the season, Depay marks the ideal replacement at Everton. He obviously knows fellow Dutchman Ronald Koeman, who has already confessed to being a huge fan of what Depay was able to do at PSV. It’s a risk for the Toffees, though, and there’s now a rumour circulating that Tottenham are willing to get the deal done with cold hard cash.
Marouane Fellaini
Age: 29
Position: Midfielder
Current Club: Manchester United
Linked to: West Ham
Potential fee: £12 million ($20 million)
Fellani is currently suffering the most wretched run of his career, which has seen his transfer value sliced in half over the past year or so. But anyone who saw him in his pomp at Goodison Park will recall a player who is capable of almost anything on his day. At 29, he’s not done with yet, and if he finds a manager willing to accommodate him, he could well prove a bargain buy.
Bastian Schweinsteiger
Age: 32
Position: Central Midfield
Current Club: Manchester United
Linked to: Besiktas
Potential fee: Loan
A total bust at Old Trafford, one can only assume ‘Schweini’ will find a new home this January. The Turkish League has already been a good fit for Lukas Podolski and Schweinsteiger might fancy a similar move. However, clubs in Germany will surely be first in the queue - although Borussia Mönchengladbach have already said no.
Saido Berahino
Age: 23
Position: Striker
Current Club: West Bromwich Albion
Linked to: Tottenham, Chelsea, Everton
Potential fee: £18 million ($30 million)
Probably the most protracted transfer saga in world football, Berahino is a genuine talent – with a genuine knack of trying to find a way out of The Hawthorns. His battles with Tony Pulis to find a new home have become the stuff of legend, but with six months left on his contract, it wouldn’t surprise to see the Baggies cave and let the star youngster go. It’s just not worth losing him for nothing, especially now that he has some injury concerns.
Mamadou Sakho
Age: 26
Position: Central defender
Current Club: Liverpool
Linked to: AC Milan, Inter Milan, Paris Saint-Germain
Potential fee: £12.5 million ($21 million)
Having been banished to the wilderness by Jurgen Klopp for breaking team rules during a pre-season trip to USA, Sakho hasn’t had a look in during the Premier League season and will surely be on his way to a new home in January. It would seem unlikely that he’ll stay in England, with moves to Serie A and back to his native France both mooted.
Oumar Niasse
Age: 25
Position: Striker
Current Club: Everton
Linked to: Galatasaray, Trabzonspor
Potential fee: Loan
Earlier this month, Niasse scored his sixth goal in eight games – for Everton’s under-23 side. The mystery about the striker, signed for £13.5 million ($23 million) exactly a year ago, is one that haunts Evertonians hoping they had found a perfect replacement for the industrious Steven Naimsith. Instead, Ronald Koeman likes him even less than Roberto Martinez, and hasn’t even given Niasse a locker in the senior changing room. Everton will look to ship him out, initially on loan. Having banged in goals at Europa League level and in the Russian Premier League, it’s no wonder Galatasaray are interested.
Jordan Rhodes
Age: 26
Position: Striker
Current Club: Middlesborough
Linked to: Sheffield Wednesday, Aston Villa
Potential fee: £8 million ($13.6 million)
The arrival of Alvaro Negredo – an elite striker on his day – has basically pushed Rhodes out of the first-team picture at the Riverside. However, he’s been that prolific at lower levels that other Premier League teams might fancy a swoop. Promotion-chasing teams in the Championship are also said to be keen to break out the chequebook.
The moves that might happen….
Virgil van Dijk
Age: 25
Position: Defender
Current Club: Southampton
Linked to: Manchester City
Potential fee: £50 million ($85 million)
This is an astonishing price-tag for van Dijk and it’s hard to see Southampton getting a fee of this magnitude. However, if somebody does want to take the defender off their hands, £50 million might be what it actually takes. Pep Guardiola has publicly said it’s impossible, but that didn’t stop a Man City shirt turning up in van Dijk’s secret Santa among his teammates.
Jermain Defoe
Age: 34
Position: Striker
Current Club: Sunderland
Linked to: West Ham, Crystal Palace
Potential fee: £6 million ($10 million)
His career seemed to be on the wane when Defoe went to play in the MLS – but since returning to England, he’s found all his old form at Sunderland. Despite being 34, he’s still a huge threat around goal, scoring 27 goals in 64 games for the Black Cats. West Ham and Crystal Palace want to bring him back to London but Sunderland manager David Moyes says there’s no chance of that. We'll see.
Daniel Sturridge
Age: 27
Position: Striker/Winger
Current Club: Liverpool
Linked to: West Ham
Potential fee: £25 million ($42 million)
A brilliant striker for Liverpool on his day, it will be with a heavy heart that Sturridge eventually leaves Anfield. Sturridge has hardly played in the past few seasons thanks to a succession of injuries and has fallen down the pecking order behind Divock Origi and Roberto Firmino. It would make sense for Liverpool to cash in on him now. West Ham need goals and would be prepared to gamble, especially if Simone Zaza’s loan deal is cut short.
Romelu Lukaku
Age: 23
Position: Striker
Current Club: Everton
Linked to: Chelsea
Potential fee: £65 million ($110 million)
With Everton seemingly out of the running for Champions League football next season, Romelu Lukaku is surely set to start looking elsewhere soon. Everton’s ambition in the transfer market is stilted at best, although signing Schneiderlin and Depay might signify the money is there to spend. But that won’t stop Chelsea and others tabling a blockbuster deal. Manchester United might also be tempted to pair him with Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford for the post-Zlatan era.
Ross Barkley
Age: 23
Position: Central midfielder
Current Club: Everton
Linked to: Manchester City
Potential fee: £40 million ($68 million)
Selling Barkley would be just shy of the anguish created when Wayne Rooney left Everton in 2004. However, there seems to be a souring of the relationship between Ronald Koeman and Barkley, with the latter consigned to the bench lately. It’s a dangerous tactic – and a sure fire way to make the brilliant player look elsewhere. He’s a Pep Guardiola-type player and City will easily find the money.
Michy Batshuayi
Age: 23
Position: Striker
Current Club: Chelsea
Linked to: West Ham
Potential fee: Loan
It took £33 million ($56 million) in the English summer to prise Michy Batshuayi away from Marseille but having played so little first team football, even Antonio Conte will probably be happy to see him playing elsewhere temporarily.
Marco Verratti
Age: 23
Position: Central midfielder
Current Club: Paris Saint-Germain
Linked to: Chelsea
Potential fee: £40 million ($68 million)
The all-action midfielder is arguably Italy’s best player, which is why it’s such a shame he missed the Euros. Chelsea are said to have offered £30 million – once a big fee but now well short of what Verratti is worth. He’s likely to need closer to £40 million to tempt PSG’s Qatari owners, who know that the brilliant youngster will need replacing. Easier said than done.
Frank Acheampong
Age: 23
Position: Winger
Current Club: Anderlecht (Belgium Pro League)
Linked to: Liverpool
Potential fee: £6 million ($10 million)
The blistering midfielder has all the tools required to be a hit in England and has been on the radar of Liverpool for some time. The talk is that an offer will be tabled early in the window, but Anderlecht may be in no mood to sell.
Jesus Navas
Age: 31
Position: Winger
Current Club: Manchester City
Linked to: AC Milan, Inter Milan, Fenerbache
Potential fee: £6 million ($10 million)
A fine player on his day but probably just short of what City need in their starting line-up. At his age, he could still make a big contribution at a slightly lower level, and would be a dominant player in Turkey if, as suggested, Fenerbache can complete a deal. Both Milan clubs have shown interest in taking him on loan.
Ademola Lookman
Age: 19
Position: Winger/Forward
Current Club: Charlton Athletic (League One)
Linked to: Everton, Liverpool, Arsenal
Potential fee: £11 million ($18 million)
The English press have gotten wind of a rumour that suggests Lookman, a teenage sensation who has played less than 50 games, has his heart set on a move to Everton. If the Memphis Depay deal falls through, it could become a reality. He’s enjoying a fantastic season – and that’s why Charlton want him loaned back for the rest of the season. Either way, this is a name worth watching for years to come.
Keep an eye on...
Dimtri Payet
Age: 29
Position: Winger/Forward
Current Club: West Ham United
Linked to: Manchester United
Potential fee: £30 million ($51 million)
Talk about Payet moving on from West Ham has been circling for a while, but the London club isn't keen to sell him. This from manager Slaven Bilic: "Do I expect Payet to stay? Of course. Great players are always the centre of interest. Payet is one of the best in the world and they are always the ones who are linked with the big clubs. But I hope, and I expect, he will stay with us." A mooted swap deal for Anthony Martial seems fanciful at best.
Eric Dier
Age: 22
Position: Defensive midfielder
Current Club: Tottenham
Linked to: Chelsea, Bayern Munich
Potential fee: £23 million ($39 million)
The arrival of Victor Wanyama has put Dier out of action at White Hart Lane, alerting some big clubs who would be keen to add him to their books. There is some talk that he told Mauricio Pochettino he was unhappy at being played out of position, but the manager has denied this. It may seem odd to see Dier leave, but anything is possible for the right price.
Scott Hogan
Age: 24
Position: Striker/Winger
Current Club: Brentford (Championship)
Linked to: West Bromwhich Albion
Potential fee: £7 million ($11 million)
If Berahino does leave West Brom, don’t think they won’t have been busy scouring the globe for a new partner to Salomon Rondon. Hogan is one of the leading scorers in the Championship this season and has proven himself as a legitimate poacher at every level. Has previously played at Halifax and Stocksbridge Park Steels – two former clubs of another non-league sensation, Jamie Vardy.
Nahki Wells
Age: 26
Position: Striker
Current Club: Huddersfield (Championship)
Linked to: Aston Villa, Fulham
Potential fee: £8 million ($13 million)
Nahki Wells is having another splendid season and is relishing the support he is getting from Australia's Aaron Mooy. Huddersfield’s resolve in keeping Wells could be tested by a string of clubs in the top echelon of the Championship and also the Premier League. He’s rejected a new contract recently, which suggests he’s already dreaming of bigger things.
Landry Dimata
Age: 19
Position: Striker
Current Club: KV Oostende (Belgium Pro League)
Potential fee: £5 million ($8 million)
With seven goals in 14 starts in his first full season as a professional, Dimata is one of the hottest prospects in Europe right now. He’s still incredibly young and raw but is also a ball of muscle. His talent will make him an obvious target for English clubs looking for somebody who could provide goals and a long-term prospect. Buy now before his transfer values doubles or triples.
