Transfer window preview: 50 players who could move in January

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With the January transfer window set to open on the first day of the new year, we’re teeing up the wheeling and dealing by presenting 50 players who could be on the move.

Note: Estimated transfer values provided by transfermarkt.com.

Premier League ?gbeng

Aaron Ramsdale (Arsenal)

Age: 25
Position: Goalkeeper
Estimated value: €28M

Unseated by the arrival of David Raya, Ramsdale’s future is a little murky. Arsenal are unlikely to sanction a loan move, especially to a Premier League rival, but with an eye on Euro 2024, the netminder needs more minutes.

Lloyd Kelly (Bournemouth)

Age: 25
Position: Center-back
Estimated value: €16M

Bournemouth don’t want to lose him, but with Kelly’s contract set to expire in the summer and no sign he’ll renew, defender-needy clubs like Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur are circling in the hopes of sealing a midseason signing.

Ivan Toney (Brentford)

Age: 27
Position: Striker
Estimated value: €35M

Toney’s eight-month ban for betting breaches ends in January, and his return to the pitch could precipitate a transfer. He’s a proven scorer with 32 goals in 68 Premier League appearances, and plenty of clubs need help up front.

Marc Cucurella (Chelsea)

Age: 25
Position: Left-back
Estimated value: €25M

Despite his recent injury, Cucurella headlines a trio of defenders who may leave west London this winter – Ian Maatsen and Trevoh Chalobah could also depart. Chelsea, as ever, will be fascinating to watch when the window opens.

Conor Gallagher (Chelsea)

Age: 23
Position: Midfielder
Estimated value: €42M

One of the window’s most intriguing names. Only Axel Disasi has played more minutes for Chelsea this season – Gallagher has even worn the armband – but he represents the Blues’ best chance of making a sizeable profit in January.

Noni Madueke (Chelsea)

Age: 21
Position: Winger
Estimated value: €25M

January is about finding opportunities to bolster your squad or, in some cases, find a piece to push your team over the top. Madueke, clearly very talented but getting few chances to shine at Chelsea, could fit the bill.

Joao Palhinha (Fulham)

Age: 28
Position: Defensive midfielder
Estimated value: €60M

After coming agonizingly close to joining Bayern Munich in the summer – Palhinha was literally in Bavaria waiting, in vain, for a deal to be closed – the excellent midfielder will once again be a hot, though expensive, commodity.

Kalvin Phillips (Manchester City)

Age: 28
Position: Defensive midfielder
Estimated value: €28M

Nobody needs a January transfer more than Phillips, whose career has derailed since joining Manchester City; Pep Guardiola has repeatedly apologized for his lack of opportunities. Juventus are reportedly interested.

Anthony Martial (Manchester United)

Age: 28
Position: Forward
Estimated value: €15M

Erik ten Hag may say that Manchester United aren’t looking to move Martial, but the Frenchman’s limited amount of playing time this season speaks louder than the manager’s words ever will.

Jadon Sancho (Manchester United)

Age: 23
Position: Winger
Estimated value: €23M

With Sancho and Ten Hag perpetually at odds, it’s in everyone’s best interest to just part ways. A loan seems most likely in January, with United having a better chance of recouping some of his huge transfer fee in the summer.

Raphael Varane (Manchester United)

Age: 30
Position: Center-back
Estimated value: €25M

Real Madrid and Bayern Munich need help in central defense, and Varane could represent excellent value. His familiarity with the Spanish club would make his transition seamless, which is always a key consideration in January.

Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg (Tottenham Hotspur)

Age: 28
Position: Midfielder
Estimated value: €28M

Hojbjerg has only started three Premier League matches this season under Ange Postecoglou. In what will become a common refrain on this list, the Dane could depart in search of more regular playing time ahead of Euro 2024.

La Liga ??

Ferran Torres (Barcelona)

Age: 23
Position: Forward, winger
Estimated value: €35M

Despite getting consistent opportunities since joining the club, there’s always been a sense that Barcelona don’t truly believe in Torres. Already fierce competition for minutes will be more extreme following Vitor Roque’s arrival.

Miguel Gutierrez (Girona)

Age: 22
Position: Left-back
Estimated value: €20M

Gutierrez has been one of the breakout performers helping to fuel Girona’s fairy-tale title push. Real Madrid reportedly have an €8-million buyback option on the youngster, who seems destined for a big move soon.

Juan Miranda (Real Betis)

Age: 23
Position: Left-back
Estimated value: €9M

Miranda, a product of Barcelona’s famed academy, is another soon-to-be free agent who could yet leave in January if his club wants to procure a transfer fee. AC Milan, seeking defensive depth, are working to sign the Spaniard.

Rafa Mir (Sevilla)

Age: 26
Position: Striker
Estimated value: €5M

Sevilla are among the most obvious candidates for a big January shakeup following a dismal opening half of the season. Mir’s struggles – just two league starts and one goal – are emblematic of the rough campaign in Andalusia.

Serie A ??

Joshua Zirkzee (Bologna)

Age: 22
Position: Forward
Estimated value: €30M

Zirkzee’s been one of the revelations of the European season, helping power Bologna’s top-four push. The Dutchman reportedly has a €40-million release clause, and Bayern Munich retained a buyback option worth half that.

Radu Dragusin (Genoa)

Age: 21
Position: Center-back
Estimated value: €20M

A physically imposing center-back with the necessary on-ball skills to thrive in the modern game, Dragusin is garnering interest across Europe. Atalanta, perhaps anticipating Giorgio Scalvini’s summer exit, are reportedly keen.

Samuel Iling-Junior (Juventus)

Age: 20
Position: Winger
Estimated value: €20M

The Englishman has received little playing time after breaking into Juventus’ senior side last season. If Juve decide to sacrifice one of their young talents to generate funds, Iling-Junior seems the likeliest candidate at the moment.

Victor Osimhen (Napoli)

Age: 24
Position: Striker
Estimated value: €110M

Osimhen may have just signed a contract extension with the ailing Italian champions, but that won’t stop the rumors, especially with his reported €130-million release clause. Chelsea remain in desperate need of a proper No. 9.

Lazar Samardzic (Udinese)

Age: 21
Position: Attacking midfielder
Estimated value: €20M

Looking for something – anything, really – to help jump-start their miserable title defense, Napoli have apparently turned their attention to Samardzic, who provides silky dribbling and playmaking ability from midfield.

Bundesliga ??

Piero Hincapie (Bayer Leverkusen)

Age: 21
Position: Center-back
Estimated value: €35M

It’s hard to imagine anyone wanting to leave red-hot Bundesliga leaders Bayer Leverkusen right now, but Xabi Alonso’s preferred back-three doesn’t include the Ecuadorian, which could facilitate a January transfer.

Gio Reyna (Borussia Dortmund)

Age: 21
Position: Attacking midfielder
Estimated value: €20M

Reyna must move to get his once blossoming career back on track. A variety of factors contributed to his recent status as a bit-part player at Dortmund, but he’s flashed enough potential in the past to earn a chance elsewhere.

Donyell Malen (Borussia Dortmund)

Age: 24
Position: Winger
Estimated value: €35M

Dortmund tumbled down the table following a rough run into the winter break, leaving Edin Terzic on thin ice. Against that backdrop, parting with one of your few scoring threats would be a tough sell, but rumors about Malen persist.

Manu Kone (Borussia Monchengladbach)

Age: 22
Position: Midfielder
Estimated value: €35M

After several clubs, including Bayern Munich and Liverpool, were linked with his services in the summer, the trail has gone a little cold on Kone of late. That’s sure to change in January. A deadline-day deal is a distinct possibility.

Fabio Carvalho (RB Leipzig)

Age: 21
Position: Attacking midfielder
Estimated value: €14M

Carvalho’s loan move to RB Leipzig simply hasn’t worked out as anyone had hoped. He’s made just three starts, prompting Liverpool to explore the possibility of recalling and sending him elsewhere in January.

Serhou Guirassy (VfB Stuttgart)

Age: 27
Position: Striker
Estimated value: €40M

Scoring 17 goals in 14 Bundesliga games doesn’t go unnoticed. A January move for the Guinean is complicated by his expected involvement in AFCON, but his extremely modest €17.5-million release clause has clubs salivating.

Ligue 1 ??

Tiago Djalo (Lille)

Age: 23
Position: Center-back
Estimated value: €15M

Instead of losing the Portuguese defender for free in the summer, Lille are reportedly considering cashing in now. With Inter, Juventus, and Atletico Madrid all in the mix, the French outfit could incite a decent bidding war.

Leny Yoro (Lille)

Age: 18
Position: Center-back
Estimated value: €25M

Already one of the standout defenders in France despite his tender age, Yoro is someone Lille will fight to keep for as long as possible. PSG, now trying to scoop up every emerging talent in the country, will need to pony up.

Khephren Thuram (Nice)

Age: 22
Position: Midfielder
Estimated value: €40M

Thuram, despite interest from England and Italy in the summer, remained in the French Riviera – who could blame him? Both he and teammate Jean-Clair Todibo will feature prominently as the January rumors swirl.

Hugo Ekitike (Paris Saint-Germain)

Age: 21
Position: Striker
Estimated value: €15M

Ekitike’s big move to the French capital went sour very quickly. PSG tried to offload him in the summer, to no avail. Stuck behind Randal Kolo Muani and Goncalo Ramos, he’s played a measly nine minutes in Ligue 1 this season.

Kylian Mbappe (Paris Saint-Germain)

Age: 25
Position: Forward
Estimated value: €180M

What, you thought we’d get through a transfer window without rehashing Mbappe’s flirtations with Real Madrid? The saga will inevitably heat up again now that Madrid can negotiate openly with the impending free agent.

Around the world ?

Jota (Al-Ittihad)

Age: 24
Position: Forward, winger
Estimated value: €9M

Jota’s move to Saudi Arabia has been an unmitigated disaster for everything but his bank account thus far, sparking rumors that the ex-Celtic star could be one of the first players to make a swift return to Europe from the Middle East.

Thiago Almada (Atlanta United)

Age: 22
Position: Attacking midfielder
Estimated value: €27M

It’s simply a matter of when Almada makes the leap to Europe. The only question is whether the diminutive Argentine will break Miguel Almiron’s €24-million record as the most expensive outgoing transfer in MLS history.

Antonio Silva (Benfica)

Age: 20
Position: Center-back
Estimated value: €45M

Enzo Fernandez’s mammoth move to Chelsea proved that Benfica aren’t afraid to sanction sales of vital players in January if the offer is sweet enough. Silva, whose price tag is only rising, could be next in line.

Valentin Barco (Boca Juniors)

Age: 19
Position: Left-back
Estimated value: €13M

Chelsea are reportedly keen on Barco. Strasbourg, the French side also owned by the Todd Boehly-Clearlake Capital consortium, could be used by the Blues as a means to beat the likes of Manchester City to the Boca starlet.

Tajon Buchanan (Club Brugge)

Age: 24
Position: Winger, wing-back
Estimated value: €8M

Inter are reportedly advancing in talks for the rapid Canadian, who’s viewed as the ideal replacement for the injury-ravaged Juan Cuadrado. Buchanan would serve as Denzel Dumfries’ backup in Simone Inzaghi’s 3-5-2 formation.

Benjamin Rollheiser (Estudiantes de La Plata)

Age: 23
Position: Winger
Estimated value: €10M

Newcastle United, decimated by injuries and in search of reinforcements, are reportedly tracking the electrifying dribbler, who’s lighting things up in Argentina. Not to be outdone, Benfica and Atletico Madrid are also circling.

Brandon Vazquez (FC Cincinnati)

Age: 25
Position: Striker
Estimated value: €8.5M

Vazquez was unable to replicate his breakout 2022 campaign this past year, but that hasn’t deterred clubs intrigued by his blend of power and scoring prowess. Brentford, given the uncertainty around Toney, could make a move.

Nico Gonzalez (FC Porto)

Age: 21
Position: Midfielder
Estimated value: €9M

Things haven’t quite worked out as planned after a summer move to Porto, with the former Barcelona midfielder spending most of his time on the bench. An immediate return to La Liga shouldn’t be ruled out.

Mehdi Taremi (FC Porto)

Age: 31
Position: Striker
Estimated value: €12M

Inter continue to show strong interest in Taremi, who was one of their targets in the summer window before they settled for a low-cost option in Marko Arnautovic. The Iranian striker is a free agent at the end of the season.

Santiago Gimenez (Feyenoord)

Age: 22
Position: Striker
Estimated value: €50M

The prolific Mexican is one of the game’s most coveted scorers after a sensational 2023 in which he broke Luis Suarez’s record for most Eredivisie goals in a calendar year. Feyenoord will demand a fortune, and rightly so.

Andre (Fluminense)

Age: 22
Position: Defensive midfielder
Estimated value: €25M

The Brazilian, who was scouted by some of the Premier League’s top teams over the summer, put them all on high alert when he recently said his “big dream” is to play in England. How long can Fluminense hold on to him?

Denis Bouanga (LAFC)

Age: 29
Position: Forward
Estimated value: €10M

On the heels of capturing the MLS Golden Boot in 2023, Bouanga suggested he could soon return to Europe. Any move would require a “hugely expensive” transfer fee, according to LAFC general manager John Thorrington.

Johan Bakayoko (PSV Eindhoven)

Age: 20
Position: Winger
Estimated value: €40M

Wingers who excel at beating their defender and teeing up teammates inside the penalty area are always in high demand, so the collection of big clubs eyeing Bakayoko should come as no surprise. An opulent transfer beckons.

Georgiy Sudakov (Shakhtar Donetsk)

Age: 21
Position: Attacking midfielder
Estimated value: €18M

Already a regular for his national team, the Ukrainian is being monitored by Juventus, who are looking for more guile and creativity in midfield amid the continued absences of Paul Pogba and Nicolo Fagioli.

Viktor Gyokeres (Sporting CP)

Age: 25
Position: Striker
Estimated value: €45M

Sporting made out like bandits when they signed Gyokeres from Coventry City for a modest €20 million this past summer. The Swede is now worth more than double that amount after going on a tear since arriving in Portugal.

Goncalo Inacio (Sporting CP)

Age: 22
Position: Center-back
Estimated value: €40M

Like his compatriot Silva at Benfica – a player to whom he’s often compared – Inacio has been scouted by some of the continent’s heavyweights. The defender reportedly has a €60-million release clause in his contract.

Claudio Echeverri (River Plate)

Age: 17
Position: Attacking midfielder
Estimated value: €12M

Manchester City are working hard to beat Barcelona to Echeverri’s coveted signature. The ascendant Argentine was one of the standout players at the recent Under-17 World Cup and could reportedly cost up to €25 million.

Arthur Vermeeren (Royal Antwerp)

Age: 18
Position: Defensive midfielder
Estimated value: €30M

Chances are your favorite club has been linked with Vermeeren at some point in recent weeks. Judging by his displays in the Champions League, the prodigious Belgian already looks capable of handling a big transfer.