Ask around and the consensus is clear: the January transfer window is a difficult market.
After a record £3bn spend in the summer, football executives and agents are predicting belts will be tightened this month.
With the exception of Antoine Semenyo, whose unique release clause has hastened his £60m departure from Bournemouth, few deals have been teed up yet.
But that doesn’t mean there will be no spending.
With the Champions League race so tightly poised, clubs are looking for an edge in the market – and one director of football told The i Paper that “one deal could set dominoes falling”.
Here are eight deals to watch in the coming weeks.
Antoine Semenyo
There will be no late Liverpool gazumping and Manchester United have fallen by the wayside. Tottenham Hotspur, sadly for them, were never in the running.
After two rounds of successful negotiations, Semenyo is heading for Manchester City and the move should be wrapped up within 48 hours as Bournemouth and City thrash out payment details over the £60m plus £5m add-ons. The i Paper understands that the fee is likely to be paid over an 18-to-24 month period.
In what is likely to be a flat January this deal will inject some capital into the market, with Bournemouth chasing a replacement. They like Brennan Johnson and retain interest in him but he looks set to sign for Crystal Palace, which may force them into the European market again.
Ruben Neves
Super agent Jorge Mendes is already working his magic on Neves, who is set to have a big January.
His availability has been advertised through the usual channels, the obligatory Manchester United link doesn’t have much substance yet, and that might also persuade Al-Hilal to cough up more dough in contract negotiations.
Expect to see his name all through the transfer window.
Joe Willock
Eddie Howe doesn’t like letting players go.
But with player trading at the centre of Newcastle’s recruitment policy it is the likes of Willock who needs to depart to keep the wheels moving.
Willock is interesting Crystal Palace, Leeds United and Nottingham Forest and if the fee is right should be allowed to leave.
Kees Smit
If Newcastle are to “go big” for anyone this month, it is likely to be Smit.
The AZ Alkmaar midfielder is well fancied at St James’ Park – and by Premier League rivals Chelsea – but they believe his club want to hold onto him until the summer, when Real Madrid, Barcelona and the Blues might get involved.
Newcastle anticipate a quiet month. But if they think Smit is attainable, that would change.
Kobbie Mainoo
Mainoo is still keen to explore options away from Manchester United in January, including, for the first time, a permanent exit.
Napoli remain interested in continuing to pillage Old Trafford for their unwanted young talent and will make an approach to take Mainoo on loan in January.
A host of clubs across Europe, including several in the Premier League, could follow suit. Bruno Fernandes’ injury and a lack of other options available to Ruben Amorim means United will almost certainly block an exit, unless they can get a replacement in now.
Joshua Zirkzee
Even after scoring against Wolves on Tuesday night, Zirkzee’s demeanour resembled a player whose heart is elsewhere. The i Paper has been told the Netherlands international is keen to end his United nightmare as soon as possible. Being hooked at half-time only added to his angst, a decision Amorim admitted was tactical.
Roma are frontrunners having made contact with Zirkzee’s representatives already. They are set to make a loan offer with an obligation to make the move permanent in the summer added. Everton and West Ham have identified the 24-year-old as a loan target, but it is understood Zirkzee’s heart is set on a return to Italy.
Marc Guehi
As The i Paper reported back in October, sources close to Guehi insist he is seriously tempted to wait until the summer before leaving Palace, in order to secure a dream move to Real Madrid.
The Spanish giants are keen to reinforce their backline in the summer and have identified Guehi as a top target. Liverpool’s need is more desperate, with Arne Slot hoping to add to his central defensive options in January.
Palace are open to selling now, so they can avoid losing him for nothing. The Reds are likely to at least make an approach in the coming weeks.
Ivan Toney
If Toney is going to have any chance of making the World Cup he needs to get on Thomas Tuchel’s radar promptly, and given how he has disappeared from the England reckoning that doesn’t appear likely in the Saudi Pro League.
The i Paper has been told he is settled in Saudi Arabia but is open to offers from England if a team meets Al-Ahli’s valuation.
Everton would dearly lovely a striker of his calibre but the financials don’t work. He would be tailor-made for a West Ham or Nottingham Forest.
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