With the January transfer window set to be shortly upon us, let’s take a look at what the giants in the Premier League should utilize this window for:
- Manchester United – The club that you probably thought would be flying after they spent somewhere in the region of $300 million in the summer. So I thought too. But, as Van Gaal is finding out right now, it’s not about how much you spend, rather who you spend it on that really matters. Louis Van Gaal is certainly under immense pressure now after what had seemed like a good start to the new season where Manchester United were top for a day or two, believe it or not. As many experts have already said, a run of 1-0 victories always finishes with either you on the wrong end of it or you hammering the opposition like Inter Milan have done after to end their record-breaking run of 1-0 wins. And as you’ve probably already found out, in the case of Manchester United, it was the former. Van Gaal’s priorities are still the same, and that is to add some much-needed quality to the squad, along with experience. He will probably be looking to add reinforcements in every single department (given that he is still there come January), but most importantly, he needs a world-class centre-back. No, Smalling is great, but he isn’t going to guide them to the league title. They need someone to lead the defence, and right at the top of that list sits Mats Hummels of Borussia Dortmund. He will be reluctant to leave Dortmund though, as they’ve been really impressive this season and are tipped by many, myself included, to finish second after Bayern in the Bundesliga.
- Manchester City – The utmost priority for City, as always, is to acquire a top-notch striker that will play up front when Agüero is injured (that is, the majority of the season). But, someone that is of a similar calibre, if not the same, when compared to the Argentinian. There are plenty of exciting prospects out there, but in my perspective, there are only a few that fit the bill for success at City. The first choice would’ve easily been Alexandre Lacazette, but since he’s out injured for the rest of the season, they will be forced to wait until the summer if they do decide to pursue his signature. Someone else that I think would fancy a move to City would be Mauro Icardi of Inter Milan, who hasn’t hit the same heights of last season yet but has recently been on target for the last two matches, scoring 3 goals. And, since it’s impossible to go on without mentioning his name, Jamie Vardy, who everyone wants this January.
- Arsenal – Arsenal’s chances of winning the title have taken a surprising turn towards the good, as the gunners are favorites this season with inconsistency affecting every other candidate more rigorously than themselves. Arsène Wenger has already said that he will be looking to add reinforcements in January though he refused to name anyone in particular. Well played, Arsène.Anyhow, Arsenal should be searching the transfer market for a defensive midfielder with their primary option, Francis Coquelin, set to miss at least two months, and him never really being the preferred choice in that position, but rather a result of Wenger’s make-do tactics. They’ve constantly been linked to William Carvalho over the past year or two, so maybe this is the time that they act. Though, mind you, Wenger would be furious if he missed out on yet another superstar in Rúben Neves of FC Porto, as the 18-year old has been making waves in the Portuguese league this season, as well as the Champions League. I’m sure Chelsea will remember. 🙂
Who do you think will be the “Superstar Transfer”, so to speak, during this Winter Transfer Window? Leave a comment down below!
