Picking a realistic January signing for every Premier League club

The winter transfer window is a little bit like the festive period it follows — you don’t always get what you want.

Just like in the summer window, there’s typically a fervent desire among fanbases to see their club bring in fresh blood, whether that be to arrest a season in terminal decline or give a team the kind of quality that could prove pivotal in a bid for silverware.

But in the era of the Premier League’s profit and sustainability rules (PSR), making the ideal signing in January is trickier than ever.

Nonetheless we’ve tasked The Athletic’s Premier League writers with picking out a realistic January signing that every club could make between now and February 3.

Some will feel like obvious fits, others truly speculative — but it’s free to dream, right?

---

Arsenal

Arsenal need a centre-forward. With Gabriel Jesus out with a long-term injury, the burden on Kai Havertz is too great. Their long-term targets like Alexander Isak and Benjamin Sesko are well known, but look unattainable in this window. If Arsenal are really committed to Isak or Sesko, maybe a short-term solution makes sense.

If Brighton & Hove Albion are prepared to part with Evan Ferguson on loan, that seems like a deal with a lot of potential upside. Of course, another loan signing would require Arsenal to either terminate one of their existing loans for Raheem Sterling and goalkeeper Neto, or make them permanent.

It’s a bit convoluted but if Arsenal could agree a fee to sign Neto permanently, then signing Ferguson on loan might be a gamble worth taking.

James McNicholas

Aston Villa

Axel Disasi would not be Villa’s first-choice central defender but having seen talks break down for Sevilla defender Loic Bade and other players move out of their price range — the club are very mindful of PSR this summer — he would represent a solid fit for Unai Emery.

Disasi can play either side of central defence as well as right-back, which suits the criteria of the position under Emery, who wants that player to form a back three in possession and be far more defensively minded than the left-back.

Personal terms are not thought to be an issue, with just an agreement with Chelsea over a possible loan fee needing to be finalised. Ezri Konsa is the only central defender currently fit, so Disasi would also provide additional depth.

Jacob Tanswell

Bournemouth

Bournemouth are well set up for the future, with two players for every position.

By signing Julio Soler this month, they have a backup and potential long-term successor for the impressive Milos Kerkez if he departs in the summer, by when a decision will need to be made in goal too, with starter Kepa Arrizabalaga’s loan from Chelsea ending.

The urgent need for Andoni Iraola’s side, though, is a striker, with Evanilson (broken metatarsal) and Enes Unal (ACL) out injured for the near future.

Dango Ouattara has played up front and even got a hat-trick in a 5-0 rout of Nottingham Forest last weekend. Antoine Semenyo can play there too, but a centre-forward could prove useful in the run-in, with European qualification for next season within reach.

This would be a left-field move but loaning in Sergi Guardiola, who scored eight goals in 32 La Liga matches for Rayo Vallecano under Iraola in 2021-22, could prove useful.

Guardiola, 33, re-joined Rayo on a one-year deal last September after leaving Cadiz. He has received just 75 league minutes this season, with Sergio Camello, Isi Palazon and Randy Nteka all ahead in the pecking order.

Anantaajith Raghuraman

Brentford

Brentford have had an excellent transfer window as they signed Michael Kayode on loan from Fiorentina with an option to buy and extended the contracts of Keane Lewis-Potter, Aaron Hickey and Mikkel Damsgaard.

There is no obvious weakness in the squad now that Kayode has arrived to add depth at full-back, so I am going to cheat. The players Thomas Frank needs are already at Brentford — the problem is Hickey and Igor Thiago’s seasons have been disrupted by injury.

Thiago has only made four appearances in the Premier League, for a grand total of 130 minutes since he joined Brentford for a club-record fee of €36.5million (£30.5m at today’s exchange rate) last year. He is supposed to be Ivan Toney’s long-term replacement.

Forgive me the cliche but he will feel like a new signing when he recovers from an infected joint, which is the latest issue to ruin his first 12 months in west London. Hickey has not played since October 2023 due to a troublesome hamstring injury but there is hope he will return before the end of this campaign.

Jay Harris

Brighton

Brighton need a central defender as back-up, which is tricky to achieve.

Skipper Lewis Dunk and Dutch international Jan Paul van Hecke are first choices when fit, with Brazilian Igor Julio ruled out for the season after hamstring surgery.

A newcomer would be vying as third or fourth pick for the rest of the campaign with Adam Webster, who has recently returned from hamstring damage.

Igor will be back next season but there is potential to progress in an ageing area (Dunk is 33 years old, Webster 30).

Long-time target Eiran Cashin at Championship strugglers Derby County is the right age (23), with the type of profile for improvement.

Andy Naylor

Chelsea

You could argue it is actually quite difficult to say what Chelsea need the most right now given they are struggling in many areas on the pitch.

Chelsea have ruled out signing another goalkeeper or defender and are looking at a left-sided winger, striker and possibly a midfielder, so let’s use that as a starting point.

All three have their arguments as a priority but another wide player does not address the biggest concern, even though Mykhailo Mudryk is at risk of a lengthy ban should a B sample for taking a banned substance come back positive.

Chelsea should just recall one of Andrey Santos (Strasbourg) or Lesley Ugochukwu (Southampton) from their loans to strengthen midfield, which needs help due to Romeo Lavia’s injury issues and Moises Caicedo beginning to look in need of some rotation.

So, by process of elimination, they really need to concentrate their financial resources on finding more goals up top and someone to take the pressure off Nicolas Jackson.

A centre-forward is usually the most expensive of all, particularly in January when clubs don’t want to sell, but the team would get a real lift if Ipswich Town frontman Liam Delap arrived.

Chelsea had a good view of the problems Delap can cause when the 21-year-old inspired a 2-0 victory against them last month. Just like Jackson, he can give Chelsea an out-ball, run in behind and down the channels, plus obviously score goals.

Simon Johnson

Crystal Palace

Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner has been very open about his desire to strengthen, as well as about the clear assurances he has received about the two positions he would like to strengthen in.

The ‘versatile attacker’ brief was filled by Romain Esse, signed from south London rivals Millwall, who scored with his first touch on debut against Brentford on Sunday.

Palace also want a left wing-back to compete with the near-omnipresent Tyrick Mitchell, who is clearly fatigued after several seasons without adequate cover and rotation.

With that in mind, Slavia Prague’s El Hadji Malick Diouf is the right profile: plenty of room to improve at just 20 years old and proficient in attack, both dribbling and shooting.

A left-field option is Lyon’s full-back Sael Kumbedi, 19, who has played on both sides of defence and is admired. Whether Palace have the funds and determination to get a deal done in time remains to be seen.

Max Mathews

Everton

Just one player for Everton before the window closes? Well, this will be tricky.

Given their recent injury problems and their overall lack of depth, they could arguably do with reinforcements across the board, so I’m looking for a hybrid goalscoring forward/creative midfielder/pacy winger/crossing left-back.

Any ideas? Me neither.

To boil it down though, Everton need goals. They are the second-lowest scorers in the league with just 19 in 22 games, and have to find a way to create and finish more chances.

They should just about get by in other positions but Beto is their only available striker after injuries to Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Armando Broja and youngster Youssef Chermiti, and the stocks on both flanks are also thin.

There’s not loads of wiggle room on PSR but bringing in someone like PSV winger Johan Bakayoko or Brighton’s in-demand striker Evan Ferguson (on loan) would give David Moyes’ side a big boost.

Patrick Boyland

Fulham

Speculation coming out of Fulham has been unusually quiet but vice-chairman Tony Khan rarely misses an opportunity to make a deal. Since his father, Shahid, took over the club in 2013, Fulham have never let a January window pass without bringing in at least one player.

This year could buck the trend but if anyone is to arrive, a midfielder is top of the list. Injuries have limited head coach Marco Silva’s options in central midfield, so Tony Khan might be tempted to throw his hat into the ring for Juventus’s Douglas Luiz.

The out-of-favour Brazilian proved across five seasons at Aston Villa that he can be a top-class performer in the Premier League. The main issue for Fulham? Manchester City topping the long list of clubs sniffing around.

Still, with Juventus seemingly desperate to shift the Brazilian, don’t rule out Khan chancing his arm at pulling off a late coup.

Justin Guthrie

Ipswich Town

Ipswich have been reliant on Liam Delap for creative output and ball progression this season. While George Hirst has looked lively in flashes, he’s had three lengthy spells out with injury in 13 months, and it’s risky to depend on him as the sole understudy to Delap.

Ipswich attempted to sign another striker in the summer but pulled out of a loan deal for Armando Broja on deadline day given how long he was due to be sidelined for. Allowing Ali Al-Hamadi to join Stoke City this month could pave the way for a new addition to ease the burden up front.

Kieran McKenna’s style favours a strong forward with a tireless work-rate — a modern-day Shefki Kuqi, if you will.

Evan Ferguson is likely too ambitious of a target but Luton Town’s Elijah Adebayo also fits that profile. While he has struggled for form this season, the 27-year-old has proven Premier League pedigree after hitting double figures last term.

Ali Rampling

Leicester City

What is Leicester City’s greatest need before the transfer window? Although they have four senior central defenders, the fact they have kept just one clean sheet all season would suggest this is the area to strengthen.

The word “realistic” is problematic. There are few funds and no space for a Premier League loan. Even players possibly available on the continent might be out of reach, like Fikayo Tomori at AC Milan, who could be available on loan.

Leicester need the next Robert Huth and Tomori’s ability and experience would prove pivotal, but they are now shopping in different markets than before their relegation of 2023.

Ben Godfrey would have been more realistic but Ipswich have swooped first to get him on loan from Atalanta.

Ruud van Nistelrooy could use his contacts in his native Netherlands to find a solution and Feyenoord defender David Hancko, a 27-year-old Slovakia international, fits the bill but would likely be way out of Leicester’s price range.

Rob Tanner

Liverpool

Liverpool doing business… well, never say never, I guess, but that makes the idea of a “realistic” target slightly problematic.

My selection is not just because Ajax defender Jorrel Hato — a friend of midfielder Ryan Gravenberch — was spotted at Anfield watching Liverpool’s dominant 4-1 victory over Ipswich last weekend, I promise.

The Ajax defender would make a lot of sense. The 18-year-old is a versatile defender with bags of potential and ability; he would add further depth at centre-back and left-back ahead of a push for multiple trophies in the second half of the season.

Whether Virgil van Dijk signs a new contract or not, his eventual successor will need to be found in the heart of the defence, and upgrading at left-back has quickly become a key priority.

Andy Jones

Manchester City

With the need for this player to be a realistic signing, the field gets pretty limited. Somebody like Bruno Guimaraes or Martin Zubimendi would seem like good fits in terms of physicality and ability in possession, but neither are going to happen at this stage. City have been trying to sign Douglas Luiz and at this stage, that is the most realistic, so the answer is probably him.

If he were to arrive on loan, then that would be even better as City would not necessarily have to sign him in the summer in case they have other options lined up.

Douglas Luiz was previously on the books at City and Pep Guardiola personally attended his work permit hearing in 2019, but he did not get the relevant permissions to play in the UK and City had to loan him out.

He has Premier League experience, is loosely familiar with the City set-up thanks to his time at sister club Girona, and with seemingly no other options currently on the table, Douglas Luiz would tick a few boxes at a time when City definitely need to strengthen midfield.

Sam Lee

Manchester United

United’s priority at the start of the window was a wing-back given their importance to Ruben Amorim’s system and, despite significant financial headwinds, the signing of Patrick Dorgu from Lecce in an initial €30m (£25.2m) deal is nearing completion.

Room for one more? Given budgets are tight, that likely depends on outgoings but Marcus Rashford’s future remains unresolved and although Alejandro Garnacho has been the subject of interest from Napoli and Chelsea, the prospect of both staying put beyond the deadline remains firmly on the table.

Were either to leave, and with Antony sent out to Real Betis, Amorim would be short of options in attack. United need to start buying younger and with a longer-term vision, hence the Dorgu move.

Circumstances would likely force United to think short-term, though. Mathys Tel is only 19 years old and would be of interest if made available for loan by Bayern Munich.

Mark Critchley

Newcastle United

Curiously, post-takeover, there are two positions which Newcastle have so far failed to materially strengthen. It is not for a lack of trying that a right-sided centre-back and a right winger have not been signed, but they remain the priority areas to bolster.

The latter is more essential in the immediate term, given that Dan Burn, Sven Botman and Fabian Schar are competing for the two centre-back slots right now, whereas Miguel Almiron’s imminent return to Atlanta United leaves Jacob Murphy as the only out-and-out right-sided forward option.

He has three goals and eight assists in the Premier League this season, so more than justifies his place, but with Harvey Barnes also injured, Newcastle are short of depth on the flanks.

Antoine Semenyo would be an ideal addition — and not merely because he terrorised Newcastle during Bournemouth’s 4-1 victory on Tyneside this month. His pace and directness would ideally suit Eddie Howe’s style and the Newcastle head coach is far from the only admirer of the 25-year-old’s talents inside St James’ Park.

A January move was always seen as unrealistic and unaffordable, but Semenyo’s name will almost certainly feature during discussions ahead of the summer.

Chris Waugh

Nottingham Forest

As Nuno Espirito Santo has stated, the key factor for Forest is only signing players who will be an improvement on what they have already got — which is not an easy task.

Forest have been fiercely defensively resolute and ruthlessly dangerous on the counter-attack, with numerous options in every area of the pitch, barring one.

Chris Wood has arguably been their most important player, with his 14 goals amounting to more than half of the club’s tally of 27 in the Premier League.

But with Taiwo Awoniyi (understandably) looking like a man who hasn’t played much football, there remains the worrying question of what would happen if Wood was missing through injury or suspension.

Forest do not intend to do much business in January but their attempts to sign Yoane Wissa make perfect sense. The Brentford man would not only provide competition in the No 9 role but is also capable of playing wider on the left.

Forest have had one offer of £22m rejected and it remains to be seen if a deal will be possible but signing Wissa, or a player of his ilk, could make a huge difference to their hopes of Champions League qualification.

Paul Taylor

Southampton

The answer here feels like it should be “half the squad” in the hope of sparking a huge revival for Southampton but for the purposes of the exercise — a striker.

With the exits of summer flops Ben Brereton Diaz and Maxwel Cornet this month, and Ross Stewart spending more time on the treatment table than the pitch since signing, Ivan Juric’s options are limited to Paul Onuachu, Adam Armstrong and Cameron Archer.

Southampton are the Premier League’s lowest scorers and while it feels obvious to say “a striker” for any struggling team, putting more chances away is a must if they are to at least get relegated while showing some fight.

There are a few free-scoring forwards from the Championship like Norwich’s Borja Sainz or West Brom’s Josh Maja, who might fit the bill whatever happens at the end of the season. Or for a proven short-term solution, dare we suggest Danny Ings or throwing everything at trying to get Evan Ferguson? The latter seems pretty unlikely with plenty of clubs in the mix for him. Let’s face it, Southampton are a hard sell at the moment.

Nancy Froston

Tottenham Hotspur

Tottenham’s first-choice centre-backs Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven have been unavailable since they picked up muscle injuries in a defeat by Chelsea on December 8. Romero is back in training and his defensive partner is edging closer to a return too.

This means that the area of the squad which desperately requires help is up front. Dominic Solanke and Brennan Johnson have been ruled out for several weeks with knee and calf injuries respectively, Richarlison came off at the beginning of the second half against Leicester with a groin problem and Timo Werner hurt his hamstring in the 3-0 FA Cup victory over Tamworth earlier this month.

Randal Kolo Muani rejected a move to Spurs to join Juventus, so they are scrambling to find an alternative. Ideally, they need to sign somebody capable of playing out wide and centrally.

Yoane Wissa fits the bill but Brentford have already rejected a £22m bid from Nottingham Forest and they are reluctant to sell him in this window.

Jay Harris

West Ham United

Of all the forwards West Ham have been linked with, Evan Ferguson would be the ideal fit. The 21-year-old has Premier League experience and previously played under Graham Potter at Brighton.

Ferguson is aware of Potter’s demands as a head coach, which would make it easier for the striker to adjust. At one point, Ferguson’s trajectory saw him linked with moves to Chelsea and Manchester United. Injuries, a loss of form and being down the pecking order have contributed towards his career stalling but Potter would help Ferguson rediscover his confidence, similar to the role he played in reviving Danny Welbeck’s career at Brighton.

The January transfer window has previously done wonders for West Ham: Jarrod Bowen and Tomas Soucek joined in 2020, while Jesse Lingard played a key role in the club securing European football after joining in 2021. Ferguson could follow suit under Potter.

Roshane Thomas

Wolverhampton Wanderers

Two years ago, Wolves made a relatively low-key signing for £3.3m that made a major impact on the club.

Whether they can find a 2025 equivalent of Craig Dawson remains to be seen — there are not too many of his ilk around — but it would be the ideal addition for Wolves.

Dawson’s race at Molineux now appears to be run but a similarly battle-hardened, experienced Premier League defender would be just what Wolves need.

In the absence of an obvious contender, though, they are pursuing a deal for the exciting Lens centre-back Kevin Danso, and his profile makes him look like a solid alternative to Dawson 2.0.

If they can pull off the deal, Danso would give Wolves added power and dynamism at the heart of defence, just as Dawson did for Julen Lopetegui. Wolves would just need to hope that the Austria international takes to life at Molineux as quickly as Dawson did.

Steve Madeley

(Top photos: Douglas Luiz, left, and Evan Ferguson; Getty Images)