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January Transfer Window: Who Needs What?

The January transfer window is almost upon us and, with rumours rife in the press about which players are set for big money mid-season moves, the time is right to assess which Premier League squads are in need of a complete overhaul, and which only need the odd tweak to help them achieve their individual targets.

Arsenal have been looking lightweight in midfield since the very beginning of the season. Everybody seems to have remarked on it at one point or another and, with Cesc now out injured for at least three or four months, at least one central midfielder is an absolute necessity for Gunners boss Wenger to splash out on as he looks to keep his side's title—or even Champions League—bid on track.

Another forward may also be on the agenda, especially if Nicklas Bendtner, who has been linked with moves to CSKA and Spartak Moscow, moves on from the Emirates. Fans would have you believe a central defender is high on the list of priorities too, but unless Toure leaves I can't see them bringing in any more defenders.

Aston Villa must be absolutely delighted with their first half of the season; sitting in third place and with more or less a full squad to choose from. Cuellar, Milner, and Young, all summer signings, seem to have settled in well and their midfield has a squad depth not seen for a while at Villa Park and Friedel has been an inspired signing in goal.

A potential problem for them could be if Agbonlahor picks up an injury; only Carew up front looks like he has a goal threat but his lack of pace means Villa would have to adjust their game plan to be without "Gabby."

Blackburn Rovers, with a new boss in Sam Allardyce, are a sure bet to dip into the transfer market next month. Not the bottomless pit of money for Rovers of previous generations, but the cost of relegation would be worse than the cost of shelling out 10 million or so for new players in January, so expect a couple of new faces.

A defender will no doubt be a top priority to play alongside Cristopher Samba, and if Santa Cruz does leave then a new forward will probably be brought in too. Though don't count on the Paraguayan front man leaving before the end of the season.

Bolton Wanderers a month ago were struggling to score goals and were slipping down the league; now Elmander seems to have found his scoring touch, aided by Matt Taylor's regular recent strikes, and they have been in a steady patch of form.

With no glaring weaknesses throughout the team aside from lack of goal scoring options, there seems to be no outstanding area they must improve upon. With free-scoring forwards always hard to find, don't be surprised to see a low cost or even loan "gamble" come in to play out the season at the Reebok, but high profile signings would be a surprise next month.

Chelsea as always are linked with a hundred players every time the window opens. In reality, although they might sign one or two, again high-profile signings are likely to be the exception rather than the rule. Another forward to back up Anelka and Drogba or a wide player to force Malouda to up his game seem a possibility, but expect no 30-million signings this winter to arrive at the Bridge.

Everton are a team desperately in need of attacking reinforcements. With Saha, Yakubu, Anichebe, and Vaughan all out injured, they have relied on Tim Cahill playing a front role in recent games, and though he is capable of getting important goals they certainly need to bolster their ranks.

Linked with the likes of Jo from Manchester City and Love from CSKA, the Toffees seemingly have money to spend and will surely be looking at someone to come in and net regularly.

Fulham seem to have found a good defensive balance this season; indeed only Manchester United and Chelsea have conceded more goals. However—anyone noticing the pattern yet? Only 16 goals scored in 17 games, and only two away from home, says it all about where Fulham need to improve. If there were 20 strikers going cheap in January the Premiership would be a happy place.

Hull City confuse me—I've seen plenty of their games recently and I don't think they are playing particularly well, yet because of the continual slip ups of teams below them they are still flying high in sixth position.

If any of the supposed top-half teams get their act together in terms of consistency then I still predict a fall for Hull, I don't think their squad is strong enough to sustain an entire season of surprises.

Zayatte has been a great signing and has forged a good partnership with Turner at the back, but a creative midfielder would certainly not go amiss to mix it with the likes of Ashbee and Marney in their workaholic midfield. Full marks to Mendy though for his performances this season on the right.

Liverpool are top of the table at the halfway stage on merit, and still plenty of people doubt their ability to stay there. This is not without reason; the Reds have gone so long without winning the league many supporters have never witnessed it.

The second half of the season will see Liverpool needing to improve on their home record if they are to stay at the top, and a creative wide player would go a long way towards solving the problems they have had there. Expect the likes of Lennon, Schweinsteiger, and Błaszczykowski to be linked again, but little other activity to trouble the Anfield cheque-signers.

Manchester City. Aaaah, where to begin, 40m, 50m, 100m, 200m? Nobody seems to know how much they've got to spend and who they will begin spending it on, but that doesn't stop the papers playing guess the signing whenever they are bored. Villa, Torres, Cesc, Ronaldo, and Buffon have all been linked but none will sign.

Expect City to make second-tier signings, the likes of (but perhaps not the exact names of) Podolski, Santa Cruz, Bridge, Warnock, or Valencia.

Manchester United probably don't need to bulk up their squad anymore; they seem to have a good squad depth this season. Perhaps in central midfield they could however increase their quality, rather than quantity.

Scholes, Fletcher, Anderson, Carrick, and Hargreaves are all capable of doing sterling jobs in their own fashion but none have really come out and stamped their authority over a run of games yet this season.

The Tevez-saga will no doubt continue until he does eventually sign permanently, which I have no doubt that he will, but not too many names should be joining the United squad list this winter.

Middlesborough have a fair squad at their disposal now but perhaps Southgate might feel he needs to trim two or three fairly run of the mill players to add the one or two better players who could make a difference to their league position.

Alves has yet to really hit form this season, Mido is rarely given a starting berth and Garry O'Neill is rumoured to be off to Portsmouth, so there is the possibility of comings and goings at the Riverside. Adam Johnson is also a reputed target of Real Madrid but I don't see it happening.

Newcastle United have already stated that Joe Kinnear will be given the funds to sign a couple of players if they are within budget and fit their plan, such as it is, but who will want to sign for them? The club is up for sale, players are out of contract in summer like Owen, Ameobi, Harper, and Butt and there is no permanent manager in place.

In fairness Kinnear has them playing better football now and has done his chances of landing the job permanently no harm but still, Newcastle flatters to deceive far too often in the transfer market and this winter may be a tough one for them in attracting players.

Portsmouth have money to burn following the confirmation of the sale of Lassana Diarra to Real Madrid and Tony Adams has said he will be given it all to spend. A long-term replacement for Sol Campbell, a wide attacker and a midfielder to replace Diarra himself will all surely be on Pompey's radar but who will be the names that fit the bill?

Valencia's ex-Arsenal midfielder Edu is reportedly attracting their interest but he has had terrible injury problems since switching to the Mestalla and is not the physical driving force that Diarra has been. Much will depend on Adam's personal outlook on how he wants to play the game and how much he dares switch from the way they played under mentor Harry Redknapp.

Stoke City supposedly have a few million to throw around and are still after Liverpool's Jermaine Pennant if reports are to be believed. However with Celtic also in the hunt they may be forced to look elsewhere after Pennant rejected them in the summer. Cardiff winger Joe Ledley is one who has been touted as an alternative.

Reinforcements for their back line may be in order too as they have shipped 20 goals away from home already this season. Sidibe, Kitson, and Fuller are charged with the goal-scoring task and only new boy Kitson has yet to weigh in with a fair amount, so this could be another area they look at.

Sunderland have yet to appoint a permanent boss after Roy Keane left earlier in the season, so whether or not they let Ricky Sbragia take charge of who comes and goes is up for debate. Forwards are one thing Sunderland have plenty of, and with Jones and Cisse the undisputed first choices its unlikely they will splash out to land another striker.

Malbranque, Tainio, Chimbonda, Ferdinand, and McCartney were all signed in the summer but there is probably money there if they want to spend it.

Tottenham Hotspur are another team under new management since the summer; Redknapp has had a chance by now to assess most of his squad and will know in his mind where he wants to improve.

A goalkeeper is the likely conclusion most people will jump to, but Gomes' performances recently have been markedly improved. A central defender would certainly not go amiss, with Ledley King incapable of running 20 yards without needing a rest and Michael Dawson still proving himself to be one minute as commanding as John Terry and the next minute as positionally aware as Titus Bramble wearing a blindfold on a bouncy castle.

Pavlyuchenko is another who has far from impressed, but Modric has excelled in his recent role playing off the lone striker.

West Bromwich Albion. Striker, striker, striker, striker. Some of WBA's approach play this season has been terrific, with the likes of Koren and Valero complementing the wide play of Brunt and Morrison. However, the final ball or the end strike has far too often let them down, and none of Moore, Bednar or Miller have been able to make a mark for themselves.

West Brom have confirmed that they will be bringing in Jay Simpson from Arsenal on loan, but is it youth and potential that West Brom need up front at the moment?

West Ham United are deemed to have next to nothing to spend. Zola may well have to sell to buy, meaning the likes of Upson, Bellamy, Behrami, Noble, and Green could all come under attack from buying clubs.

Not much insight on who could come in at the moment, but replacements for any who go out would obviously be a necessity as the Hammers do not have a big squad. Di Michele, Cole, Bellamy, and Ashton (when fit) are all capable of scoring goals but fringe midfielders such as Bowyer and Boa Morte add little to West Ham's play at the moment and could find themselves on the way out.

Wigan Athletic have already confirmed the signing of on-loan defender Figueroa from Deportivo Olimpia and may look to make the permanent signing of Amr Zaki. Heskey is potentially on his way out as Wigan look to avoid losing him on a free in Summer, and Kapo and Koumas are two more who may look to move to get some first team football.

Bruce has previously been given the backing of the owners to spend when he feels the need so don't be surprised to see a new arrival or two at the JJB next month, especially if they are under-the-radar deals of low-key, but effective, players.

Transfer Tips for January:

Błaszczykowski to Liverpool from Dortmund
Cavenaghi to Tottenham from Bordeaux
Veloso to Arsenal from Sporting
Bridge to Man City from Chelsea
Arshavin to Arsenal from Zenit
Lallana to Portsmouth from Southampton

By Karl Matchett [Bleacher Report]



Arsenal lose Cesc Fabregas for four months

If Arsenal are to win the Barclays Premier League title this season, they will have to do it mostly without Cesc Fàbregas. The influential midfield player and newly appointed captain of the North London club has been ruled out for up to four months after suffering a partial rupture of the medial ligament in his right knee.

Should Fàbregas’s recovery take longer than the gloomy prediction of Arsène Wenger yesterday, then the Spain player could yet miss the rest of the campaign. “It will take three to four months,” the Arsenal manager said. “That means we count four.”

Using Wenger’s timeframe as a guideline, Fàbregas will miss at least 25 matches in the Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup. It would leave him a maximum of eight games at the business end of the season in which to make an impact.

Assuming that, in his absence, Arsenal remain in contention for the league title and both cups, a less than fully match-fit Fàbregas would have to be thrown in straight at the deep end. A return after four months would allow him to play in the two legs of the Champions League semi-finals, on April 28/29 and May 5/6, and the final in Rome on May 27. He would also be available for the FA Cup Final at Wembley Stadium on May 30.

If those fixtures were not physically demanding enough, Arsenal will have four games left in the league and the matches against Chelsea at the Emirates Stadium on May 9 and Manchester United at Old Trafford on May 16 — both potential title-deciders — would fully test a rehabilitated knee.

Fàbregas, 21, was injured by a robust challenge from Xabi Alonso, his compatriot, in the 1-1 draw against Liverpool on Sunday. His reaction — covering his face with his shirt as he limped off the pitch — left no doubt as to how severe he felt that the injury might be.

Yesterday, his worst fears were confirmed, although no surgery is needed and Wenger — and Fàbregas — have absolved Alonso of any blame. “I have no complaints about the challenge,” the manager said. “It was fair and honest. It is the kind of thing that you accept in the game can happen. I don’t feel there was any intention to hurt. It was just accidental.

“The first really difficult period [for Fabregas] is the first six weeks, when you are in a brace and cannot move at all. You cannot practise. When they take the brace off, you can have rehabilitation and be busy all day. It is a massive blow because Cesc is a competitor who wants to play every day.”

Wenger will consider strengthening his squad in the transfer window next month. He has ruled out a move for Andrei Arshavin, the Zenit St Petersburg forward, and will be fortunate to find a replacement of calibre who will be eligible to play in the Champions League. “We are now more likely to buy in January,” Wenger said. “But we also have internal solutions.”

Lassana Diarra could have filled the gap left by Fàbregas yet Wenger sold him to Portsmouth for £5.5 million last January and the player has just moved on to Real Madrid for a reported fee of £20 million. “No, I have no regrets,” Wenger said. “We had a midfield that was Alexander Hleb, Cesc, Mathieu Flamini and Tomas Rosicky and he [Diarra] was behind that. He didn’t accept it. What can you do?”

A takeover of Arsenal that could have released funds for Wenger will not happen in the new year. Red & White Holdings, the investment company of Alisher Usmanov that has a 24 per cent shareholding in the club, said yesterday: “Red & White can confirm that its position is unchanged; it has no current intention to make an offer for Arsenal and is committing to this position for six months.” -Times Online