There are gems to be found at Bayer Leverkusen, as well as in Portugal and the Netherlands. Man Utd have plenty of striker options to choose from in January.
10) Matt O’Riley (Celtic)
The Denmark international might have signed a new contract a few months back but it is unlikely he would fight to stay at Celtic if a big boy from the Premier League came calling.
The 23-year-old is probably the best player in Scotland and has impressed with 17 goal contributions in 21 league appearances in 2023/24. He also provided three assists as Celtic finished bottom of their Champions League group.
O’Riley is not only a demon going forward, but he offers a lot defensively and has shown he is ready for the jump to Our League.
9) Antonio Silva (Benfica)
One of the highest-rated youngsters in world football, Silva has been linked with the Premier League’s big seven, so will probably end up at Real Madrid.
At the age of 20, the Portuguese centre-back is tidy in possession, solid in the tackle, but pretty poor in the air, ranking very low for aerials won per match and aerial won percentage when compared to other defenders in Europe.
Despite his shortcomings, Silva is one for the future and will probably leave Benfica this year. Fingers crossed it’s this month.
READ MORE: Benfica, Ajax, Porto the experts – 21st century net spend champions table features no English clubs
8) Joey Veerman (PSV)
The best midfielder in the Eredivisie last year, Veerman is a dead-ball specialist who loves an assist.
It would be interesting to see what sort of level he can perform at in the Premier League. It’s hard to tell whether or not he will end up at a Burnley, Fulham, Newcastle United or Arsenal. Either way, we reckon he would thrive.
147 – @PSV’s Joey Veerman created more chances in the league than any other player in the Top 10 European competitions this calendar year (147). Artist. pic.twitter.com/d9Mj40SLol
— OptaJohan (@OptaJohan) December 31, 2023
7) Joshua Zirkzee (Bologna)
There are going to be a lot of strikers on the move this year and one we are investing our stocks in is Bologna’s Zirkzee. The 22-year-old has seven goals and two assists in 18 Serie A appearances this season.
Zirkzee reportedly has a £34.4m release clause in his contract, which is nothing these days, especially for a Premier League club. Standing at 6’3″, the young Dutchman is a physical presence up top but the boy can play, averaging 1.56 key passes per game.
Manchester United might be looking for a more experienced player to come in this month, but if they feel like easing the burden on Rasmus Hojlund with a player in the same age bracket, they could do a lot worse than Zirkzee.
6) Jean-Clair Todibo (Nice)
Speaking of Manchester United, they could also do with a central defender. Available for a similar price to Zirkzee, Nice’s Todibo is a great option.
Tottenham have also been linked with the French defender but it looks like Ange Postecoglou prefers Radu Dragusin at Genoa, which could give the Red Devils a free run at Todibo. We say ‘could’, as Chelsea are also hovering. Because of course they are.
Todibo is an excellent ball-playing centre-back who is well-suited to Premier League football. A 2024 move feels inevitable.
5) Serhou Guirassy (Stuttgart)
The Stuttgart goal machine reportedly has a very tasty £15m release clause in his contract, making him the bargain of the window if he leaves the German outfit.
Guirassy has only done it at Stuttgart, so there are plenty of reservations over the signing. Is it just a purple patch? Does he have what it takes to score goals in the Premier League? Time will tell on the former and we are hoping to find out about the latter.
Even if he does flop, it is a very low-risk signing due to the release clause. Manchester United paid a relatively similar amount to sign Odion Ighalo on loan, after all.
4) Viktor Gyokeres (Sporting)
We are in full swing now. Strikers are going to be the theme of the January transfer window with Chelsea, Manchester United and Arsenal all keen on bringing one in.
After his goalscoring exploits for Coventry City, nobody in the Premier League wanted to take a chance on Gyokeres, but Portuguese giants Sporting did. It is fair to say the signing has paid off already. Eighteen goals in 21 appearances is pretty handy and regretful Premier League teams are reportedly having a look.
It would be great to see Gyokeres – who has everything a top striker requires – given the chance to play in Our League. It won’t be easy, though. If Sporting are anything like their rivals Benfica, they will fight for an extortionate fee to sell the Sweden international.
3) Any of Bayer Leverkusen’s flying squad
Xabi Alonso is doing one hell of a job at Bayer Leverkusen, so why not completely decimate all of his good work? Jeremie Frimpong, Edmond Tapsoba, Piero Hincapie, Alex Grimaldo, Florian Wirtz, Victor Boniface and Jonas Hofmann are some of the many players who should be on the shopping list of multiple Premier League clubs.
Alonso is obviously keen to hold on to his best players and given the football they are playing, it will be hard to see anyone actively push for a January transfer, but money talks.
2) Santiago Gimenez (Feyenoord)
The best striker who would likely be open to a January transfer, Mexico international Gimenez has been scoring goals for fun in the Netherlands. He has 18 in 16 Eredivisie matches this term.
PSV have already won the league and Feyenoord are out of the Champions League, so the transfer feels very realistic. Will Arsenal and Chelsea hold out for Victor Osimhen in the summer, or will one see the light and bring in Gimenez in January? It needs to happen.
1) Arthur Vermeeren (Antwerp)
A fully evolved Veerman, but seven years his junior, Vermeeren is arguably the best teenager in the world at the moment.
Every one of the Premier League’s big seven have been linked with the young Belgian at one point or another and if he doesn’t come to England, he is destined for one of Bayern Munich, Barcelona or Real Madrid.
The 18-year-old midfielder is already one of the best players in the Belgian Pro League and with Antwerp struggling this season, he should make the jump this month. A six-month loan back to his current club would work pretty well, too.
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