The January transfer window has officially opened. It’s a crucial part of the season where players, not just clubs, can improve their outlook for the rest of the season. Last season, Jesse Lingard stole the headlines following a January loan move to West Ham United. With the 2022 World Cup now less than a year away, which players need a January transfer to reignite their chances of going to Qatar?
5 Players Who Need A January Transfer To Revive Their Career
January Transfers Could Helps These Players’ World Cup Chances
Joe Gomez
The last year has been a disaster for Joe Gomez’s career. After Virgil Van Dijk’s injury, Gomez had kicked on and become a leader at the heart of Liverpool’s defence. The Reds hadn’t lost since Van Dijk’s injury when Gomez himself suffered a freak knee injury in England training. The disaster that followed convinced Liverpool into signing Ibrahima Konate in the summer and Gomez is now Liverpool’s fourth-choice centre-back. He hasn’t started a single Premier League game and when he has played it’s mostly been as a right-back.
Interest in Gomez is high, with Real Madrid reportedly keeping tabs on the England international. Aston Villa may also be a possible destination after Axel Tuanxebe’s loan from Manchester United was canceled. However, the likelihood of Gomez getting a January transfer is relatively low. Nat Phillips is expected to leave Anfield this window and selling Gomez too would leave Liverpool with only 3 senior centre-backs again. Unfortunately for Gomez, the usually injury-prone Joel Matip hasn’t been injured all season. Gomez will likely have to hope for better luck and more opportunities in 2022.
Jesse Lingard
The previously mentioned Jesse Lingard is in the exact same situation he was in last season. There is simply no room for him in the Manchester United attack. Like Gomez, Lingard hasn’t started a single league game despite scoring a goal every 48 minutes when he has featured. Last season at West Ham, Lingard scored nine goals and registered 4 assists in just 16 games. Lingard proved he can be a key player for a team looking to qualify for Europe but Manchester United have enough depth in attack without him and he needs to leave for the good of his career.
Recent Social media activity has hinted Lingard wants a move back to the London Stadium and West Ham fans would welcome him back with open arms. Manchester United is in a top-four race with The Hammers and may be reluctant to strengthen a rival. Newcastle United are also interested in the England international and a loan move could be on the cards.
Anthony Martial
Sevilla is ready to prioritise Anthony Martial in order to give the Manchester United striker a second chance. Martial has scored just once this season and has only started two league games. Since scoring 17 league goals in the 2019/20 season, Martial has really struggled. He has only scored five goals since and the arrival of Cristiano Ronaldo has seen his playing time dramatically reduced. A January transfer would give Martial a chance to make France’s World Cup squad over Wissam Ben Yedder.
A Sevilla move is most likely for Martial, with the Spanish side giving him the chance to play in the Europa League unlike moves to other English sides. Newcastle are ready to pay a £6 million loan fee for Martial but they will have to convince the Frenchman to join their relegation fight.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang
Former club-captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has been one of the only negatives in a good few months for Arsenal. The Gabon international has had a season full of disciplinary problems and his time at The Emirates looks to be coming to an end. Once one of the Premier League’s best strikers, Aubameyang has scored just 4 league goals this season.
Newcastle has been linked to almost every player looking for a move. They’re reportedly ready to sign Aubameyang on a loan-to-buy deal. Aubameyang may see this as a chance to prove he can still score regular goals in the Premier League or he may just see the January transfer as another chance to get paid. Signing the forward would be a risk but if it pays off he could fire Newcastle to Premier League survival.
Nat Phillips
The hero of Liverpool’s top-four charge last season, Nat Phillips needs to leave Anfield to continue his career’s positive momentum. Phillips has only appeared in the cup competitions this season and even made an appearance for Liverpool’s U21’s in the Papa Johns Trophy. A good performance against AC Milan in the Champions League kept his stock high but it’s now time for Phillips to be sold as he’s Liverpool’s fifth choice centre-back.
West Ham United has shown interest in Phillips with injuries leaving them thin at the back. Liverpool is looking for a £15 million fee for the Englishman who has spoken openly about wanting a move. “I’m going to see what comes along and go from there. I think at this moment in time it’s unlikely that I’ll be playing lots of games for Liverpool, so if an opportunity arises where I get the chance to do that somewhere else and it suits everyone then it’s certainly something I’d be interested in” Phillips said.
Main Image Credit Embed from Getty Images
Comments are closed.