Part two features Premier League clubs from Manchester United to West Ham.
In the second part of our look at who Premier League clubs need to sign this month we’ve got, in the words of Andy Townsend, some top, top players, alongside a few outside shouts.
We look at an exciting Ukrainian playmaker ready to secure an outsider in the top four, the potential return of a French maestro and a World Cup winner who would shore up a creaky defence. We also argue for the release of a wayward Liverpool striker (No, not that one!).
Manchester United
If you’ve seen even 5 minutes of Manchester United in action this season then you’ll know the team desperately needs at least one top class centre half. Mats Hummels appears tailor-made for Louis van Gaal’s side.
The 26-year-old is exactly the type of classy defender, who begins moves from the back, that the United manager needs. Hummels is also a strong tackler and excellent at reading the game.
However, the German may not want to leave this month and his club have refuted any suggestions he’ll be sold. Hummels is Dortmund’s captain, the club are in a perilous domestic position and there’s still a Champions League campaign to resume. A big money offer may force Dortmund’s hand though.
Newcastle United
Who Newcastle will sign is anyone’s guess. What Newcastle need, other than a new manager, is defensive cover. Steven Taylor will miss the rest of the season with an achilles injury, leaving the side short of options at centre half. Fabian Schär would be an excellent signing for the Magpies.
In fact, the highly rated Swiss defender would be a good signing for most Premier League teams. Schär has been linked with a move to Arsenal, and may not fancy swapping a Champions League campaign with Basle for the sometime basket case of Newcastle. However, the club has previous as a good move for young European players. Yohan Cabaye got a big money move to PSG due to his form with the Magpies, and Moussa Sissoko could be about to follow suit this month.
Schär is also out of contract in the summer, meaning the 23-year-old would be available at a reduced price and have excellent sell-on value.
Queens Park Rangers
We know what you’re thinking. Transfer window plus Harry Redknapp equals Jermaine Defoe and/or Peter Crouch. Maybe not this time, but ‘Arry could make a move for another of his former players, Emmanuel Adebayor.
With Spurs looking to be rid of the Togolese striker, QPR could make a cut price deal. While the 30-year-old doesn’t exactly seem like the type suited to a relegation battle, in some ways his career was always destined for Loftus Road, the Premier League’s last stop for ne’er do wells. Adebayor also played some of the best football under Redknapp and would face enough former teams for the remainder of the season that he may even be motivated.
Southampton
Southampton’s challenge for a top four place shows no sign of dissipating, and what better way to state their ambitions than signing a player all of their rivals have been linked with? Yevhen Konoplyanka almost joined Liverpool last year, and has been repeatedly linked a move to Spurs. The Ukrainian forward has just six months left on his deal with Dnipro and would be great business for any club in the upper echelons of the Premier League.
Konoplyanka plays primarily on the left of a forward three, possesses a fierce shot and an eye for a pass. The 25-year-old would form a fearsome frontline for the Saints if he were to join, alongside the equally talented Dusan Tadic on the opposite flank. Competition for Konoplyanka will be strong, but Southampton would really send out a bold statement if they were to sign the Ukrainian.
Stoke City
Stoke made an attempt to sign Xherdan Shaqiri, who amazingly chose to sign for Inter Milan instead. Philipp Wollscheid is much more of a Stoke signing. The German is 6’4, a centre half and will fit in well at the tallest football team in the Premier League. Shaqiri probably would’ve struggled on a cold, windy night in Stoke anyway.
Sunderland
Gus Poyet’s side have won just three of their fixtures so far this season, and have a league high of 11 draws with goals hard to find for Sunderland. The Black Cats have scored the third fewest amount with just 18 in 20 games. Strikers such as Steven Fletcher and Conor Wickham are out of from, while Jozy Altidore is, according to website whoscored.com, the worst performing player in the league.
If Sunderland are to turn a relegation battle into mid-table mediocrity, goals are needed, and they could do worse than snap up Lasse Vibe. The striker finished top goalscorer for IFK Göteborg in the Swedish league, registering 23 goals in 26 appearances. Although the set-up to the Premier League is significant, the 27-year-old Danish striker would represent decent value at around £1 million. He couldn’t do any worse than Altidore.
Swansea City
Swansea look to be in the market for a striker to replace the departed Wilfried Bony and have been linked to Aleksandar Mitrovic, the Anderlecht forward who scored against Arsenal in the Champions League earlier this season. The 20-year-old Serbian has been in excellent form for the Belgian champions, scoring 26 goals in 52 appearances over the past two seasons.
Mitrovic is a highly rated talent, and may want to hold out for a move to a club playing in European competition. But Swansea could represent a progressive step in his career, particularly considering the path Bony’s career has took since joining the Welsh club. A potential fee of £15 million would also be a wise investment for Swansea.
Tottenham Hotspur
Spurs may not have replaced Gareth Bale, but it could be argued Luka Modric left an equally large void upon leaving in 2012. The Croatian has proven to be among the best midfielders in the world, and was instrumental for Real Madrid in their successful Champions League campaign last season. Meanwhile, Modric’s replacements at Spurs have struggled.
Paulinho and Mousa Dembélé have both failed to convince, losing their place to Ryan Mason. The academy product has performed admirably, but Spurs could do with an upgrade if their ambitions of a top four place are to be realised. Yohan Cabaye would be ideal.
The midfielder has barely played for PSG since joining last January, and would represent great business for any ambitious Premier League side. Cabaye is excellent in possession, a strong tackler and a reads the game very well.
The 28-year -old was Newcastle’s key player before returning to his native France. The Magpies won 47.4% of the games Cabaye started, compared to 21.7% when the midfielder was out of the side. Cabaye could have a similar impact as Modric once did with Spurs.
West Bromwich Albion
When Tony Pulis was appointed West Brom head coach last week, such was the general consensus that the Baggies would be safe, it was surprising fans didn’t storm the Hawthorns ground and invade the pitch celebrating their Premier League safety for another season. There are still 18 games to be played. West Brom are only a point above the relegation zone and look set to lose their star player Saido Berahino.
Pulis will need to strengthen the squad this month and Rickie Lambert could be the man for the job. The centre-forward completed a dream move last summer to his boyhood club Liverpool, but it hasn’t worked out.
It’s difficult to see what use the player is to Liverpool. Brendan Rodgers prefers players with pace, and a move for Berahino would push Lambert further down the pecking order. The 32-year-old may not be in Rodgers’ plans, but he’d be of great use to Pulis and West Brom.
West Ham
West Ham may be in the market for a new centre-half, should Winston Reid leave this month. The New Zealand defender is in the final six months of his contract and has reportedly attracted interest from clubs such as Arsenal and Manchester United. Reid’s departure would leave a void, but Ezequiel Garay would be more than capable of steadying the Hammers’ defence.
The defender currently plays for Zenit St Petersburg, but, with the Russian economy faltering due to the falling price of the rouble, the club could be forced to move players out. Garay is a player of Champions League pedigree, but West Ham have proved capable of signing big name players, on expensive wages, in the recent past. The Argentine, even on a short-term deal, would be a major transfer coup for Sam Allardyce’s side.
Here’s part one if you missed it.
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