1 signing each Premier League club needs in the January transfer window
By Tom Gott
New Year has come and gone, and you know what that means... January transfer window!
For some Premier League teams, it'll be the final chance to make a change and save their season, while others will only be looking for one or two minor tweaks to keep them going until the end of the campaign.
Let's take a look at one signing each team should make now the window is officially open.
1. Arsenal - Christian Eriksen
If the entirety of the Premier League makes just one signing in January, it needs to be Arsenal bringing in a creative midfielder.
The Gunners are stuck with one of the most uninspiring midfielders in the league, and they need someone capable of unlocking defences and creating chances for the strikers.
Christian Eriksen would be the perfect candidate, and his exit from Inter seems inevitable.
2. Aston Villa - Milot Rashica
Villa look they're a goalscoring winger away from doing something special this season. Werder Bremen's Milot Rashica could be the perfect fix.
The 24-year-old, who is comfortable anywhere in attack, bagged eight goals and seven assists in the Bundesliga last season, and that's the kind of output Villa need from their wide men.
A new striker might be on the agenda as well, but all eyes will be on Wesley as he approaches a return from his lengthy injury lay-off.
3. Brighton - Glenn Murray
Brighton need goals, but they don't have the money to sign a blockbuster new striker.
Instead of dipping into the transfer market, Brighton's focus should be on finding a way to bring Glenn Murray back from his disasterous loan with Watford.
He's a reliable top-flight goalscorer who could use his experience to help nurture Aaron Connolly and Neal Maupay, who look like they need a level head to keep them going.
4. Burnley - Adam Smith
Another of those sides whose bank balance is going to make life hard in January, Burnley have a few areas in need of improvement, but none more so than right-back.
Matt Lowton and Phil Bardsley are both getting on in age and both look to be on the decline, so finding a replacement should be high on the agenda.
Bournemouth's Adam Smith has plenty of Premier League experience and is out of contract in the summer, meaning he might be available for cheap.
5. Chelsea - Declan Rice
Chelsea are one injury to N'Golo Kante away from imploding, and relying so heavily on a player who missed no less than 22 games in all competitions last year seems risky.
A new defensive midfielder is one of Frank Lampard's top priorities, and the only man in his sights is West Ham United's Declan Rice.
Sure, he's one of the more-expensive options out there, but if Chelsea can shift some of the deadwood in the squad, there might just be enough left in Roman Abramovich's bank account to get this done.
6. Crystal Palace - Christian Kouame
Christian Kouame was supposed to be a Palace player by now, only for a serious knee injury to rob him of the opportunity back in January.
The striker ended up joining Fiorentina instead, but his time in Florence has been nothing short of miserable, and he'd likely be keen for a fresh start somewhere else, and Palace should be all over that.
Christian Benteke's goal record is poor and Jordan Ayew's struggles have been a real problem all year. Kouame could be the fix.
7. Everton - Isco
Everton could do with a little more creativity. When James Rodriguez is sidelined, the Toffees have a habit of looking a little stale.
A loan bid for Real Madrid outcast Isco might be the perfect fix, and the Spaniard would likely relish the chance to reunite with Carlo Ancelotti once again.
His high wages could prove problematic, but the results could make it all worth it.
8. Fulham - Josh King
There's a real lack of quality in Fulham's attack, and expensive striker Aleksandar Mitrovic just isn't cutting it these days.
Whether he needs replacing or simply some better competition is up to you, but someone like Bournemouth's Josh King would be the ideal candidate to liven things up.
King is expected to be sold in January, and Fulham should be all over it. Finding somebody with his top-flight experience for cheap isn't easy, and Fulham will regret it if they let this chance go by.
9. Leeds United - Fikayo Tomori
Commanding a spot in a Marcelo Bielsa side isn't an easy task. The Argentine doesn't like steering away from his preferred personal, but he may be forced to accept a new face at centre-back.
Robin Koch and Diego Llorente have both battled injuries this season, and losing Liam Cooper to injury in Leeds' 6-2 loss to Manchester United only amplified the need for somebody else to come in and offer cover.
A loan move for Chelsea's Fikayo Tomori, who is looking for a chance to play regular minutes, would suit everyone involved.
10. Leicester City - Phil Jones
There are very few holes in Leicester's squad. The Foxes are flying high and look dominant in pretty much every area of the pitch.
If there's one flaw in Brendan Rodgers' current squad, it's the lack of depth at centre-back, where an injury to Caglar Soyuncu has really tested Leicester.
Shelling out on a new centre-back seems pointless, but a loan move for Manchester United's Phil Jones might go down well. He's cheap, affordable and capable of offering some cover when needed.
11. Liverpool - Sven Botman
Regardless of what Liverpool might want you to think, they need a new centre-back. Losing two starters would hurt anyone.
Free agent Ezequiel Garay is a good option, but splashing out on a long-term option like Lille's Sven Botman could well be the smartest play.
The 20-year-old has been a revelation since joining from Ajax in the summer, and he'd be the perfect candidate to replace Van Dijk somewhere down the line.
12. Manchester City - Nicolas Tagliafico
Manchester City need to finally address their left-back problem. Benjamin Mendy doesn't cut it and Oleksandr Zinchenko (who isn't a left-back anyway) is probably on his way out.
Splashing out on a long-term target like Ajax's Nicolas Tagliafico might be the smartest thing Pep Guardiola could do this winter.
He just signed a new one-year contract extension in Amsterdam, but that doesn't mean much. If City put money on the table, Ajax will listen.
13. Manchester United - Ozan Kabak
I'd hate to be the man tasked with following Bruno Fernandes as a January signing for Manchester United, but someone's got to.
The man in question could be Schalke defender Ozan Kabak, who is widely expected to make the step up to a top side in the very near future.
Sorting out the long-term partner for Harry Maguire is right at the top of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's to-do list, and if it's not going to be Dayot Upamecano, United should make it Kabak.
14. Newcastle United - Marcos Rojo
Newcastle could probably do with nine or ten new signings in January, but if they're limited to one, they could do worse than focus on United outcast Marcos Rojo.
United simply do not want the versatile centre-back, who can also play at left-back, but their loss should be Steve Bruce's gain. Newcastle need some Premier League experience to help out in both positions, so this could be a match made in heaven.
The Magpies cannot stop conceding goals this season, and while Rojo is obviously not the player he once was, his experience at the top of the game could be invaluable.
15. Sheffield United - Jesse Lingard
Yep, I'm about to argue that Jesse Lingard, who has not assisted a Premier League goal since January 2019, is the answer to Sheffield United's lack of creativity in attack.
Lingard's game revolves about being the assister to the assister. He doesn't play the final ball, but he does know how to pull defenders out of shape and use his movement to create space for his team-mates to shine.
All the Blades need is somebody to ask questions of opposing defences, and Lingard does that. He may be the catalyst needed to spark a push for survival, and he won't break the bank either.
16. Southampton - Brandon Williams
Brandon Williams needs minutes, and if he's not getting them at United, he should be getting them with Southampton instead.
Ralph Hasenhuttl wants some more defensive cover on both sides of his defence, and that's exactly what Williams offers. We've already seen him impress in the Premier League, so he'll almost certainly slot in well.
Outside of some extra depth, Southampton don't need much work. Hasenhuttl has his Saints soaring high, and he won't want to risk upsetting the balance of the squad.
17. Tottenham Hotspur - Marcel Sabitzer
Spurs can sit back and punish teams on the counter, but when that isn't really working, there doesn't seem to be much else going on. A recent run without a win has only highlighted that issue.
There's not too much natural creativity in this Spurs squad, and a good fix for that would be to lure Marcel Sabizter over from RB Leipzig.
He's a versatile workhorse, so Jose Mourinho would love him, but he is capable of winning over fans with goals and assists. It's a no-brainer.
18. West Bromwich Albion - Cenk Tosun
Cenk Tosun has been pretty rubbish at Everton after his six-month honeymoon phase came to an end.
What changed for Tosun after the end of his debut season? Well, the departure of manager Sam Allardyce probably didn't help, and a whole host of new systems has left Tosun looking for a place to fit in once more.
Now at West Brom, Allardyce could offer Tosun the chance to return to a system he knows well under a manager who clearly valued his skills enough to bring him to England in the first place.
19. West Ham United - Junior Firpo
The imminent return of Michail Antonio should help ease West Ham's struggles in attack, which leaves left-back as the only other area which needs bolstering.
Aaron Cresswell has quietly been one of the best left-backs in the Premier League this year, but there's no cover for him now that Arthur Masuaku is injured.
Barcelona's Junior Firpo could do with a new home after failing to displace Jordi Alba at Camp Nou, and Barca would definitely listen to offers to sign him permanently or on loan.
20. Wolves - Maxi Gomez
Losing Raul Jimenez to that horrific fractured skull has hurt Wolves, but Nuno Espirito Santo can't afford to sit back and lick his wounds for much longer.
Wolves need to dip into the transfer market to find a new frontman, and Valencia striker Maxi Gomez is expected to be available for a cut-price fee in January.
Gomez isn't the most prolific forward around, but he'd be great at bringing the likes of Pedro Neto and Daniel Podence into the game more. He could be a missing link.