2024 January transfer window: 10 players who desperately need a move

It is never nice to see a player's career stall at a club where they seemingly have no future, especially when you are convinced they have the talent to shine elsewhere.

A transfer window represents a chance for these players to remind everyone what they are capable of and on a more personal level, get back in their groove. We can never know exactly how a player feels about their career in a team they don't get picked for, but it can't be healthy from a mental perspective.

January is an odd time to move as you simultaneously get players moving at the peak of their powers and in superb form, while you also get players that are lacking minutes and down on confidence. Honourable mention for Donny van de Beek, who seems to have sorted his immediate future out with a loan at Eintracht Frankfurt.

Here's ten other top players who could Van de Beek's lead, getting a move they desperately need.

1. Jadon Sancho

Potential landing spot: Borussia Dortmund, elsewhere in the Bundesliga

Rarely has a player needed a change of scenery more than Manchester United winger Jadon Sancho, whose career at the Red Devils appears to be all but over while Erik ten Hag remains in charge.

A return to the Bundesliga seems the most likely option for Sancho - he previously starred at Borussia Dortmund and is on their shopping list for a mid-season return. Table-topping Bayer Leverkusen have shown interest, as have VfB Stuttgart and RB Leipzig, but the Englishman's hefty wage packet could mean a return to BVB is the only feasible move.

2. Kalvin Phillips

Potential landing spot: Newcastle, Juventus

Kalvin Phillips is in a similar situation to Sancho, the difference being the lack of disciplinary proceedings. Pep Guardiola has spoken about how well Phillips trains and how nice a guy he is, but that hasn't earned him any sort of chance at Manchester City.

For the former Leeds United to have any chance of going to Euro 2024 with England, he simply has to play. Juventus have held talks with City over a potential loan deal, but Newcastle United are also in play - a move that may suit Phillips nicely as he won't need to uproot his life to Italy mid-season.

3. Noni Madueke

Potential landing spot: Premier League loan move

Noni Madueke arrived from PSV Eindhoven in January 2023 for just shy of £30m, following in the footsteps of Sancho after he returned to the Premier League fold after starring abroad.

Unfortunately, a mixture of injuries, missed opportunities and the general disarray at Chelsea has seen Madueke fail to impress. He did net a pressure penalty in the narrow win over Crystal Palace, but chances have otherwise been few and far between under Mauricio Pochettino.

Whether or not Chelsea would entertain any kind of exit remains to be seen, but Madueke needs something to happen quickly.

4. Aaron Ramsdale

Potential landing spot: Chelsea, Newcastle

Before the final weeks of the summer transfer window, it would have been unthinkable to imagine that Aaron Ramsdale may be looking to leave Arsenal.

He played a huge role in the Gunners' electrifying title push - despite making a few mistakes along the way - and looked to be hot on the hells of Jordan Pickford in a bid to become England's number one.

But the arrival of David Raya from Brentford threw a huge spanner in the books, even though Mikel Arteta boldly claimed his arrival didn't signify a changing of the guard. Sure enough, Ramsdale has been replaced, with a watching brief doing him absolutely no good whatsoever.

Chelsea and Newcastle have both shown interest in the Englishman but Arsenal are unlikely to allow him to go until the summer.

5. Eric Dier

Potential landing spot: Sporting CP, Saudi Pro League

Cristian Romero's latest injury
means that Eric Dier probably won't be on the move in January, but he'd likely fancy a change of scenery after falling well down the Tottenham pecking order.

Micky van de Ven has established himself as Romero's partner under Ange Postecoglou, with the Australian plumping for full-backs Ben Davies and Emerson Royal in makeshift roles when they haven't been available.

That pretty much sums up Dier's situation, and a move back to continental Europe and even to the Saudi Pro League
appears a pretty safe bet later in the year.

6. Divock Origi

Potential landing spot: Back to AC Milan, loan to Ligue 1

Divock Origi's career has been interesting to say the least.

He achieved every footballer's dream, scoring in the Champions League final for Liverpool en route to victory, but has spent far too much time on the bench for a player who has a proven knack of scoring goals.

Many people will have forgotten that Origi is even at Nottingham Forest, having moved their on loan in the summer, and it's very likely that the deal will be terminated in January to send him back to Milan. Where next is anybody's guess.

7. Hugo Ekitike

Potential landing spot: Newcastle, Crystal Palace, West Ham, Brentford

When he was banging goals in for Stade Reims, it appeared Hugo Ekitike would be one of the next big things to come out of France. So it wasn't really a shock when Paris Saint-Germain, channeling their inner Bayern Munich, poached a player they could stop from scoring them.

But with Kylian Mbappe, Goncalo Ramos, Randal Kolo Muani and Bradley Barcola just four of their options at Luis Enrique's disposal, it's no real surprise that Ekitike has failed to really get a look in.

Newcastle have shown repeated interest in the 21-year-old, as have Crystal Palace, West Ham and Brentford, and there could be a queue of club looking at a temporary move in January.

8. Jakub Kiwior

Potential landing spot: AC Milan, elsewhere in Serie A

Jakub Kiwior was always expected to be a rotational option for Arsenal, but he is featuring so infrequently for the Gunners that he might start to look for minutes elsewhere. Indeed, William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes are the undisputed starters in north London, and it's hard to see things changing unless one of them picks up an injury.

Arsenal rate the Pole's abilities, so a loan may be the only type of move sanctioned, and he may have the opportunity to head back to Italy with
AC Milan - a body may need to come in first though.

9. Ferran Torres

Potential landing spot: Arsenal

One quick look at Ferran Torres' Barcelona minutes and you might think does he really need a move away from Catalonia? The answer, for the Spaniard, is almost certainly yes.

Barca are blessed with wide options and although Xavi has publicly backed Torres, it's clear that he's not really got a position in the team nailed down. Lamine Yamal's emergence has complicated matters further, and Torres appears to be more of a square peg in a round hole option, being shunted around when other things don't fall into place.

Again, a January exit may not come to fruition - he does have experience of doing so in the past - and it remains to be seen whether long-term suitors Arsenal, or anybody else for that matter, are prepared to invest.

10. Malang Sarr

Potential landing spot: OGC Nice, elsewhere in Ligue 1

Hiding away in the corridors of Stamford Bridge is Malang Sarr - a player who represented France at every youth level going.

A 2020 arrival from OGC Nice, the now 24-year-old centre-back has never really been given a chance at Chelsea, and it will surprise some to know that he's still on the books just collecting his salary.

Porto and Monaco have bailed Sarr out with loan moves in the past, but he wasn't able to convince either to make things permanent. Former club Nice may have an interest, should Jean-Clair Todibo end up in the Premier League, and you wouldn't expect Chelsea to stand in his way.

READ THE TRANSFER RUMOURS OF THE PAST WEEK HERE