Home of football statistics and historyThe January transfer window will slide open in a matter of weeks, and already the biggest clubs in Europe will be casting their eye over any potential signings.
It could be a particularly interesting window, with the likes of Arsenal, Manchester United, Bayern Munich, Atletico Madrid, Napoli and Lyon all needing to bring in reinforcements after below-par starts to the season.
Perhaps the quintet below will be on their post-Christmas shopping lists….
Samuel Umtiti
Having appeared in just four La Liga and Champions League games combined so far this season, it seems as though the writing is on the wall for Samuel Umtiti at Barcelona.
Given that this is a World Cup-winning defender we are talking about, there will be no shortage of takers should the Frenchman become available in the transfer window as seems likely.
Umtiti is good friends with Arsenal frontman Alexandre Lacazette, and so a move to the Gunners has been speculated in the press. But with the London club currently without a manager, that complicates any possible move.
The player himself is on record as saying he would like to return to former club Lyon at some point in his career. “I have time and I have to play, play, play and win titles”, the 26-year-old told www.fourfourtwo.com. If it is first-team football he craves, Umtiti might have to head home to France to find it.
Timo Werner
The quite staggering form of Timo Werner continues, with the German hitman firing 13 goals in as many games in the Bundesliga and two in four in the Champions League.
That makes the 23-year-old one of the hottest properties on the continent, and it won’t be long before Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund come knocking on the door of RB Leipzig for his signature.
His manager, Julian Nagelsmann, has said he would not stand in the way of his striker if he wanted to move, telling him to ‘take off his wedding ring’ with his current employer, as reported at www.thesun.co.uk/sport.
Atletico Madrid and Manchester United are also reportedly eyeing the situation.
Jack Grealish
As an Aston Villa fan born and bred, it would take something remarkable to lure Jack Grealish away from the Midlands.
But the Villains are facing the dire threat of demotion, with the best sportsbooks at www.sportsbettingcanada.org suggesting that is a likelihood considering their Premier League relegation odds, so they might decide to cash in on their prized asset.
Grealish himself has aspirations of an England call up, and it might just be the case that he needs to leave Villa Park in order to make that happen.
There would be no shortage of prospective buyers either, with Manchester United, Chelsea and Tottenham all thought to be interested.
Lautaro Martinez
The Argentine has quietly transformed himself to one of the most predatory marksmen in European football, and as we know, goals are the only currency that count in the beautiful game.
Martinez has scored eight in twelve for Inter Milan in Serie A this term to go with five in five in the Champions League, and that follows a handy debut season in Italy in which he delivered a healthy goal-per-game ratio of 0.50.
At just 22, he represents the future as well as the present, and his ability to speak Spanish has put Barcelona and Real Madrid on red alert as they seek a long-term successor to Luis Suarez and Karim Benzema, respectively.
Victor Osimhen
Despite being just 20, Victor Osimhen has taken to life as a professional footballer with aplomb.
The Nigerian has blasted eight goals in 13 Ligue 1 games for Lille, as well as contributing two in five to their Champions League campaign.
Called up for the international side for the Africa Cup of Nations, Osimhen has the world at his feet. As history tells us, his value will only increase from here, and so it’s easy to see the continent’s finest taking the plunge on this supremely gifted young talent.
Osimhen, like the other four players on this list, could well be heading to pastures new in January.
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