Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United are among the many golf equipment chasing a brand new No. 9 within the January switch window. They need to all be on purple alert following Mathys Tel’s resolution to go away Bayern Munich.
Listed here are the ten finest strikers who could possibly be on the transfer this month…
10) Marcus Rashford (Manchester United)
Marcus Rashford really is the person of the month and we couldn’t ignore him contemplating he’s the very definition of ‘out there’.
You would possibly argue that Rashford shouldn’t be a striker and we’ll merely counter that he type of is; he has predominantly performed in large positions in recent times however got here by and made his title as a No. 9. He’s much like Kylian Mbappe in a positional sense if not a lot else.
Rashford is most actually out there this month and Manchester United are open to promoting or loaning out their academy graduate. A everlasting departure might earn them as a lot as £50million, which is an over-valuation, whereas his £325,000-a-week wage additionally makes it unlikely golf equipment will purchase him. The wage alone means the Pink Devils would in all probability settle for half their asking value.
Had Arsenal not already signed an under-performing, over-paid English winger from a ‘Huge Six’ rival within the remaining hours of the summer time switch window, they could have executed the very same with Rashford this month, although Mikel Arteta is hooked on rejects from Chelsea, not Manchester United.
A switch overseas is more likely and Rashford shouldn’t be in need of curiosity. Golf equipment in Italy, France, Spain and Germany are eager and whereas the 27-year-old has been poor for 18 months, he’s nonetheless a tempting undertaking. Everyone knows the participant he may be and the numbers he’s able to producing. Both his 2022/23 season is promoting us a dream or he really has one other yr like that in his locker.
If soccer has taught us something during the last decade, it’s that it’s unfair to fully decide or write off a footballer based mostly on a spell at Manchester United. From Angel Di Maria to Alexis Sanchez by way of Jadon Sancho and Henrikh Mkhitaryan, some world-class gamers have failed dramatically at Outdated Trafford and gone on to have success elsewhere. They’ve been a poisoned chalice for any supervisor courageous sufficient to tackle the job and a graveyard for much too many gamers. Hell, there has been two undoubted successful signings since Sir Alex Ferguson retired and United have spent effectively over a billion quid in that point.
It’s a threat but when Rashford goes someplace and begins having fun with his soccer once more, it might shortly turn out to be a masterstroke of a signing.
9) Christopher Nkunku (Chelsea)
It has not occurred for Christopher Nkunku at Chelsea. He joined the membership as one of many highest-rated attackers in Europe, having scored a ridiculous 58 targets in 88 matches in his final two seasons at RB Leipzig.
Ralf Rangnick needed him at Manchester United however they wouldn’t pay attention, now 4 years later, the Pink Devils have robust curiosity in signing him with Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee struggling massively below Ruben Amorim after struggling massively below Erik ten Hag.
Nkunku’s objective file in Germany can’t be ignored however 16 targets in 43 for Chelsea is a poor return by his excessive requirements. Certain, he has not had constant minutes at Stamford Bridge however his objective file and lack of continuity will put golf equipment off.
In addition to United, Bayern Munich are taken with signing Nkunku and will speed up their curiosity after a sure striker advised Vincent Kompany that he desires to go away in January…
8) Darwin Nunez (Liverpool)
Don’t be confused; there have been reports linking Darwin Nunez with a Liverpool exit.
On the age of 25, he’s nonetheless regarded a uncooked participant, which is much from supreme. He’s extra refined than the participant that joined from Benfica in July 2022 however nonetheless very irritating to look at. If neither Jurgen Klopp nor Arne Slot can unlock his potential, we actually don’t know who can.
What Darwin lacks in soccer IQ, he most actually makes up for in effort. I spoke to Jeremie Aliadiere in November and he said he would love the Liverpool striker at Arsenal. He shocked me however his reasoning was compelling sufficient.
“I do know he’s at Liverpool however I’m an enormous fan of Darwin Nunez. Completely mad fan of the man as a result of I really like his work ethic, his runs, his willpower and I want we had a participant like him at Arsenal. That sort of participant, retains bothering defenders, making runs in behind, stretching the defence, regardless that it’s not for him, it’s for the workforce, the others get huge rewards from it.
“I do know individuals will say he wants 5 possibilities to attain generally, he isn’t the most effective finisher, I’m not bothered about this. For me, the hassle and the work price and the drama that he causes is price the whole lot.”
Take it from him, not us. He’s a former Premier League striker in spite of everything.
READ: Liverpool’s worst attainable January switch window: no signings, £145m gross sales, Arsenal signal key goal
7) Victor Boniface (Bayer Leverkusen)
Bayer Leverkusen’s Nigerian striker Victor Boniface has turn out to be one thing of a forgotten man after lacking a lot of final season by damage. He hit the bottom working with 10 targets in his first 16 Bundesliga matches, together with three braces in Leverkusen’s opening 5 league fixtures. An adductor damage dominated him out for over three months and accidents have hindered him once more this marketing campaign.
Equally, the whole lot was hunky-dory for Boniface and Leverkusen up till November, when he suffered a hamstring damage. He missed 11 matches consequently, returning as an unused substitute towards Atletico Madrid on January 21. This may clearly be an enormous concern for golf equipment and a justifiable purpose for switch discuss going quiet, as thus the rationale he’s solely seventh on this listing.
Boniface has 20 targets and 10 assists in solely 33 Bundesliga appearances below Xabi Alonso and is evidently a implausible No. 9. Accidents apart, there needs to be little doubt over Boniface’s means to adapt to the Premier League. He excels with the ball at his ft, is fast, good within the air… mainly the whole lot you need in a striker. Boniface may be the killer Chelsea want up entrance as a result of Nico Jackson is awfully silly in front of goal.
Sadly, it seems to be like he’s off to Saudi Arabia. How disappointing.
6) Mathys Tel (Bayern Munich)
French teenager Mathys Tel has told Bayern that he is fed up sitting on the bench and there may be curiosity from throughout Europe. Chelsea have reportedly been chasing him all month and will make their transfer, even with out the sale of Nkunku, who’s conveniently a Bayern goal himself.
Tel may be very extremely rated however minutes have been laborious to come back by in Munich. This was the case final season and the 19-year-old nonetheless signed a brand new five-year contract in March, being promised elevated enjoying time. That has not occurred below Vincent Kompany in 2024/25 and a January exit beckons.
There needs to be an abundance of curiosity in Tel. He is filled with potential however able to contributing right away. Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester United and even Liverpool needs to be throughout this. Tottenham can strive, certain, however they received’t like what they hear again.
5) Jonathan David (Lille)
Has somebody been extra linked with the Premier League with out coming near becoming a member of a membership within the 2020s? In a perpetually linked to the Premier League XI, Jonathan David is up entrance and captain, main Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, Adrien Rabiot and Julian Draxler into battle.
Simply how David has not discovered himself in England but is a thriller. He’s so West Ham. The Canadian worldwide was initially price north of £50m when first linked with a transfer from Lille to Our League and that determine has constantly dropped to the stage the place he’s now out there for round £10m having entered the final six months of his contract. No one took a punt final summer time for £15m and now golf equipment could be as effectively ready to signal him on a free on the finish of 2024/25.
David is a implausible, low-cost choice for thus many Premier League groups this month. In immediately’s market, he’ll value peanuts and his objective file speaks for itself. He has 82 in 164 in Ligue Un, eight in 15 within the Champions League and 31 in 59 appearances for Canada. Severely, what’s there to not like? He wants to seek out himself a brand new agent…
4) Dusan Vlahovic (Juventus)
Arsenal are reportedly looking into signing Dusan Vlahovic on loan until the end of the season, three years after he rejected them in favour of Juventus. Vlahovic’s time in Turin has been pretty underwhelming contemplating the membership paid £70m to signal him from Fiorentina, however 53 targets in 127 matches is hardly poor, is it? He scored 49 in 108 for Fiorentina, so the large Serb is just about scoring on the identical price which satisfied Juve to pay massive cash for him.
Arsenal reportedly being snubbed by Vlahovic was damaging of their quest for Champions League qualification in 2021/22 however they’re a very completely different workforce now. You might not decide Vlahovic for selecting Juve over them then and you’d be improper to criticise him if he joins the north London giants this month.
It’s apparent that Mikel Arteta must signal a brand new striker and he might do just that after Gabriel Jesus suffered an ACL injury. In reality, it shouldn’t have taken a season-ending damage for Arteta to behave in January. Vlahovic is out of contract in 18 months, which is able to make Juve very open to promoting him this yr, whether or not that be in January or on the finish of the season, probably as an choice or obligation to purchase after a mortgage.
3) Viktor Gyokeres (Sporting)
The top scorer of 2024 ought to realistically high this listing but right here we’re. The actual fact Viktor Gyokeres is banging them in for a Portuguese membership scares us a little bit. It’s not fairly Scotland however it’s not on the extent of France or Germany. Spending massive cash on strikers from outdoors the highest 5 leagues is at all times a threat however not less than they’re normally cheaper. However that isn’t the case with Gyokeres. The large Swede has an £84m launch clause and may be very unlikely to go away for much less this month, although Sporting may be open to negotiation in the summertime.
Gyokeres scored a ridiculous 52 targets for Sporting in 2024, which was 12 greater than Robert Lewandowski, 13 greater than Harry Kane, and 14 greater than Erling Haaland.
That sufficient ought to persuade groups to chunk the bullet and Manchester United could possibly be excellent for him now Ruben Amorim is the supervisor.
2) Victor Osimhen (Napoli/Galatasaray)
Napoli let Victor Osimhen be a part of Turkish giants Galatasaray final September after his summer time didn’t go to plan. He’s solely on mortgage and allowed to affix one other workforce completely this month, if anybody even desires him.
Golf equipment appear very reluctant to signal Osimhen and we’re not actually certain why. Is there an perspective drawback? There have been some very questionable issues mentioned in public by him and his agent, notably dropping their cool at Napoli team-mate Kvaratskhelia and his agent over feedback relating to a future Saudi Arabia transfer for the Nigerian.
Drama apart, he is a superb striker and rightly on the rostrum right here. The 26-year-old was arguably the most effective striker in Europe when Napoli received Serie A in 2022/23, banging in 26 league targets in 32 matches. He was not as spectacular the next season however nonetheless bagged 17 in 32 throughout all competitions and in 20 matches for Galatasaray this time period, he has discovered the again of the online 16 instances.
He’s exhibiting no indicators of slowing down after failing to land an enormous switch final summer time and it’s baffling that there’s no more curiosity.
1) Alexander Isak (Newcastle United)
Prefer it or not, we’re together with Alexander Isak. A reported £150m asking value is greater than sufficient to think about him out there. Simply costly and out there.
He’s bloody good – the right striker. Newcastle followers are in love with the Swede and so they need to be. With 17 targets in 21 Premier League matches this season, Isak helped Eddie Howe’s aspect in the direction of their finest run of type for nearly two years, when his targets helped his new workforce qualify for the Champions League for the primary time in 20 years.
Newcastle have put themselves in a good place to qualify once more this yr and are adamant that their star striker goes nowhere. There may be an asking value, although, which makes him unrealistic, not untouchable. There was plenty of discuss Newcastle needing one massive sale to stability the books and if that does occur, will probably be Isak, Anthony Gordon or Bruno Guimaraes who leaves.
He makes Arsenal favourites for the Premier League title and a transfer wherever else in England appears unlikely. There’s a little bit of needle between the 2 golf equipment so the Gunners’ supply must meet that colossal valuation. This can be very unlikely Isak leaves Newcastle however by no means say by no means.
