That time of constantly checking your phone to see if your club has brought in another superstar (or sold your favourite player) is around the corner. Yes, it’s now just a matter of weeks before the January transfer window opens. At this point, it’s safe to say that all teams in the English Premier League have finalized their ‘wish lists’ and are just waiting for the window to open so that they approach the players they need. Though no team will publicly reveal its ‘wish list’, as always, someone somewhere just can’t resist the urge to leak what ought not to be leaked. From the ‘leaks’ we have gathered, the following are the transfer deals that are likely to be done in the upcoming transfer window. Fans, you need to note that you can stay updated with all the deals by checking out this Royal Panda review.
Christian Pulisic to Chelsea
Christian Pulisic hasn’t made it a secret that he wants to leave Borussia Dortmund owing to a lack of game time. however, though he has not been forthcoming with information on where he wants to go next (as to be expected with footballers), close friends to the young American say his heart wants a reunion with former boss Jürgen Klopp at Liverpool. As Klopp was the man who helped Pulisic to launch his career at Dortmund, Pulisic does think that Klopp is also the man who will help him to get back on track. The problem is, Liverpool is not really pursuing a winger but it is focusing on strengthening other areas most notably the midfield. A team that’s desperately in search of a winger though is Chelsea. Already, there are rumours that Chelsea has approached Dortmund and a deal will be finalized when the transfer window opens. Therefore, Pulisic is set to make his EPL bow in 2019, just not at the club he would have wanted.
Kalidou Koulibally to Manchester United
Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho has not made it a secret that he wants the club to sign another defender in the upcoming window. That defender according to Jose Mourinho should be the Napoli man, Kalidou Koulibally. Already, Manchester United has splashed a lot of money on players just to appease Mourinho though results (and some may say performances) expected have not been forthcoming. The January transfer window is likely to present the Manchester United board with one final chance to appease Mourinho by acquiring Kalidou Koulibally but if the results fail to improve, then the attention might just switch from focusing on changing players to changing the manager.
Gabriel Barbosa to Everton
Gabriel Barbosa signed for Inter Milan while he was still a teenager with Milan hoping that he was going to be the next great Brazilian striker. Things did not quite go according to plan and Gabriel Barbosa was sent out on loan to Santos at the start of the current Brazilian season. Thus far, Gabriel Barbosa has hit 22 goals in 38 games and that has led many to believe that the 22-year-old is not after all a lost cause. As such, a number of clubs including those in the EPL have enquired about Barbosa’s services from Inter Milan. Indications at this point are that Inter Milan are happy to sell Gabriel Barbosa and Everton are the frontrunners.
Nicolas Pepe to Arsenal
In the summer transfer window, Arsenal was linked with a number of wingers. However, nothing materialized. In the opening half of the season, Arsenal has relied on central players to play on the wings owing to a shortage of natural wingers. As such, different media outlets state that Arsenal is prioritizing to buy a winger in the upcoming transfer window. The number 1 priority for Arsenal at this point is Nicolas Pepe, an Ivory Coast international who currently plays for Lille in Ligue 1. The 23-year-old has shown that in addition to having the skill and technical ability to excel playing on the wings, he is also a very clinical finisher. Therefore, a January deal would be good for both parties, Nicolas Pepe moving to the EPL for big money while Arsenal landing a natural winger they so dearly want.
Ruben Loftus-Cheek to West Ham
It’s rare for any Chelsea academy player to graduate into the first team. However, Ruben Loftus-Cheek did his part in trying to break the jinx. Though he did his part to graduate into the first team, thus far, he has just been limited to bit-part roles in the EPL. With age ticking and a place in the England squad at stake, Ruben Loftus-Cheek knows that he needs to play regular football otherwise he will just fade away like many other young English talents. Therefore, the rumours that Ruben Loftus-Cheek might move to West Ham in the upcoming transfer window definitely hold some water as he is assured of getting ample playtime if he makes the move.
