The January transfer window is open, giving Premier League clubs the chance to strengthen their squads for the second half of the season.
Mid-season is a notoriously difficult time to get value for money, but that hasn't stopped clubs from assessing the market. The teams that are struggling may dip their toe in the water out of desperation, while those that are doing well may be tempted to make an opportunistic purchase.
There have been some big January signings in recent years, including Martin Odegaard to Arsenal, Luis Diaz to Liverpool and Bruno Fernandes to Manchester United. Of course, things don't always go to plan, just ask Chelsea, who splashed out £88.5m for Mykhailo Mudryk in January 2023.
These cautionary tales are unlikely to give clubs pause. Here, Mirror Football looks at the biggest issues the Premier League's traditional big six could tackle during the transfer window.
The Gunners have been shocked by Bukayo Saka's hamstring injury, with their 1-0 win over Ipswich showing they are struggling to create chances from open play. These difficulties are nothing new, but will be exacerbated by Saka's absence.
Asked whether the club would consider bringing in reinforcements in January, Mikel Arteta replied: “We don't know. We'll see, hopefully we won't see any more injuries.” Arteta actually wanted another option in large areas in the summer, but a pursuit of Athletic Bilbao star Nico Williams fell short.
Arsenal are ready to get rid of Marquinhos, who is not up to standard in that position. A top class winger with a goal threat would be ideal. Al-Ittihad have shown interest in Leandro Trossard, but Arsenal will not let him leave midway through the campaign.
The Blues are in a strong position heading into January having done a lot of business in recent years. While there are reports that they are interested in signing a new centre-forward to compete with Nicolas Jackson, the focus will be on further developing the players he already has.
In the meantime, Maresca wants to reduce the number of players he works with at the club's training ground in Cobham. At least five players are earmarked for departure, including key Ben Chilwell, who earns £200,000 a week while not playing. Maresca wants a happy camp and would like Chelsea to negotiate the exits of Chilwell and Carney Chukwuemeka in particular.
Arne Slot's side are top of the table, topping the Premier League and Champions League and looking towards a semi-final in the Carabao Cup. They have had a brilliant season so far, largely deciding to hold on to rather than squander the summer transfer window. One of their signings, Federico Chiesa, has been a flop so far and Liverpool are unlikely to gamble in January.
What they could do with is a new centre-back. Ibrahima Konate has been missing since the 2-0 win over Real Madrid on November 27 and Joe Gomez left injured in the 5-0 defeat against West Ham on Sunday. More depth in central defense would not be out of place in the new year.
Ruben Amorim has more problems than most right now. The Portuguese manager is still getting used to the glare that comes with the United job and shows signs of irritation when constantly asked about the subject of Marcus Rashford. While there are plenty of areas he would ideally like to strengthen in January – left full-back being the most obvious – what he really needs is a solution to the Rashford problem.
Finding a buyer for a player on £325,000-a-week will not be easy and United's £40m asking price is likely to prove too high for the vast majority of interested parties. Some clarity – be it through a sale or reintegration into the team – is needed in January.
What City need is clear. Since it was announced that Rodri had suffered a serious knee injury, it was clear that Pep Guardiola had to find a solution in midfield. He was unable to do so, as Mateo Kovacic, Ilkay Gundogan and Rico Lewis struggled to stem the flow of attacks on City's goal.
With the transfer window now open, expect an all-out chase for Real Sociedad star Martin Zubimendi. The Spaniard turned down a £50million move to Liverpool this summer, but reports suggest he could be ready to leave his hometown club in January. He could be the perfect signing for Guardiola.
Ange Postecoglou has turned Spurs into great entertainers, but they are anything but solid. A slew of injuries have made matters worse in recent times and defensive reinforcements are needed in January as Tottenham's leading attack in the Premier League is undermined by their leaky defence.
Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven are currently absent and Radu Dragusin struggles with the younger Archie Gray. A new central defender is desperately needed if Postecoglou wants to strengthen the defense and reduce the uncertainty surrounding his future leadership.
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