Transfer solutions - What the seven biggest Premier League clubs need this January

Liverpool have been immense this season, dropping two of a potential 60 points. Currently sat at the top, 13 points clear of second place with a game in hand, there isn’t really anything they need to do this January; although the early signing of Minamino for £7.25 million will certainly help Jürgen Klopp’s side.

Leicester are another team who appear to be comfortable with their squad. Brendan Rodgers has worked magic with this Leicester team, with players like Jamie Vardy, Ben Chilwell, Youri Tielemans and James Maddison playing some spectacular football. Leicester can probably coast until the summer with their current squad then look to make some big signings there.

If City want to challenge for the Champions League, they probably need to make defensive signings. A centre-back is what they should be looking for. Losing Kompany in the summer didn’t seem to be a huge issue, as Laporte was looking like he would fill that gap. However, his early knee injury against Brighton was catastrophic, especially with Otamendi and John Stone’s drop in form. Therefore, Kalidou Koulibaly should be a target for City. The 28-year-old is one of Europe’s best defenders and is exactly what they need to help their struggling defence in. He would also allow Fernandinho back into CDM where he can be much more effective.

Chelsea currently sit in fourth place and while they’ve looked generally solid there are areas for improvement… at full-back for example. While Cesar Azpilicueta has been solid down the right side, the choice of Marcos Alonso and Emerson is a sticking point at left-back. Ben Chilwell might be a fans’ first choice, however there’s likely no chance that Leicester will let him leave in January, particularly to a top-four rival. It might be a case of waiting until the summer to make that happen. Koulibaly is another option for the defence. Chelsea do have a fair selection of centre-backs already, but Christiansen and arguably Zouma have fallen short this year, so another solid central defender might fit nicely and would likely guarantee a top 4 place. However, as with Man City, they will have to compete with a fair few other clubs for his signature.

United need improvements in a lot of areas, but the main one that sticks out is their midfield. Paul Pogba’s injuries have caused havoc in the team, leaving Scott McTominay and Fred to try and pick up the pieces, but they need help and a fresh midfielder would help massively. Christian Eriksen could feasibly be an option and is apparently interested in a move to Old Trafford. United lack creativity and that is exactly what Eriksen gives you, his range of passing would allow players like Rashford and Martial to make more ambitious runs and more goal scoring opportunities. Maybe enough to get them a top 4 finish.

Spurs seem to be in a small crisis this season, looking nothing like the quality team they have been in the past. While there are a lot of areas that they need to improve, a good full-back could be an immediate fix. Serge Aurier is error-prone and caused spurs to concede more than once this season, and the left side isn’t great either. Jan Vertonghen has been played there in recent weeks, but his age is starting to show, and he just can’t keep up with the pace of the game in a manner fitting for a modern full-back. A few players have been linked in order to fix these problems, with Max Aarons of Norwich frequently mentioned. That signing could work for Spurs. The young right-back is Premier League proven and has been one of Norwich’s best players this season which, coupled with what will likely be a relatively low-price tag, should make Aarons a key target.

Lastly, we come to Arsenal. It has been a poor season for the Gunners, who are currently sat tenth in the table. However, their recent resurgence under Mikel Arteta will give the fans hope and a solid signing might just be able to send them back up to at least challenge for the Europa League positions. With Calum Chambers recent injury, a centre-back will be something to look for this January, someone like Nathan Ake for instance. While Chelsea are the front runners for his signature there is a chance for Arsenal to get in and take the player if they get an offer in soon. Ake is a gifted player, and while he might not the best centre-back in the league he has a lot of potential and time to improve and could prove the be an excellent investment for the club.