Arsenal and Spurs battle for Szoboszlai, Ozil and Dele to depart? The big stories in January
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Updated 01/12/2020 at 13:57 GMT
It's December 1 and that means one thing... it's only a month until the transfer window opens! In today's Inside Football, Dean Jones looks ahead to the reopening of the transfer market and explains which moves will dominate the month. It could be a lively window for Arsenal and Tottenham, while Jesse Lingard and John Stones could also see their career paths change.
Dominik Szoboszlai of Salzburg before the UEFA Champions League Group A match between RB Salzburg and Lokomotiv Moskva
Image credit: Getty Images
It’s just over a month until the January transfer window opens and from here we’ll start to get a better idea of which clubs are going to be breathing new life into their squads.
The summer window was impacted by the global pandemic, and a lack of clear direction over the remainder of this season means we should not expect significant spending in the winter.
However, there are elite players around Europe who are starting to angle for moves so here we take a look inside some of the most high-profile transfer storylines you will be hearing about over the next couple of months.
Christian Eriksen
His move to Inter Milan just isn’t working out and now a transfer is more likely than not. His biggest problem is finding a club that guarantees he will get going again.
Arsenal are being spoken about as a potential destination but at this stage sources say he is not a priority for them - and that will not fill him with enthusiasm.
It’s possible Eriksen leaves on loan and then looks for a permanent move in the summer and he has options in Germany if he does not fancy chasing a return to the Premier League.
Olivier Giroud
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Olivier Giroud of Chelsea FC during the UEFA Champions League Group E stage match between Chelsea FC and Stade Rennais
Image credit: Getty Images
Inter are still looking to strengthen their squad and have been strongly linked with a move for Giroud. It’s certainly going to prove tempting if they make an offer.
He is concerned about his place at Euro 2020 for France and wants to find someone in club football who truly believes in him.
He would fit well with Conte's model but, more than that, would also give them a hand in reinforcing the front line ahead of next summer—when Lautaro Martinez is expected to leave.
One issue to look out for in terms of a Giroud transfer to Inter, though, is how safe Conte's position looks. Some poor performances and results recently have left his position in some doubt. If Conte loses his job, the Giroud deal will probably be a no-go and he will have to consider other options.
Callum Hudson-Odoi
There are a few situations at Chelsea to look out for in January but a really intriguing one surrounds Hudson-Odoi.
He’s been working hard to convince Lampard he is worthy of more game time but may have to consider a move in the new year. The return to fitness of Christian Pulisic means it is going to be even more difficult to get minutes in the Premier League, so it is understandable that his representatives want to get an idea of how he fits in.
There are expected to be discussions this week over Hudson-Odoi’s progress and a decision will then be made about whether he can go out on loan.
Dominik Szoboszlai
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Dominik Szoboszlai of Red Bull Salzburg celebrates after scoring his team's first goal during the UEFA Champions League Group A stage match between RB Salzburg and FC Bayern Muenchen
Image credit: Getty Images
He’s one of the top emerging talents in world football and now RB Salzburg’s Szoboszlai is preparing for his big decision.
He has indicated internally that he feels he is ready for a transfer, and there has been plenty of interest.
Sources claim AC Milan, Arsenal, Tottenham and Atletico Madrid are all ready to make their case for how they can continue his path to becoming one of the best players on the planet. However, it’s looking increasingly like Salzburg’s sister club RB Leipzig will win this battle.
They were extremely disappointed to miss out on Erling Haaland when he faced a similar decision when moving from RB Salzburg. In January they expect to make up for that miss, by landing their man with a deal in the region of €20 million.
Riqui Puig
He’s been tipped by some to be Barcelona's next Lionel Messi but this season Puig has struggled for minutes and representatives are now trying to find him a temporary new club.
Puig, 21, is going to be allowed out on loan and sources are indicating that Leeds United, RB Leipzig and Monaco have all been offered the player.
They will be careful about where he goes, so there is a deliberate plan to target clubs who play a certain brand of football.
Barcelona still hope the player can have a long-term future with them and sources in Spain believe he might even sign a new contract in 2021.
Dele Alli
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Dele Alli of Tottenham Hotspur during the UEFA Europa League Group J stage match between Tottenham Hotspur and PFC Ludogorets Razgrad
Image credit: Getty Images
He has fallen out of favour with Jose Mourinho and played just 66 minutes of Premier League football this season. Mourinho was hoping he could spark him into life by challenging him to reach new levels, just as he managed with Tanguy Ndombele. Dele has not raised his game though and wants a new club in January to help him recapture form that would lead him back into England’s plans for the Euros.
He would be happy to play abroad, with Monaco interested, but will weigh up every option in the new year if Spurs agree to let him go. Mourinho would be willing to do that but Daniel Levy is believed to be more unsure. He still values Dele and also feels they might yet need to call on him in the second half of the season if injuries kick in from the hectic schedule.
Jesse Lingard
He's been with Manchester United since the age of seven but has not figured in the Premier League or Champions League at all this season and now wants a decision on his future by the end of the year.
His contract includes the option of an extra year and sources say Lingard will request a decision on that by the time the transfer window opens.
If United don't want to trigger it, he's going to find a new club and is keen on the idea of playing abroad.
John Stones
A rare outing for Manchester City at the weekend will have helped his confidence but there are plenty of clubs who continue to monitor him ahead of January.
One of those is Arsenal, who want to be kept informed on his transfer status and would be keen to speak to the player if he becomes available.
Stones has been patiently waiting for a chance to work his way back into the plans at City but could have a big decision to make if he’s quickly pushed aside again in the coming weeks.
Mesut Ozil
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Mesut Ozil of Arsenal during the Arsenal Media Photocall at London Colney on September 09, 2020 in St Albans, England
Image credit: Getty Images
There are plenty of players who will be looking at pre-contracts but few of them are on the level of Arsenal's Germany international.
He has been left out of the squad this season and is now positioning himself for the next stage of his career.
Sources close to the player have always indicated he wants to move to MLS next and DC United has always been viewed as the most likely destination because the player also has other business interests in the area.
Ideally Arsenal want to sell him in January rather than see him agree a free move for the end of the season.
Either way, we should finally get some closure on his Emirates journey soon.
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