2024 January transfer window - hopes, needs, expectations and rumours.

[Smithy]

Mount's not a bad player at all really. Not sure he'd suit us though.

No he's not bad, but considering we have Kamara, Luiz, Tielemans and McGinn as midfield options, he's not getting anywhere near our first team.

And that's the thing, why would he swap United's bench to take Donck's place on ours?  Midfield is one of the positions we really don't "need" strengthening.  Sure, if really good players become available, then great, but it feels like a VERY low priority for this window (assuming no more major injuries).   You would have to think with Luiz, McGinn, Kamara, Ramsey, Tielemens and Donck, we're well covered whatever formation Unai chooses, including options from the bench.

[Risso]

I know Emery can work miracles with players but I don't think it needs to be a requirement for every one we buy. I'm sure someone could do a job with Mount but I think in January we should be looking for immediate impact.

Agreed, I said the same recently. We need a potential game changer for the second half of the season, longer term projects can wait for the summer.

[Smithy]

Loic Openda would be my ideal choice for striker.

Maybe not in Jan as he might be expensive, but out of all strikers that could be considered as "ambitiously gettable", especially if we can gain Champs League football for next season, he appeals to me the most.

He's fast as fuck, versatile, good with both feet, not too short, works hard, good on the ball & knows where the net is.

He could partner Watkins in the Diaby role, play in place of Watkins, & can also play on either side in the Bailey / McGinn / Ramsey role.

He seems to have a level head on him if how he dealt with transfer options he had on that Sky football agent "documentary" is anything to go by. When he moved to France, he had other "stronger" options. Including the Prem, but he saw France as the perfect place for him to grow before eventually moving to the Prem.

Lutsharel Geertruida or Jeremiah St. Juste would be my choices for RB.

Both can play RB, CB & CDM, both are 6'1", both have a bit of pace, although St. Juste is ridiculously quick, both are better defending than attacking so gives a different option to Cash, both are good on the ball & both can pass the ball well.

St. Juste at 26/27 comes with some injury consistency concerns, so Geertruida at 22/23 might be the more sensible option out of the two for the long term.

Thats if we are going after more versatile defensive RBs.

If not, then Frimpong is another "ambitious" potential target.

Openda looks a great prospect, but they paid about 45million for him 6 months ago. The chances of him leaving in January are basically nil. I suspect he'll do 2 years at Leipzig then get a big £80m+ move.  We need to find deals like the one made for him in the summer.  If we get champions league, I could see us spending 60m+ on a striker, but not before.

[tomd2103]

Mount's not a bad player at all really. Not sure he'd suit us though.

No he's not bad, but considering we have Kamara, Luiz, Tielemans and McGinn as midfield options, he's not getting anywhere near our first team.

Not the kind of midfielder we need really.  Think we need an athletic, physical midfielder who can support Luiz and Kamara and gives us that energy in there. 

[brontebilly]

Mount's not a bad player at all really. Not sure he'd suit us though.

No he's not bad, but considering we have Kamara, Luiz, Tielemans and McGinn as midfield options, he's not getting anywhere near our first team.

He wouldn't compete with first two but we are light on the sides of midfield. Ramsey and McGinn don't have much competition. Tielemans seems better at 10. Zaniolo is plainly not suited to that role.

Phillips is another one, better than the Donk anyway and if we got him going could compete with Kamara and Luiz. But he hasn't played football properly in some time.

[Tokyo Sexwhale]

Phillips wants/needs first team football to get him ready for the Euros.  He won't swap Man City's bench for ours.

We definitely need a more athletic upgrade for Dendoncker though, to act as a rotational/cover for our midfield who will otherwise have a massive workload for the rest of the season.

Also another right back.  An upgrade on Cash if we can afford it, or a solid back-up or Kesler-Hayden back from loan.

Olsen makes me nervous if Emi gets injured/suspended, so maybe a backup keeper who can play with his feet.

Another striker would be nice, but if we're on the edge of FFP, we're probably not going to get anyone better than Duran anyway.

Players to sell: Chambers, Dendoncker, Olsen, Traore - maybe £10-£15m in there?

[AV84]

Traore is out of contract at the end of the season, constantly injured, and probably away on international duty for part of Jan/Feb. I doubt anyone would take him off us now.

[Footy-Vill]

James Justin at Leicester can play both left and right full back and would suit the style and be a decent squad option. 25 years old.

[Dave]

Mount's not a bad player at all really. Not sure he'd suit us though.

No he's not bad, but considering we have Kamara, Luiz, Tielemans and McGinn as midfield options, he's not getting anywhere near our first team.

Not the kind of midfielder we need really.  Think we need an athletic, physical midfielder who can support Luiz and Kamara and gives us that energy in there.

Isn't that the thing that we really needed in the summer and we got Tielemans?

Obviously even more depth would be better, but I don't think we want to sign someone to move ahead of any of our current four at the moment, and I don't think we need to sign anyone who isn't quite as good as them.

[tomd2103]

Mount's not a bad player at all really. Not sure he'd suit us though.

No he's not bad, but considering we have Kamara, Luiz, Tielemans and McGinn as midfield options, he's not getting anywhere near our first team.

Not the kind of midfielder we need really.  Think we need an athletic, physical midfielder who can support Luiz and Kamara and gives us that energy in there.

Isn't that the thing that we really needed in the summer and we got Tielemans?

Obviously even more depth would be better, but I don't think we want to sign someone to move ahead of any of our current four at the moment, and I don't think we need to sign anyone who isn't quite as good as them.

I thought similar when we signed him, but having watched him for a few months I’m not really sure Tielemans is like for like for those two to be honest.  I thought it was quite noticeable how the energy levels picked up in the second half when the subs came on (understandable given how tired some of the starters were).  One poor cross field pass aside, I thought Dendoncker did OK when he came on and made some timely challenges.  If he moves on in January, then a bit more mobile version of him would be useful for the closing stages of games.

[Gareth]

James Justin at Leicester can play both left and right full back and would suit the style and be a decent squad option. 25 years old.

Liked him when he first got to Leicester…before horrible injuries…is he back playing now?

[ChicagoLion]

January could be an extremely important window.
It is going to be hard to bring in players that will improve us.

[DrGonzo]

Frankie Ealing is the only other RB at the club, I know nothing on their prospects but it's definitely an area we need to strengthen.

[OCD]

Actually, Tristan Rowe was recently photo'd training with the first team squad and he's a right back. 

[DrGonzo]

I stand corrected I only looked as far as the U21s.  Still...