Transfer window preview: 50 players who could move in January

With the January transfer window set to open on Sunday for most of Europe’s top leagues, we’re teeing up the wheeling and dealing by presenting 50 high-profile players who could be on the move in the coming weeks. It’s notoriously difficult to make opulent signings during the January window, but the mid-season World Cup could reinvigorate the transfer activity after putting a host of players on display. Cristiano Ronaldo and Cody Gakpo may have already decided on their next clubs, but dozens of other stars could also be on the move between now and Deadline Day.

Note: Estimated transfer values provided by transfermarkt.com.

Premier League

Alexis Mac Allister (Brighton & Hove Albion)

Age: 24 | Position: Midfielder | Estimated value: €42M

A vital member of Argentina’s victorious World Cup side, Mac Allister thrust himself into the spotlight with consistently industrious performances in Qatar. Dealing from a position of strength, Brighton would demand a sizable fee.

Moises Caicedo (Brighton & Hove Albion)

Age: 21 | Position: Midfielder | Estimated value: €38M

Caicedo’s aforementioned teammate’s showing at the World Cup has somewhat distracted from the fact that the all-action Ecuadorian footballer remains the most desirable midfielder in Brighton’s ranks. He is destined for stardom.

Christian Pulisic (Chelsea)

Age: 24 | Position: Forward | Estimated value: €38M

Pulisic remains open to leaving Chelsea in search of more consistent playing time, with Manchester United tipped as a potential suitor. The American phenom, who showcased his leadership qualities at the World Cup, has plenty to offer.

Hakim Ziyech (Chelsea)

Age: 29 | Position: Winger | Estimated value: €20M

In what will be a common theme for several players on this list, the World Cup helped reinvigorate Ziyech, who – like Pulisic – has struggled for minutes at Chelsea. His creativity was vital during Morocco’s historic run in Qatar.

Wilfried Zaha (Crystal Palace)

Age: 30 | Position: Winger | Estimated value: €32M

Zaha is running out of time to secure the big transfer he’s long been mulling. The crafty winger is set to become a free agent this summer and could decide to run down his contract and join a club of his choosing in six months.

Caglar Soyuncu (Leicester City)

Age: 26 | Position: Center-back | Estimated value: €22M

Having lost his starting place at the heart of Leicester’s backline, Soyuncu is eyeing a fresh start elsewhere. The pugnacious Turkish defender has been linked with Atletico Madrid, a fit that almost seems too perfect.

Youri Tielemans (Leicester City)

Age: 25 | Position: Midfielder | Estimated value: €40M

Tielemans has seemingly been a fixture of lists just like this since the moment he arrived at Leicester. The Foxes are in a tricky place with the impending free agent. Tumbling toward the drop zone, can they afford to sell him in January?

Aaron Wan-Bissaka (Manchester United)

Age: 25 | Position: Right-back | Estimated value: €18M

After finding himself stapled to the bench early in Erik ten Hag’s tenure, Wan-Bissaka is getting a consistent run of minutes after the World Cup. But that may change when Diogo Dalot returns, which could facilitate a loan move.

Djed Spence (Tottenham Hotspur)

Age: 22 | Position: Right-back | Estimated value: €13M

Spence has four Premier League minutes to his name this season after joining Tottenham from Nottingham Forest. Four! Antonio Conte clearly doesn’t think he’s ready to contribute at this level, and he can’t continue to rot on the bench.

La Liga

Joao Felix (Atletico Madrid)

Age: 23 | Position: Forward | Estimated value: €55M

Has there ever been a more glaring case of a talented player joining the wrong club at the wrong time? Felix’s career has stagnated since his mega-money move to Atletico Madrid. It’s time for both sides to move on.

Rodrigo De Paul (Atletico Madrid)

Age: 28 | Position: Midfielder | Estimated value: €40M

De Paul benefitted greatly from the World Cup after a tough start to Atletico’s campaign. Atleti and the combative midfielder now have options: Trust that his success in Qatar will translate or parlay it into an expensive transfer.

Memphis Depay (Barcelona)

Age: 28 | Position: Forward | Estimated value: €20M

Robert Lewandowski’s arrival and immediate success finding the net have limited Depay’s chances this season. He came close to leaving Barcelona in the summer and will again be a prominent name in January.

Borja Iglesias (Real Betis)

Age: 29 | Position: Striker | Estimated value: €25M

Only Lewandowski has scored more La Liga goals so far this campaign than Iglesias, who is being viewed as a potential option to replace Felix at Atletico Madrid. Betis, chasing European football, would likely play hardball, though.

Ivan Fresneda (Real Valladolid)

Age: 18 | Position: Right-back | Estimated value: €1M

Exciting young full-back Fresneda is catching the eye at Real Valladolid this season, with clubs in Spain and beyond starting to circle. If the teenager does indeed move in January, it will be for more than his humble valuation.

Yunus Musah (Valencia)

Age: 20 | Position: Midfielder | Estimated value: €25M

Ascending young midfielders like Musah are always in extremely high demand. It’s simply a matter of when the American footballer will leave Valencia, not if. Various Premier League clubs are apparently contemplating a bid.

Samuel Chukwueze (Villarreal)

Age: 23 | Position: Winger | Estimated value: €20M

Chukwueze, the electrifying Nigerian winger who always looks to make something happen with the ball at his feet, has only made five starts for Villarreal this season – a surprisingly low figure for someone of his skill level.

Serie A

Rick Karsdorp (AS Roma)

Age: 27 | Position: Right-back | Estimated value: €9M

A public dispute with manager Jose Mourinho means the writing is on the wall for Karsdorp’s Roma career. Likely available for a modest fee in January, various full-back-needy clubs could come calling for the Dutchman.

Nicolo Zaniolo (AS Roma)

Age: 23 | Position: Forward | Estimated value: €30M

Speculation about Zaniolo’s future will be rife until he officially signs a new long-term contract with Roma. Serious knee injuries have blighted the versatile Italian player’s career, but his raw talent is undeniable and hypnotic.

Sofyan Amrabat (Fiorentina)

Age: 26 | Position: Midfielder | Estimated value: €25M

Few players benefitted from the World Cup like Amrabat, who enhanced his reputation tenfold with a series of commanding performances. The driving force behind Morocco’s magical run, Amrabat is ready for the next step.

Milan Skriniar (Inter Milan)

Age: 27 | Position: Center-back | Estimated value: €60M

A contract impasse between Skriniar and Inter has Paris Saint-Germain on high alert. The French club – an admirer since last summer when it tried and failed with hefty bids for the imposing Slovakian – will come calling again.

Adrien Rabiot (Juventus)

Age: 27 | Position: Midfielder | Estimated value: €25M

Rabiot, another soon-to-be free agent, is enjoying the best year of his career. Juventus manager Massimiliano Allegri adores him like few others and may not sanction a sale, even if it likely means losing him for nothing this summer.

Weston McKennie (Juventus)

Age: 24 | Position: Midfielder | Estimated value: €21M

If Juve intend to bring in any reinforcements in January, they’ll need departures to offset those arrivals. McKennie is the most likely candidate, especially as Paul Pogba nears returning, which will only add more midfield competition.

Wilfried Singo (Torino)

Age: 22 | Position: Right-back | Estimated value: €14M

Singo has flashed his enormous potential on multiple occasions. The Ivorian footballer, who thrives in a wing-back role where he can charge forward, is exactly the type of player that modern attack-minded clubs want roaming the flanks.

Bundesliga

Jeremie Frimpong (Bayer Leverkusen)

Age: 22 | Position: Right-back | Estimated value: €25M

Bayer Leverkusen desperately want to retain Frimpong until the summer, but as other clubs miss out on targets and get desperate late in the window, a massive offer for the blossoming right-back could change their mind.

Raphael Guerreiro (Borussia Dortmund)

Age: 29 | Position: Left-back | Estimated value: €20M

Left-back remains a position of need for many top teams across Europe. Finding a player capable and experienced like Guerreiro, who wouldn’t break the bank, is a rarity that could facilitate several offers.

Youssoufa Moukoko (Borussia Dortmund)

Age: 18 | Position: Striker | Estimated value: €30M

Dortmund need to act very fast to secure Moukoko’s future. The teen sensation, a free agent this summer, is the subject of serious Premier League interest as contract talks between the German club and player stall.

Yann Sommer (Borussia Monchengladbach)

Age: 34 | Position: Goalkeeper | Estimated value: €5M

With David De Gea’s future unclear, Manchester United are working to sign Sommer, the Swiss stalwart who has been at Gladbach for nearly a decade. Whether that deal happens now or after the season remains to be seen.

Ramy Bensebaini (Borussia Monchengladbach)

Age: 27 | Position: Left-back | Estimated value: €20M

Bensebaini, whose contract with Gladbach expires at campaign’s end, presents another prime opportunity for clubs looking to bolster their left-back ranks. Dortmund, who may need to replace Guerreiro, are interested in the Algerian player.

Randal Kolo Muani (Eintracht Frankfurt)

Age: 24 | Position: Striker | Estimated value: €37M

Kolo Muani only joined Eintracht Frankfurt this year as a free agent after his contract expired with Nantes. Brilliant business by the Bundesliga club in hindsight, as the French striker is now worth a pretty penny.

Ritsu Doan (Freiburg)

Age: 24 | Position: Winger | Estimated value: €15M

Doan, the diminutive Japanese winger who can also play in a more central role, bolstered his profile at the World Cup with memorable goals against Germany and Spain. Freiburg will turn a healthy profit whenever he moves on.

Josko Gvardiol (RB Leipzig)

Age: 20 | Position: Center-back | Estimated value: €75M

Don’t let Lionel Messi posterizing him at the World Cup fool you. Gvardiol is destined for a gargantuan transfer very shortly. The Croatian center-back will anchor the backline of a top club for years to come.

Ligue 1

Azzedine Ounahi (Angers)

Age: 22 | Position: Midfielder | Estimated value: €15M

The world learned this winter what Angers fans have been shouting from the rooftops: Ounahi is a burgeoning star. One of the game’s silkiest dribblers, the Moroccan No. 8 was perhaps the one true “breakout” player in Qatar.

Benoit Badiashile (AS Monaco)

Age: 21 | Position: Center-back | Estimated value: €40M

Chelsea are reportedly closing in on a deal worth around €40 million to sign Badiashile. The Frenchman has a seductive profile for a central defender: He’s wildly athletic, comfortable on the ball, and, crucially, left-footed.

Terem Moffi (Lorient)

Age: 23 | Position: Striker | Estimated value: €15M

Only Kylian Mbappe and Neymar have more Ligue 1 goals this season than Moffi, the Nigerian striker powering Lorient’s unlikely push for a European place. A transfer to a mid-table Premier League club could be on the cards.

Lovro Majer (Rennes)

Age: 24 | Position: Attacking midfielder | Estimated value: €22M

It was impossible to shake the feeling that Majer deserved more playing time for Croatia at the World Cup. He seemed capable of making something happen every time he touched the ball. Suitors will have noticed that, too.

Elsewhere in Europe (and beyond)

Edson Alvarez (Ajax)

Age: 25 | Position: Defensive midfielder | Estimated value: €35M

Versatility is a valued trait in world football, and Alvarez’s ability to play both in midfield and central defense makes him hugely desirable. The Mexican international nearly joined Chelsea in the summer – Ajax can’t hold on to him forever.

Mohammed Kudus (Ajax)

Age: 22 | Position: Attacking midfielder | Estimated value: €20M

Kudus already exploded onto the scene with superlative performances in the Champions League this fall, and the Ghanaian further enhanced his reputation at the World Cup. Ajax have unearthed yet another gem.

Enzo Fernandez (Benfica)

Age: 21 | Position: Midfielder | Estimated value: €55M

Benfica played this one perfectly. Beating the competition to Fernandez in the summer – for a modest fee, at that – will net the club a monstrous profit after his excellent World Cup. Chelsea are working hard to sign the Argentine midfielder.

Goncalo Ramos (Benfica)

Age: 21 | Position: Striker | Estimated value: €30M

Anybody who replaces Ronaldo for Portugal and then immediately scores a hat-trick will garner attention. Truth is, Ramos has been filling the net all season for Benfica. The club could be swimming in cash come Feb. 1.

Josip Juranovic (Celtic)

Age: 27 | Position: Right-back | Estimated value: €9M

Juranovic looks destined to leave Celtic after the Scottish giants apparently signed his replacement in the form of Canadian international Alistair Johnston. The unwearying Croatian gave a standout performance at the World Cup.

Tajon Buchanan (Club Brugge)

Age: 23 | Position: Winger | Estimated value: €12M

Buchanan, who has devastating pace and trickery, has worked hard to build the defensive side of his game, and he showed at the World Cup that he excels in both phases. Italian clubs are keeping tabs on the Canadian winger.

Dominik Livakovic (Dinamo Zagreb)

Age: 27 | Position: Goalkeeper | Estimated value: €14M

Livakovic made more saves (24) than any goalkeeper at this year’s event in Qatar and punctuated his performance by turning aside four penalties across Croatia’s shootouts. Any club in need of a netminder should be calling Dinamo Zagreb.

Andries Noppert (Heerenveen)

Age: 28 | Position: Goalkeeper | Estimated value: €5M

A surprise starter at the World Cup, Noppert made the most of his chance, helping the Netherlands reach the quarterfinals. A big transfer would cap a dramatic rise for the giant shot-stopper, who was in the Dutch second tier two years ago.

Danilo (Palmeiras)

Age: 21 | Position: Defensive midfielder | Estimated value: €25M

Real Madrid’s eye-watering Endrick signing has overshadowed everything happening at Palmeiras right now. But another ascendant Brazilian star is generating interest, with Arsenal closely monitoring Danilo.

Mykhailo Mudryk (Shakhtar Donetsk)

Age: 21 | Position: Winger | Estimated value: €40M

Mudryk’s future will likely be one of the hottest topics of the January window. The winger is Arsenal’s primary target this month, but Shakhtar are apparently holding firm in their €100-million valuation. This one could take a while.

Pedro Porro (Sporting CP)

Age: 23 | Position: Right-back | Estimated value: €25M

Tottenham are keen on adding Porro, who manager Antonio Conte views as an ideal fit at right wing-back. But the apparent existence of a Manchester City buy-back clause in his Sporting contract could complicate matters.

Selim Amallah (Standard Liege)

Age: 26 | Position: Midfielder | Estimated value: €6.5M

Stop us if you’ve heard this one already, but Morocco’s inspiring fourth-place finish at the World Cup helped fire Amallah into the public spotlight. The midfielder featured in all seven matches for the Atlas Lions.

Harry Souttar (Stoke City)

Age: 24 | Position: Center-back | Estimated value: €6M

Souttar almost missed the World Cup entirely due to injury, but the towering Australian center-back recovered in time to deliver some stellar performances for the Socceroos. The likes of West Ham and Wolves are interested in his services.

Andrey Santos (Vasco da Gama)

Age: 18 | Position: Midfielder | Estimated value: €10M

Chelsea’s strategy of snapping up enticing young players from all over the world continues unabated. The Blues are seemingly on the verge of signing Santos for €12.5 million, adding him to a growing list of promising teenagers.

Free agents

Isco

Age: 30 | Position: Attacking midfielder | Estimated value: €9M

Isco, once one of the most enchanting attacking midfielders in the world, is now looking for a new club after Sevilla released him earlier this month. How much gas does the former Real Madrid star have left in the tank?