Semenyo to replace Salah at Liverpool as 10 likeliest January transfers ranked | OneFootball

Manchester United will sign a central midfielder and Antoine Semenyo should replace Mohamed Salah at Liverpool. It’s going to be an eventful January.

We’re also expecting moves for Real Madrid wonderkid Endrick and Red Devils outcast Kobbie Mainoo, while there’s an outside chance Spurs lose one of their best players.

In order of least to most likely to come off, we have predicted the 10 biggest transfers in the January transfer window.

10) Micky van de Ven: Spurs to Real Madrid

Very unlikely, isn’t it? But not completely out of the question. That’s good enough for us.

Real Madrid need a new centre-back and Van de Ven is reportedly one of their top targets. The major issue is that he’d cost a fortune, and Los Blancos have plenty of cheaper options like Marc Guehi, Dayot Upamecano and Ibrahima Konate, though the latter is reportedly no longer an option because he is actually a bit s**t.

If it weren’t for those three future free agents, Spurs would be in serious danger of losing Van de Ven to their least favourite customer.

9) Rodrigo Mendoza: Elche to Arsenal

Arsenal are definitely keen on signing Elche youngster Mendoza, but there’s plenty of competition. Juventus are in the race. Manchester United are also there.

He’s really established himself as one of Elche’s most important players and has a release clause worth a measly £17.5million, triggering Sambi Lokonga flashbacks. Just like the Belgian, he’s a young midfielder with sky-high potential who has broken into a decent team’s starting XI and is available for between £15m-20m.

There’s a decent chance this transfer comes off… but an even bigger chance it happens at the end of the season, not in January.

8) Mike Maignan: AC Milan to Chelsea

Chelsea need a goalkeeper. They also, somehow, still need a striker. But they probably need a goalkeeper more. You can’t change Robert Sanchez’s position or style, but Enzo Maresca can try lots of things to bring the best out of Joao Pedro.

For some completely bizarre and unknown reason, Chelsea were stingy in their pursuit of Maignan last summer. It was blatantly obvious he would be an upgrade on Sanchez and Filip Jorgensen, yet they didn’t want to pay more than £13m. Milan wanting closer to £20m is completely reasonable; he’s an elite goalkeeper, but because he’s 30 years old and out of contract next summer, the Blues said no to a clear upgrade.

They could right their wrongs in January, and we really think they should. But because Chelsea are a silly and unpredictable club, they probably won’t bother.

7) Ivan Toney: Al Ahli to West Ham or Spurs

Toney might actually be good enough to break West Ham’s striker curse. But with every Ivan Toney transfer link, Spurs must get a mention.

Spurs could do with another No.9 if Dominic Solanke remains crocked, but if he can get back and compete with an in-form Richarlison, who has scored 17 goals in his last 24 Premier League starts, then Toney would be a waste of money.

As for West Ham, they need a striker. Callum Wilson is doing a stand-up job, but he can’t be your first-choice striker in big 2026. Niclas Fullkrug is likely returning to Germany, and Toney would be a significant upgrade, capable of being the target man West Ham thought Fullkrug was, and the hard-working fox in the box Wilson was in his pomp.

The rumours are there. Toney returning to the Premier League in January is a big possibility.

6) Kobbie Mainoo: Manchester United to Napoli

Unfortunately for Manchester United fans, Mainoo doesn’t have a future under Ruben Amorim. It’s nothing to do with his conduct or even performances, but purely because he’s competing with club captain Bruno Fernandes for a starting spot.

Napoli appears to be the most realistic destination for a player desperate for regular playing time. It worked for Scott McTominay, so it will work for Mainoo…right?

5) Marc Guehi: Crystal Palace to Liverpool

Liverpool absolutely f**ked it by not signing Guehi from Palace last summer. It’s probably the biggest mistake any Premier League club has made this season. We’re not saying he’d have them top of the league, but the Reds would be a lot better off, that’s for sure.

Arne Slot should not risk waiting until the end of 2025/26 to try and sign the Eagles captain on a free transfer with Real Madrid and Bayern Munich among the clubs circling. They should be ruthless in January to ensure they get their man. And we actually think they will.

4) Conor Gallagher: Atletico Madrid to Manchester United

Despite Mainoo’s lack of minutes, it’s quite likely United will offload him and sign Gallagher, potentially on loan, despite Gallagher arguably being a worse player.

Gallagher has a bigger engine and is much more versatile than young Mainoo. He definitely suits Amorim’s system more and is capable of playing with Fernandes rather than fighting a battle that’s impossible to win.

There’s definitely no smoke without fire here, yet it’s unclear if United and Atletico will negotiate a loan or permanent transfer. A loan probably suits the former, while the latter will prefer to sell. Ideal, then.

Amorim needs a new central midfielder and is also targeting Elliot Anderson, Adam Wharton and Carlos Baleba. Gallagher represents a much cheaper alternative, and someone whose true transfer value won’t be massively inflated in January.

3) Antoine Semenyo: Bournemouth to Liverpool

Semenyo leaving Bournemouth in January is almost guaranteed, but to who, Chris Kamara?

Liverpool are the favourites but won’t like that Manchester City are interested. Spurs are as well, but that’s far less intimidating. Apparently Semenyo likes Arsenal, but Arsenal have too many forwards right now, so that makes little sense.

After spending over £400m in the summer, the Reds are oddly light in attack and, after an incredible Mohamed Salah meltdown, now need to sign a starting right-winger. Not a back-up to the Egyptian. An actual replacement.

There are more appealing options than Semenyo, like Michael Olise, but the Bayern Munich star is never leaving in January. So Semenyo for his £65m release clause will have to do, taking Liverpool’s season expenditure to the £500m mark. They can’t finish outside the Champions League spots after that, FFS.

2) Endrick: Real Madrid to Lyon

Endrick has a gargantuan 11 minutes played for Real Madrid this season despite being available for selection. Xabi Alonso clearly doesn’t fancy him and a loan exit in January is guaranteed.

French club Lyon are expected to be the lucky benefactors of Endrick’s lack of minutes, though other clubs, including Manchester United, have also been linked.

1) Mohamed Salah: Liverpool to Saudi Arabia

There is a chance Salah is reintegrated into the Liverpool team after losing his mind following three consecutive Premier League starts on the bench. It was such a reasonable reaction to such disgusting treatment, wasn’t it?

After the Africa Cup of Nations, Salah is off. He’s gone. His Liverpool career will reach a very sad conclusion.

Saudi Arabia has been trying to sign him for years, and they’ll surely finally get their man. Salah’s inflated ego might get in the way. Maybe he fancies staying in Europe, but who will take a punt on him? It’s all very Cristiano Ronaldo in 2022.

And the result of that Ronaldo drama was a pride-swallowing, albeit very lucrative, transfer to Saudi Arabia.

Whoever PIF want Salah to join is where he will end up. For now, the transfer is simply: Liverpool to Saudi Arabia.