January 2026 Premier League transfer targets for every club | OneFootball

As the January transfer window approaches, Premier League clubs are already assessing their squads and identifying areas that require reinforcement.

From title-chasing giants seeking to fine-tune their well-knit rosters to struggling sides desperate to arrest poor form, every team faces vital decisions that could shape the rest of the season.

We break down where each Premier League team could strengthen next month.

Arsenal

Arsenal managed to solve the majority of their problems in the summer, even though not all the signings have thrived.

Viktor Gyokeres was supposed to be Thierry Henry’s long-lost successor, but he has only scored five goals in the Premier League this season.

Critics would be quick to point to the lack of service from the full-backs, as neither Riccardo Calafiori nor Jurrien Timber are famed for their crossing ability.

Addressing this problem must now take a back seat, as the Gunners must boost their defence after losing Gabriel Magalhaes to injury. 

Aston Villa

Aston Villa’s underwhelming start to the season now looks like a distant memory, as they are just three points behind Arsenal.

If Villa are to challenge for the title, they should consider signing a high-quality centre-back, as Victor Lindelof and Pau Torres proved unreliable, especially in high-stakes games.

They may also benefit from a new striker now that Ollie Watkins could be on his way out after an unenviable first half of the season.

Jadon Sancho and Harvey Elliott may also return to their parent clubs to make room for new arrivals, which would lead to a massive overhaul in the final third. 

Bournemouth

A dreadful eight-game winless league streak has plunged Bournemouth’s hopes of securing an unlikely European qualification into disarray, leaving Andoni Iraola wondering what to do in January.

The Cherries have failed to cover for the departures of Dean Huijsen and Illia Zabarnyi, and it’s now coming back to haunt them, as they’ve conceded an average of 1.7 goals per match.

With that in mind, reinforcing their depleted defensive department should be Bournemouth’s top priority this winter, though they could also use some creativity in the middle of the park.

However, there’s a feeling that Marcus Tavernier and Tyler Adams can handle it. 

Brentford

Despite Igor Thiago’s stratospheric rise, Brentford must still do something to make up for the summer exits of Yoane Wissa and Bryan Mbeumo.

Kevin Schade and Dango Ouattara have not lived up to their predecessors’ high standards, which is why the Bees should return to the market to bolster their attacking ranks.

While Keith Andrews’ men continue to look solid at the back, their frontline still flatters to deceive. However, Brentford can and should address this issue in January. 

Brighton & Hove Albion

It’s been a typical Brighton season, as they continue to perform well against top teams and drop points against sides they’re expected to beat.

Part of the problem lies in their inconsistency in the final third, where Danny Welbeck, Kaoru Mitoma and Yankuba Minteh have struggled to deliver the end product with enough regularity.

Unsurprisingly, the Seagulls are looking to sign Said El Mala from Cologne. Adding a winger and a prolific marksman in January could turn Brighton’s season around. 

Burnley

Fighting tooth and nail to avoid an immediate return to the Championship, Burnley must defy the odds to secure survival, as they already trail 17th-placed Nottingham Forest by seven points.

The wheels have fallen off after a decent nine-game start to the season (W3, D1, L5), with the Clarets losing seven successive league games before a 1-1 draw at Bournemouth.

Growing defensive difficulties threaten to be Burnley’s undoing this term, knowing that only dead-last Wolverhampton Wanderers and West Ham United have conceded more goals than them (34).

Their disjointed backline has capitulated multiple times in seven of their last nine league fixtures, and it takes no rocket science to understand where they need to invest this winter. 

Chelsea

What else can Todd Boehly do to make Chelsea relevant in the title race? That’s the million-dollar question, and it likely comes down to shoring up Enzo Maresca’s backline.

The Blues used to rule the Premier League during the glory days of John Terry, but they now rely on Trevoh Chalobah and Wesley Fofana to hold the defence together.

For whatever reason, Chelsea continue to overlook this problem. Instead, they’re pursuing Adam Wharton and Kobbie Mainoo despite a wealth of midfield alternatives at the Italian’s disposal.

Landing a new centre-back would be a move in the right direction.

Crystal Palace

Buoyed by last season’s stunning FA Cup triumph, Crystal Palace have established themselves as surprising top-four candidates despite an unimpressive transfer window.

Oliver Glasner cannot afford to rest on his laurels, and improving his attack could be key to turning his side’s faint top-four hopes into a serious challenge.

Jean-Philippe Mateta and Ismaila Sarr have been brilliant, but they need support, which is why Palace are reportedly lining up a winter offer for Brennan Johnson.

It could be a season-defining deal for the Eagles. 

Everton

Having already staved off fears about relegation, Everton can now start focusing on climbing up the ladder, with fourth-placed Chelsea only five points away.

Breaking into the top-four battle could be easier said than done, especially considering there’s an irresistible sense that David Moyes has reached the ceiling with this squad.

A lack of firepower has emerged as Everton’s biggest obstacle despite the arrivals of Jack Grealish and Thierno Barry.

The former Villarreal striker scored his first career goal in the Premier League earlier in December, highlighting just how difficult it’s been for him to adapt to the new surroundings. 

Fulham

Though Marco Silva still doesn’t have to worry about Fulham’s top-flight status, things could get out of control in the blink of an eye, especially if they fail to address their erratic home form.

Conceding in abundance has recently become a recurring theme for Fulham, whose underperforming backline conceded nine goals in the last three league matches.

Calvin Bassey has done extremely well despite all the setbacks, but Fulham could still add to their defensive options by finding him a reliable partner.

Signing a decent alternative to Kenny Tete at right-back also feels mandatory, given his notorious problems with inconsistent performances.

Leeds United

Daniel Farke has succeeded in making Leeds a tough team to beat on their return to the elite division, but there’s still ample room for improvement as they face a season-long fight against the drop.

With Dominic Calvert-Lewin firing on all cylinders and Noah Okafor hitting the ground running, the Whites appear to be well-covered in the final third, as most recently witnessed by a 4-1 thumping of Palace.

However, Farke might use some depth on the flanks, especially on the left, where Gabriel Gudmundsson’s offensive shortcomings continue to be a source of concern.

Jayden Bogle has fared better on the right, but it’s not like he has been in top form despite occasional flashes of attacking prowess. 

Liverpool

Although Liverpool seem to be on the verge of steadying the ship after a horrendous start to their Premier League title defence, it could be another busy transfer window for the Reds.

Long-serving talisman Mohamed Salah is closer to leaving the club than staying until the end of the season amid a notorious fallout with under-pressure boss Arne Slot.

However, the Merseyside giants heavily reinforced their frontline in the summer, perhaps even at the expense of other, more critical parts of the squad.

A team of Liverpool’s stature and ambition cannot afford to rely on just two central defenders, as Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate alone are not enough to cope with the gruelling schedule.

Let’s see if Slot will sign a new defender.

Manchester City

Last season was full of woes and disappointments for Manchester City, but Pep Guardiola has steered his side back on track, re-establishing them as the genuine title contenders.

Erling Braut Haaland is unstoppable again, while Rayan Cherki has started to demonstrate his burgeoning talent after a rather slow start to life in the Premier League.

When it comes to strength in depth, only a handful of teams can challenge Man City, yet Guardiola probably wouldn’t mind having some additional options on the flanks.

Matheus Nunes has fared reasonably well at right-back, but he is not a natural defender. The same applies to Nico O’Reilly, who has performed well on the left side.

However, that’s a far cry from the glory days of Kyle Walker and Joao Cancelo. 

Manchester United

For the first time in years, Manchester United chose their summer signings correctly, hitting the jackpot with the acquisitions of Matheus Cunha and Mbeumo.

However, Ruben Amorim’s 3-4-2-1 formation requires more quality on the wings than either Diogo Dalot or Patrick Dorgu have been able to provide this season.

Meanwhile, the Red Devils desperately lack a top-class holding midfielder, and recent injuries to Bruno Fernandes and Kobbie Mainoo highlight the general lack of depth in midfield.

Casemiro and Manuel Ugarte have fallen short of expectations, prompting the club to explore several market opportunities, including Elliot Anderson and Adam Wharton.

The former would be a massive coup for United, but convincing Forest to let their standout midfielder leave could prove rather tricky.

The latter may be on United’s radar for next summer, but would the club accelerate the move to January given their injury worries?

Newcastle United

Ten straight games without a clean sheet have compromised Newcastle’s chances of closing the gap on the top four, forcing Eddie Howe to consider landing a new centre-back midway through the campaign.

Malick Thiaw’s form since joining the club from AC Milan has failed to inspire confidence, and while waiting for Sven Botman’s recovery, the Magpies may want to strengthen their defensive options.

That’s not the only glaring issue. Except for Anthony Gordon, Howe’s wingers have struggled to make an impact.

Harvey Barnes has had several unfathomable misses, while Anthony Elanga has been unrecognisable since completing his £55 million move from Forest in the summer. 

Nottingham Forest

Last season’s dream has turned into a nightmare for Forest this term, with their top-flight status hanging by a thread after an underwhelming start.

Battles on multiple fronts are weighing heavily on Sean Dyche’s team, whose only ambition is to maintain their Premier League presence beyond this disappointing campaign.

With Dyche at the helm, it’s hard to expect Forest to score for fun, yet an average of only 1.06 goals per game shows where the problem is.

Chris Wood has been a shadow of his former self, while Arnaud Kalimuendo’s adaptation to the new surroundings is taking longer than expected.

Perhaps it’s time for Evangelos Marinakis to open his chequebook and sign a striker. 

Sunderland

Sunderland headed into their first season in the Premier League since 2016/17 as the hottest relegation candidates, but they’ve already played down such expectations.

Bolstered by a raft of summer signings, Regis Le Bris’ men have taken England’s top flight by storm and will head into Christmas in a respectable sixth place.

However, the Black Cats have failed to score in six league matches this season, with only two teams drawing a blank more often than them.

Brian Brobbey may not be the centre-forward Le Bris was looking for in the summer, and he will have a month to find a new attacking leader. 

Tottenham Hotspur

Thomas Frank’s era has started with a whimper rather than a bang, with Tottenham already facing an uphill task to secure a coveted top-four finish despite heavy summer investments.

Xavi Simons, Mohammed Kudus and Randal Kolo Muani have not turned Spurs into an attacking force to be reckoned with, which could force the club’s hand in January.

In Frank’s defence, a growing injury list has dampened Tottenham’s spirits in the first half of the season, leaving them stranded in the Premier League’s lower reaches.

With Dejan Kulusevski and James Maddison on the sidelines, Spurs need a creative spark, and that’s where they should try to inject some additional quality during the upcoming transfer window.

West Ham United

There’s something awfully wrong going on behind the curtain, something that defies logic and everything the West Ham chiefs had done to assemble the team capable of competing for the European spots.

Slapped by reality, Nuno Espirito Santo’s charges are firmly embroiled in the relegation scrap and will spend Christmas in the drop zone after a 3-0 rout at Man City.

It’s still hard to tell what’s worse – West Ham’s misfiring attack or their leaky defence. Either way, the Hammers bosses would be well-advised to dig deep into their pockets and strengthen the squad in January.

Only Wolves have netted 2+ goals per game more sporadically than West Ham (5), suggesting a new striker should be the Irons’ top priority next month.

Wolverhampton Wanderers

From where the devastated Wolves faithful stand right now, a brand-new starting XI would be nice, though even that wouldn’t save them from relegation.

Manager Rob Edwards doesn’t need new players but a magic stick after his side became just the fourth Premier League team to lose ten or more consecutive games in the same season.

Nailed to the bottom of the standings with only two points from 17 matches, Wolves are beyond salvation, which doesn’t mean they don’t have anything to fight for this season.

Avoiding the ignominy of going down in history as the worst team in the Premier League era could still provide the Molineux outfit with a fighting goal, something to strive for amid a season defined by failure.

Despite lamenting the division’s worst defensive record of 37 goals conceded, Wolves’ inability to score has been far more ominous, with just nine goals from 17 matches leaving them devoid of any attacking threat.

Jhon Arias and Jorgen Strand Larsen have failed to live up to expectations, and signing a new centre-forward has become a necessity for Edwards’ side if they’re to put some points on the board in the second half of the season.