F365 Features

We take a look at all 20 Premier League clubs and work out where they want to strengthen and which players they are likely to sell, sometimes paying little attention to what the managers say...

Arsenal

What They're Saying
"I want a creative midfielder. That is to say a second midfielder, because my team is right in terms of manpower and experience" - Arsene Wenger.

What They're Looking For
There's been talk of a goalkeeper in recent days but Wenger's indication that he is looking for a creative spark after Cesc Fabregas joined Theo Walcott and Tomas Rosicky on the sidelines is likely to be reliable. He has other positions to fill - particularly in the centre of midfield and defence - but the Gunners are desperately short on the flanks. Wenger predicted in mid-summer that Rosicky would make his already-delayed return in September so he must have been aghast at learning long after the window had closed that the Czech winger wouldn't be back until March at the earliest.

Who's Likely To Leave
There are 80,000 weekly reasons for William Gallas to stay but predictions of a France-bound exit just won't go away. Given Arsenal's problems in defence, however, it would be a surprise if the deposed captain was allowed to leave mid-way through the season. Expect half-a-dozen or so of the Carling Cup youth team to be farmed out on loan - with Fran Merida likely to head back to Spain and Jay Simpson expected to join West Brom.

Aston Villa

What They're Saying
"To keep the momentum going we would definitely want to have a look at bringing some players in. The fact that we have done well so far and some of our players are getting recognised for England strengthens our hand in January, but it does not mean we will get who we want to get" - Martin O'Neill.

What They're Looking For
Villa's priority is reputedly likely to be a striker but we'd have to take legal advice before providing any further comment.

Who's Likely To Leave
Sorry, no further comment. We don't much like talking to lawyers.

Blackburn Rovers

What They're Saying
"We will try to add to the squad. The problem is we need to find someone who can have an almost immediate impact" - Sam Allardyce.

What They're Looking For
Money for Roque Santa Cruz? Rovers deny it but the suspicion is that, if City are prepared to produce £20m or so, the striker will be allowed to leave to finance an overhaul. 'Immediate-impact' players do not come cheap - not even right-backs, which should be the priority judging by the way Blackburn made a mess of protecting a two-goal lead against City on Sunday. Allardyce will inevitably be linked with his old Bolton players, particularly El-Hadji Diouf.

Who's Likely To Leave
Allardyce has already told Robbie Fowler to pack his bags but has still enough strikers at Ewood Park - Benni McCarthy and Jason Roberts started against City with Matt Derbyshire introduced from the bench - to make Santa Cruz expendable at £20m.

Bolton Wanderers

What They're Saying
"We have got to get some players in. It is going to be difficult, we will have a look around and see what we can do as we are effectively working with a first-team squad of only 14 players" - Gary Megson.

What They're Looking For
From the sounds of it, any footballer with two working legs will do. Megson is insistent that "the players that do come in need to strengthen the squad and not just make the numbers up" - but then what else could we expect him to say? The real question is whether Bolton's hierarchy are prepared to actually spend some substantial cash rather than ask Megson to trawl through the lower leagues for the likes of Mark Beevers.

Who's Likely To Leave
Nobody of relative significance. Bolton have one of the smallest squads in the league and need additions, not reductions.

Chelsea

What They're Saying
"We need one or two more players to put in the team and if we get them then we are in good condition to win trophies at the end of the season and, if not, there might be problems. If we have two more players in the squad, we will have a good chance" - Luiz Felipe Scolari

What They're Looking For
Those remarks, reputedly made by Scolari at a fans' meeting, were omitted by the transcript provided by the Chelsea website - an illustration, perhaps, of conflict behind the scenes after chief executive Peter Kenyon predicted "little or no activity" in January. The global recession has even reached as far as the little piece of Russia in west London with Roman Abramovich apparently ordering a tightening of the purse things. A striker - possibly Middlesbrough's Tuncay - is top of the agenda, but Scolari may have to make his own money...

Who's Likely To Leave
Given that Chelsea's problem is a shortage of strikers, it would be a case of nose-spite-face if they offloaded the increasingly-difficult Didier Drogba to bring in a replacement. A better bet for a mid-season departure, then, may be Florent Malouda, whose stint at Chelsea has been an unmitigated let-down.

Everton

What They're Saying
"Maybe, touch wood, we'll be able to add one or two faces in January" - David Moyes' assistant, Steve Round.

"None of our players is for sale" - Bill Kenwright.

What They're Looking For
The chairman's depicted 'assurance' is almost laughable because the question of Everton selling players shouldn't even be on the agenda. Forced to play Tim Cahill as a lone frontman for most of December after losing three strikers in less than a week, Everton's need is pressing. But the bottom line is that there is just no money to spend - a situation that is likely to make a nonsense of reports linking the Toffees with Wagner Love. Emile Heskey would make sense - and should be a cheapish option - if the red lot on the other side of Stanley Park don't make their move.

Who's Likely To Leave
Nobody - unless Newcastle offer to give them their money back for the underwhelming Leighton Baines. But that's not the point.

Fulham

What They're Saying
"We can't say if Bullard or Hangeland are not going anywhere. If you say are we trying to sell them the answer is 'no' - we're not. But at the same time we are Fulham Football Club. There are bigger clubs who unfortunately have a lot more money and pay enormous wages which we do not have. So I can't say that anyone is not going anywhere" - Roy Hodgson.

What They're Looking For
The status quo being maintained into February would constitute a decent result for Hodgson. If the papers are to be believed, the best the Cottagers can hope for is bringing Steve Finnan back from Espanyol. Hardly a back-page dream.

Who's Likely To Leave
He says otherwise, but F365's suspicion is that Hodgson isn't entirely convinced about Bullard's value. It would be no surprise to us if he leaves West London next month. Brede Hangeland is unlikely to folow him just yet.

Hull City

What They're Saying
"I don't think there is any big reason for major change in January.There won't be wholesale changes. There might be one or two coming or going but we won't be spending the tens of millions that others might be spending" - Phil Brown.

What They're Looking For
Not a lot, from the sounds of it, although the thrashings meted out by Sunderland and Manchester City may cause Brown to reconsider. "I have already got two new signings in the camp in Craig Fagan and Anthony Gardner," he remarked last week but it would be a considerable risk on Hull's behalf if they were to completely refrain from shopping.

Who's Likely To Leave
Dean Windass has been a peripheral figure for most of the season and may consider making a January exit. Michael Turner is apparently a target for Manchester City but he still has almost three years left on his current deal and whatever his transfer worth, it's not half as much as another season in the Premier League.

Liverpool

What They're Saying
Those darn kidneystones are reducing Rafa's capacity for a bit of gossiping...

What They're Looking For
Top of the league and with all guns blazing, it's hardly as if Liverpool urgently need to spend. If they do make a foray into the market, Emile Heskey may be the player they chase with Wigan likely to prefer selling him in January for a couple of million than lose him for nothing when his contract expires in the summer - though the big man himself might have other ideas. Fernando Torres should return next week so it's not as if Liverpool are desperately short of strikers - but there's nothing like covering all bases, is there?

Who's Likely To Leave
Having turned down Real Madrid, Jermaine Pennant's reward is poised to be a move to Wigan and out of semi-retirement. Otherwise, Pool would be foolish to rock the boat by making any other alterations to a squad that collected more points than any other in the Premier League in 2008.

Manchester City

What They're Saying
"We are looking ahead to the window and the players we think have a realistic opportunity of bringing to the club. When the window opens we will try and get those players in. We are going to turn it round. We are going to bring players in who will help the quality players we have here and when we do that then almost immediately there will be an upturn in fortunes" - Mark Hughes.

What They're Looking For
Forget about the likes of Kaka. Signing elite players is notoriously and pragmatically difficult in January and not even City's millions will change that. With the relegation zone in uncomfortable proximity, spending will most likely have to be confined to proven Premier League performers - Wayne Bridge, Craig Bellamy and Roque Santa Cruz are the obvious candidates, with Kolo Toure another reputed target. As Lassana Diarra has been snapped up by Real Madrid, Scott Parker should expect a call as well. The rest of us should just expect plenty of rumours and frantic activity.

Who's Likely To Leave
Elano. The Brazilian has fallen out of favour with Hughes and his departure is surely imminent. With plenty of comings, there should be a few goings as well else City's squad will inevitably become bloated. There is, after all, too much of a good thing and a disconcerting element of short-termism can be read into their reputed targets.

Manchester United

What They're Saying
"I do not think there will be any January transfers, I am happy with what I have got. We took 23 players to Japan and they are substantial players. I would be happy to play any one of them" - Sir Alex Ferguson.

What They're Looking For
Nothing, according to Sir Alex. There will be more question marks over whether the Carlos Tevez deal will be made permanent, but that is a discussion likely to be delayed until the summer with the Argentine given just enough football to stop him looking for a move elsewhere.

Who's Likely To Leave
Sir Alex will take plenty of phone calls asking for his players on loan but he has made it clear that the likes of Danny Wellbeck, Ben Foster and Rodrigo Possebon will be staying at United, especially with the Carling Cup semi-finals on the horizon.

Middlesbrough

What They're Saying
"We need to keep the players we've got, work with the squad we've got and climb the table with those players. What we're hoping to do is put a lid on things as early as we can and say we're not looking to move players on and hopefully we haven't got the speculation going on right throughout January" - Gareth Southgate.

What They're Looking For
There's bugger all money to spend unless Boro sell and Gareth Southgate has made it clear that he does not want to sell. So any targets will be of the cheap variety, with Nemanja Matic likely to arrive from MFK Kosice after a successful trial, with Peter Gal-Andrezly to arrive from the same club on loan.

Who's Likely To Leave
Stewart Downing is the usual twice-yearly target for Tottenham but Southgate has made it clear that they will be very reluctant sellers so any move will be at an inflated price. Tuncay Sanli has been linked with Chelsea but the manager has already p***ed himself laughing at the idea that the Turk might be available for £8m. So there could be no movement at all unless someone offers daft money.

Newcastle United

What They're Saying
"January will be hectic on and off the field...The players I am looking at bringing in are players who can come straight into the team. But I will have to make some changes. I was looking at certain areas, assuming that everybody was fit and well. But due to the length of time people are out injured it could change" - Joe Kinnear.

What They're Looking For
Surprise surprise, it's defenders and very specifically a left-back in the first instance. Stephen Warnock, John-Arne Riise and Leighton Baines are names mentioned as Joe Kinnear has quite rightly worked out that Big Sam spunked way too much money on Jose Enrique. Then there's a centre-half and although Matt Upson might be an optimistic target, perhaps Sol Campbell could be a short-term option.

Injuries to Mark Viduka and Oba Martins could force Joe Kinnear to look at strikers, but although luring Emile Heskey north to partner Michael Owen might seem an ideal solution, it is a highly unlikely one.

Who's Likely To Leave
There will be talk of Michael Owen right up until the end of January but he might well fancy the signing-on fee that a free transfer summer move would bring. More likely to leave now is Shay Given, for if £8m really is on offer for a keeper in his thirties, Newcastle would struggle to turn it down. Charles N'Zogbia and Steven Taylor could also attract lucrative bids.

Portsmouth

What They're Saying
"It might be a boring January. I may get just the one player...Ideally, I don't want to spend money, I want to get a diamond for nothing but it's very rare. We'll have to see" - Tony Adams.

What They're Looking For
What they need and what Tony Adams will be allowed to spend are two different things entirely. Nadir Belhadj has already made his move permanent but Pompey could certainly still do with a right-sided midfielder (something they've been lacking for several seasons) and a central midfielder as someone like Richard Hughes is no replacement for Lassana Diarra. But Adams will have to shop in the bargain bin unless they offload.

Who's Likely To Leave
Well, everyone is up for sale at the right price and big-earners like David James, Sylvain Distin, Glen Johnson, Jermain Defoe and Peter Crouch will be at the top of several clubs' wanted lists, but specifically that of Harry Redknapp's Spurs. They're saying all the right things about massive bids needed to prise them away, but will they really turn down a profit?

Stoke City

What They're Saying
"We've had people watching players all over the world and we will be certainly trying to do some business. It will still be difficult for us because we are in our first season in the Premiership and people expect us to get relegated, but we will do our best" - Tony Pulis.

What They're Looking For
Creativity in midfield (particularly on the left wing) and a striker to take some goalscoring pressure off Ricardo Fuller. Marlon Harewood seems ideal for the latter role while names like Chris McCann, Joe Ledley and Andrew Surman suggest that Tony Pulis will be looking at the pick of the Championship for a winger. A new right-back wouldn't go amiss either.

Who's Likely To Leave
There are a handful of fringe players who might be allowed to leave - Andy Wilkinson, Carl Dickinson and Danny Pugh amongst them - but of the bigger names, Dave Kitson may well be available after a massive flop of a half-season at Stoke.

Sunderland

What They're Saying
"It's early days yet and I haven't got a name but the position I'm looking at is defence, because I think we're a bit thin there. I'll be looking at bringing in an experienced Premiership defender" - Ricky Sbragia.

What They're Looking For
An experienced centre-half to play alongside Anton Ferdinand - Matthew Upson might be the ideal choice but he is likely to have more glamorous offers. A central midfielder with a touch of class might also be a possibility so Kieran Richardson does not have to play out of position - and that could mean Jimmy Bullard, who could find the wages he craves at Sunderland. Michael Chopra is heading back on loan from Cardiff and he could well get a chance with Sunderland light on goals.

Who's Likely To Leave
El-Hadji Diouf has already been mentioned as he has failed to settle, with an Allardyce reunion at Blackburn looking likely. Sunderland have a massive squad and the likes of Greg Halford, Liam Miller, David Connolly, Anthony Stokes, Paul McShane, Graham Kavanagh, Roy O'Donovan and Ross Wallace will all probably be available to any, never mind the highest, bidder.

Tottenham

What They're Saying
"I've discussed it with the chairman but we haven't actually made a bid for anybody. One or two players that we mentioned, people were talking crazy prices for that we certainly wouldn't be willing to pay. If we can't get the players I think will improve the squad, then I won't bring in anybody. I'm not going to load us up with players that aren't better than we've got" - Harry Redknapp.

What They're Looking For
Quality. Specifically at right-back, left-wing, centre-half, central midfield and striker. There had been talk of goalkeepers, but Heurelho Gomes' improving form may delay that until the summer at least. There have been a massive list of targets but the most likely include Craig Bellamy, Jermain Defoe, Glen Johnson, Matthew Upson, Sylvain Distin, Stewart Downing and Jimmy Bullard. So basically anyone who has ever played for Redknapp before. And Downing, because it's traditional.

Who's Likely To Leave
Fringe players like Ricardo Rocha, Adel Taarabt and Kevin Prince-Boateng could follow Paul Stalteri out of the exit door but in terms of first-teamers, the out-of-form Gareth Bale and Didier Zokora are two players heavily linked with moves out, with the former possibly being involved in a swap deal with Downing. You get the feeling that Harry might welcome a big-money offer for Roman Pavyluchenko, but that looks highly unlikely.

West Brom

What They're Saying
"It will be very hard to attract people and that's why we will need to loan players because I wouldn't want to commit a player to us even though there's a long way to go. We have scouts scouring Europe and trying to find somebody who we think can come in and help us. If we're going to buy then we're going to have to sell first. But if we're going to buy we also know it will probably be someone from one of the minor leagues" - Tony Mowbray.

What They're Looking For
There's no money to spend so they're mostly looking at loans, with Arsenal striker Jay Simpson one possibility, along with Villa's out-of-favour Marlon Harewood. As well as goals, they could certainly do with a tough tackler in midfield, and with Dietmar Hamann surplus to requirements at Manchester City, he might be persuaded to help out until the summer.

Who's Likely To Leave
Probably nobody. There are no big-name players attracting interest and they're hardly awash for unrequired bit-part players.

West Ham

What They're Saying
"The commitment is to improve this team so we'll try to keep all our players. Everybody at West Ham wants to take this team to a better level. It's not easy because we have very good players in our team and big clubs are looking for good players. There's also the financial thing but the club tells me it's not a problem - Gianfranco Zola.

What They're Looking For
Depends massively on how many go out of the exit door, but any 'buys' are likely to be loan deals, with Zola naturally looking towards his homeland of Italy. Sebastian Giovinco and Giampaolo Pazzini are two names mentioned.

Who's Likely To Leave
Bit-part players like Lee Bowyer, Nigel Quashie, Calum Davenport, Luis Boa Morte, Joanathan Spector, Danny Gabbidon and Hayden Mullins are expected to leave to lower the wage bill, but the big question is about West Ham's big three. Craig Bellamy, Robert Green and Matty Upson are all reported targets for 'bigger' clubs (mostly Spurs) and only January will tell us whether the Hammers will be forced to sell.

Wigan

What They're Saying
"The good thing is that we have had no bids in for Heskey - or anybody else for that matter. I just hope that continues all through January - Steve Bruce.

What They're Looking For
A replacement/back-up for Emile Heskey, and as this is Steve Bruce (who has something of a Central American fixation), don't expect to see familiar names - Christian Benitez and Hugo Rodallega could be asked to make a similar impact to Wilson Palacios and Luis Antonio Valencia.

As Valencia could well exit for Real Madrid, Jermaine Pennant could take his place on the right, while a link with Nicky Butt suggests that Bruce would like some experience to sit alongside Lee Cattermole and Palacios in the midfield.

Who's Likely To Leave
Emile Heskey could choose to wait until the summer to leave on a lucrative (for him) free transfer and the likely £4m fee is peanuts compared with the price of relegation for Wigan. But a Real offer for Valencia would probably be too good to refuse. There's talk of Ryan Taylor also leaving, but with a smallish squad, there are unlikely to be too many more exits.

Pete Gill and Sarah Winterburn