Fabrizio Romano is an acclaimed journalist whose coverage of the football transfer window has been featured by leading news publishers, including The Guardian and Sky Sport.
Here in his Skrill column, he shares the latest transfer news and insights. Watch his video below to find out who Romano considers the most sought-after players for January and why.
The January transfer market has always been considered a time for ‘opportunity’ deals. Who will be the most attractive players? Expect these five names to get the attention of the big clubs.
1. Denis Zakaria
The Borussia Mönchengladbach midfielder’s contract is expiring in June 2022. Many clubs have approached his agents; Juventus would like to sign him in January and Barcelona’s board have taken tabs on him as a free agent.
And in recent weeks, two Premier League clubs and FC Bayern have also taken an interest.
Zakaria will leave Mönchengladbach, which means some of these clubs could try to anticipate the deal in January for the Swiss midfielder by paying compensation to Borussia. The race is on.
2. Ferran Torres
The Spanish Manchester City star is top of Barcelona's list for January. Xavi Hernandez would like him to move to Barca as soon as possible, and he is open for a possible transfer to come back to La Liga.
The problem is Manchester City's asking price: at least €60/65 million, with no discount. The negotiation won't be easy and will depend on how many players Barca manage to sell in January.
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3. Sardar Azmoun
Zenit St Petersburg's Iranian striker was one step away from joining Bayer Leverkusen and AS Roma last summer. He will still be a big name for the January transfer market because his contract expires in June 2022.
Olympique Lyonnais have already reached an agreement with Azmoun for a free agent transfer, but will soon make an offer to Zenit to buy Sardar in January, anticipating the deal.
4. Anthony Martial
His decision was made and announced by his agent: the French forward wants to leave Manchester United in January because he wants to play more regularly.
There are no advanced negotiations yet, but watch out for clubs from other leagues, not just the Premier League. It will be a long race to buy Martial in January, as he is a great opportunity.
5. Jonathan Ikoné
The Lille winger is one of the most interesting players ahead of the January transfer market. Fiorentina have moved well in advance: the board of the Italian club already has an agreement with Ikoné for a five-year contract.
Few details are missing, and his signing for €15 million will be completed, including a percentage on the future resale. This is certainly one of the most interesting deals of the January transfer market in Serie A.