The January transfer window has already seen some intriguing moves: Manchester City have spent all the money but we were waiting for the deal that really that harked back to the madness of January windows of the past. Lo and behold, the curve ball has come! After West Ham had a bid of €57m for rejected for Aston Villa’s Jhon Duran, he has gone to Al-Nassr in Saudi for €70m. Yes, €70m for Villa’s second choice front man. With nearly every team in the Premier League and many in Europe on the hunt for a goalscorer, the first domino has fallen, the price point has been set, so let the games begin. So what we are going to do here is simple, look at who are the potential movers and shakers over in the forward department over the last couple of days of the window. Come on then, let’s go do the thing.
European Strikers in the Spotlight
Victor Boniface (Bayer Leverkusen)
One of the most exciting forwards in the Bundesliga, Boniface has been in electric form under Xabi Alonso. His combination of power, pace, and finishing ability has attracted interest from clubs across Europe. The biggest loser in the Jhon Duran deal, Leverkusen had accepted a bid from Al-Nassr only to have the rug swept from under the feet in the last moment as attention turned to the Villa frontman. Boniface has attracted interest from a number of clubs including Manchester United and West Ham are expected to bid in the coming days. Leverkusen are having another strong season and may resist any January offers, but a big summer move seems inevitable. His ability to play in various attacking roles makes him a valuable asset for any top-tier club.
Mathys Tel (Bayern Munich)
Still just 18, Tel is viewed as Bayern Munich’s long-term striker solution. However, with Harry Kane leading the line, game time remains limited. Clubs like Chelsea and PSG have been monitoring his situation, and a potential loan move could help him gain more first-team experience. A deal for Tel has gained speed and traction in the last couple of days with a supposed bid from Kane’s old haunt Spurs in the region of €50m as the player has told the Bayern board he wants out. Any young forward will find it tough to dislodge Kane, but Tel’s technical ability and speed make him a prime target for clubs looking to invest in young attacking talent.
Victor Osimhen (Napoli)
One of the most sought-after strikers in world football, Osimhen has been heavily linked with Chelsea and PSG, alongside basically any team who has needed a forward. Napoli managed to hold onto him last summer, but a release clause in his contract means an exit is almost inevitable. With Saudi clubs also lurking, Osimhen’s next move could define his career. Due to a late move in the summer collapsing Osimhen headed to Galatasaray on loan, but expect renewed interest from the Premier League and European giants in the coming days, when it comes to Osimhen, his powerful presence in the box and goal-scoring prowess make him a dream signing for any elite club.
Jonathan David (Lille)
David has been linked with a move to the Premier League for the past two seasons. Manchester United and Tottenham have reportedly shown interest, while Serie A giants AC Milan are also in the race. With his contract running down, Lille may be forced to sell sooner rather than later, although he could wait to move in the summer for free, there is still a chance a basement bargain deal could suit all parties. The Canadian forward’s agility and finishing ability have made him one of Europe’s most consistent performers.
Benjamin Šeško (RB Leipzig)
The Slovenian forward has drawn comparisons to Erling Haaland due to his height, speed, and clinical finishing. There has been enough column inches written about Sesko over the last number of windows but a deal is yet to materialise. Leipzig are a selling club and with their deal to turn Simon’s loan from PSG into a permanent move, they may be tempted to cash in to balance the books. A move to the Premier League could be on the cards, with Liverpool, Arsenal and Manchester United and even Bayern Munich rumoured to be keeping close tabs on his development at Leipzig. At just 20 years old, he has the potential to become one of Europe’s best strikers in the coming years.
Viktor Gyökeres (Sporting CP)
The Swedish international has been in scintillating form for Sporting CP, scoring goals consistently and showcasing his ability to play both as a target man and a mobile forward since moving from Coventry a couple of years ago. In fact, he has done so well at Sporting under the Ruben Amorim, that he has become the most talked about and most wanted man in football. The likes of Manchester United (obviously) Arsenal and Chelsea have reportedly taken an interest in him, and a summer move could be on the cards as Sporting look to capitalize on his rising market value. Don’t expect a January move for the big Swede until the summer unless of course Chelsea do a Chelsea of Man United’s desperation means they trigger his release clause.
Premier League Strikers in Demand
Now let’s come to the Premier League, where a whole pile of moves have been mooted, rumour mills have been churning and deal have been nicely lined up like a row of rubbery duckies. All clubs needed was a push, to say that’s come in big time is an understatement and now Duran has moved on, watch these dominos drop faster than Black Friday deals at a checkout counter.
Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa)
Watkins has been crucial for Aston Villa, but with Arsenal in the mixer for a quality forward given injuries to Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Jesus, the self professed Arsenal fan, Watkins is on their radar. Villa will demand a hefty fee, but with Champions League football at Villa and the already meaty sale of Duran in the bank, they may be reluctant to sell in January. His ability to press high and link up play makes him a perfect fit for elite attacking systems. Basically this one could get messy, watch this space a big old bag of popcorn. Peter Odemwingie peak January window banter levels are coming.
Marcus Rashford (Manchester United)
Despite signing a new contract last year, Rashford’s future remains uncertain amid Manchester United’s struggles. PSG have been long-term admirers, Barcelona, Dortmund, A.C. Milan and a whole host more has been attributed with interest in the English forward who has been out in the cold under Amorim since Rashford’s interview where he said he wants a change of scenery. What a fall from grace from Rashford as despite the interest in forwards from a bunch of teams right now, no offers have come in for Marcus Rashford as of yet while his super-high wages are a major stumbling block for getting a deal over the line. Despite light interest from European royalty, don’t be surprised to see Rashy heading to Villa or The Hammers in a late January deadline day deal. His pace and ability to score in crucial moments make him an attractive target for top clubs.
Kaoru Mitoma (Brighton & Hove Albion)
While not a traditional striker, Mitoma’s versatility in attack has made him a target for top European clubs and by all accounts the Saudi Pro League. Brighton love to buy ’em low and sell ’em high and the man with a degree in dribbling (not joking, he actually does), has had an offer rejected from the Saudi League with an expected follow up in the €90m range. Brighton’s hand may be forced to make the sale while the going is good. Manchester City and Barcelona have both shown interest, and Brighton’s history of selling stars suggests a departure could be on the horizon. We would have expected to see this type of deal done in the summer but when Saudi money is in the mixer, things change quickly. Does a European Superpower come in for Mitoma or is he off to Saudi? Personally we reckon he’s heading south, but we watch this space with eager anticipation. His dribbling ability and eye for goal make him a dangerous forward.
João Félix (Chelsea)
Félix has struggled to find consistency in recent years, but his raw talent remains undeniable. The poor bastard has been passed from pillar to post in recent years and with his summer move to Chelsea, it was thought he finally found a home, that’s not what’s gone down. Way down the pecking order in the Premier League squad, Felix’s majority of minutes have come in the European Conference League and over the last couple of days Aston Villa have been sniffing around the Portugueser who was once a world record transfer. Where does Felix end up? Who knows, but we don’t expect to see him in Chelsea blue come February. His technical ability and creativity could thrive in the right system.
Matheus Cunha (Wolves)
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Cunha’s performances for Wolves have attracted attention from bigger clubs. With Manchester United and Tottenham reportedly interested, Wolves may face a battle to keep him beyond the current season. Nottingham Forrest have supposably had a bid knocked down from Wolves but his current contract situation means Wolves may be forced to sell if Cunha doesn’t sign the latest contract on the table. Now to me while Forrest are having a very very good season, I think Cunha would be a good fit for Spurs or Manchester, who yes are below Forest in the league but are traditionally bigger clubs. Let’s see if a deal is done in January of if this is one that waits until summer. His pace, dribbling, and work rate make him a highly sought-after forward.
João Pedro (Brighton & Hove Albion)
Brighton have another gem in João Pedro, whose performances have made him a target for top clubs. A move to a bigger Premier League club could be in the cards if Brighton fail to qualify for Europe. Watching him play this season has been an absolute joy but with Mitoma on the way out, Pedro might be waiting until summer for his big move. He also has a poor enough injury record which has stopped a lot of the chatter of a move to one of the big 6 teams, but again with Brighton being Brighton a silly money offer could see something happen in the final knockings of the January Transfer Window. His versatility and finishing ability make him a well-rounded attacking option.
Christopher Nkunku (Chelsea)
Nkunku’s Chelsea career has been hampered by injuries, but once fit, he could become a key player. However, with Chelsea’s revolving door of attackers, his long-term future at the club remains uncertain. Manchester United have been said to be interested, with a potential swap deal touted with Garnacho coming the other way. Can’t see this happening this late into the window but a move to the continent to Dortmund or Leverkusen, or staying in the league with West Ham seem the more likely destinations for Nkunku in the coming days. His ability to play as a second striker or attacking midfielder makes him a unique asset.
Bryan Mbeumo (Brentford)
Brentford could face another Toney level battle to retain Mbeumo. The versatile forward has impressed, and if a top-six club comes calling, a move could be on the horizon. Brentford are a team that sell on their terms, when they are good and ready but with interest swirling from Liverpool, Manchester United and Spurs to name a few, we could see a big money move in the coming days, and if that doesn’t come to fruition, expect Mbuemo to be on the hunt for European football this coming summer. His ability to play across multiple attacking roles adds value to his game.
Yoane Wissa (Brentford)
Wissa has stepped up in Toney’s absence, making him an attractive option for clubs looking for attacking depth. Brentford will be keen to hold onto him, but a big-money offer could tempt them into a sale. Much the same as his partner above, Brentford don’t need to sell so its going to take a club with deep pockets to make a move happen. Nottingham Forest have also had a bid rejected (seriously what are they up to over there) and while there hasn’t been much talk of them coming back in with a second offer it’s going to be an interesting last few days down at Brentford as they look to hold on to their key stars for the second half of the season. His strength and finishing ability make him a dangerous attacking threat.
Evan Ferguson (Brighton & Hove Albion)
The young Irish striker had been a revelation for Brighton, showcasing his physicality, technical skill, and goal-scoring instinct, but a number of injuries have since hampered his progress. Manchester United, Chelsea, and Tottenham, Leverkusen, Dormund, Villa and basically every team in England and abroad have looked at Ireland’s best chance of an elite player. He’s a baller with a huge ceiling but injuries, form and a rumoured falling out have put the man from not for sale to come and get him. Having been linked with a potential move, and given Brighton’s track record of selling top talent, a transfer could be on the horizon if the price is right, which it will be, but where he ends up is any one’s guess, mine is Potter at West Ham, but then again this is one that will go down to the wire on deadline day.
Conclusion: A Hot Market for Strikers
The striker market is heating up, with clubs across Europe and the Premier League looking for their next star forward. Whether it’s a blockbuster summer move for Victor Osimhen or a young talent like Mathys Tel finding a new home, expect plenty of movement in the coming months. With financial fair play concerns, player ambitions, and squad needs all in play, the striker carousel is just getting started.
Which of these players do you think will be the next big signing? Let us know in the comments! And as always, we are heading towards a public launch of Statrdraft for next season, so get on that waiting list to be the first to play Fantasy Football the Statr way!
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