One Player Each Premier League Club Needs to Take Them to the Next Level
With the January transfer window now less than six weeks away from opening for business once again, we suggest one player each Premier League club needs to purchase that will take them on to the next level.
So, starting in alphabetical order, these are the targets we have chosen for all 20 top-flight clubs….
ARSENAL: Julian Draxler (Schalke 04)
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Sometimes in football a certain player just seems an ideal fit for a particular team, which is the case with the brilliant young Germany international and the north London club.
And while there are perhaps other areas of the Gunners team that may need strengthening more at present, there is also no doubting that were the 20-year-old to be signed by manager Arsene Wenger, Arsenal would improve immeasurably as a team, such are the midfield player’s technical abilities.
ASTON VILLA: Moussa Dembele (Tottenham Hotspur)
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Villa manager Paul Lambert has constructed a youthful and high-energy outfit much in his own image as a player since taking over at Villa Park in the summer of 2012. In these past 15 months, the west Midlands side’s goalkeeper, back four and front men all having impressed greatly.
But it is in midfield that the Scot is currently crying out for more creation, quality and goals, all of which could be supplied at the drop of a hat by luring the brilliant Belgium international to Birmingham as the final piece in Lambert’s Villa jigsaw.
CARDIFF CITY: Mohamed Sissoko (Paris Saint-Germain)
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The experienced Mali international has played for some of the biggest clubs in the world, including the likes of Liverpool and Juventus, and would be an absolutely ideal addition to what boss Malky Mackay is currently trying to achieve in South Wales.
Indeed, were the Bluebirds able to recruit a player with the PSG holding midfielder’s class and temperament, then you really get the feeling the newly promoted Premier League club could go places in the future.
CHELSEA: Radamel Falcao (AS Monaco)
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What to get the team that has everything? Well, a striker who can put the ball in the back of the net would not go amiss. Especially as you get the distinct impression that a failure to rectify this glaring omission in the current Blues squad will end up preventing the west London club from achieving anything at all this season.
However, there is one prolific marksman out there right now, a real fox in the box and arch predator, who, if lured to Stamford Bridge, would surely guarantee that Jose Mourinho wins not only the Premier League, but also the UEFA Champions League too.
CRYSTAL PALACE: Will Hughes (Derby County)
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Well, where to start with the struggling Eagles, who have problems at the moment all over the field of play truth be told, so it is hard to really nail down one area in particular that the south-east London club need to strengthen.
However, there is no doubt that Palace are desperately short of quality and goals in the centre of the park, and the addition of the current undoubted star of the Championship would go a long way towards resolving that issue.
EVERTON: Fernando (Porto)
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There is a reason that the Toffees have been keeping close tabs on the experienced Brazilian holding midfield player for some time now, and that is because the 26-year-old has exactly the right skill set to improve the club’s midfield. It would also provide recently appointed Everton manager Roberto Martinez more options in the centre of the park.
And if England international Gareth Barry does depart at the end of his current loan spell, then even more reason to move heaven and earth to bring Fernando to Goodison Park as his replacement.
FULHAM: Anderson (Manchester United)
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The Cottagers are blessed with high-quality options in attack and defence, but it is in midfield that under-pressure manager Martin Jol is desperately short of quality. It is an area they have especially struggled in since likes of Moussa Dembele and Danny Murphy left Craven Cottage before the start of last season.
But, if the Dutchman were able to convince the out-of-favour Manchester United midfield player to move down south, then the occasional Brazil international has the technique, skills and drive to be the missing piece in the west London club’s currently under-performing lineup.
HULL CITY: Shane Long (West Bromwich Albion)
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The Tigers came desperately close to signing the under-rated Irish goal poacher in the final hours of transfer deadline day, with manager Steve Bruce devastated when the deal fell through at the very last minute.
And with good reason too, as the lively front man would almost certainly bring both goals and class with him to the KC stadium, while at the same time moving the Premier League new boys up a level.
LIVERPOOL: Joao Moutinho (AS Monaco)
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Anyone who watched the second leg of Portugal’s FIFA World Cup playoff with Sweden on Tuesday night would be able to appreciate the sheer brilliance of the 27-year-old midfield player, and none more so than Cristiano Ronaldo, who benefited from his defence-splitting passes.
And boy how the Reds midfield is currently in need of a touch of the pass master’s vision and creativity, in a similar way to how the arrival of Spain international Xabi Alonso at Anfield in 2004 proved to be the catalyst to taking Rafa Benitez’s side on to a higher plane.
MANCHESTER CITY: Iker Casillas (Real Madrid)
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Neither hyperactive Englishman Joe Hart or lanky Romania international Costel Pantilimon are the answers to the north-west club’s current goalkeeping issue, a problem that is really preventing the mega-rich Premier League side from moving up a level by dominating both at home and abroad.
Lure one of the world’s best shot stoppers to Eastlands, however, and that all changes, with suddenly coach Manuel Pellegrini able to implement his new ideas to the team without the constant worry that another keeping howler will suddenly take the club all the way back to square one again.
MANCHESTER UNITED: James Rodriguez (AS Monaco)
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Under previous boss Sir Alex Ferguson, United were often mentioned in the same breath as the exciting young Colombian, and with good reason too. The 22-year-old is exactly the type of player that the Premier League holders should be targeting in order to move their game on to a higher level, especially in the UEFA Champions League.
The versatile Rodriquez can operate with equal effect either on the wing, or as an attacking midfield player too, and with 32 goals and 21 assists to his name in just 105 matches during his three years at Porto, this is a South American who would undoubtedly help to return the Red Devils to the summit of the European game.
NEWCASTLE UNITED: Tom Ince (Blackpool)
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By signing a high-quality wide man with goals to his name, the Magpies would then have a beautifully balanced front six that could really take them places in the future.
And not only that, but the highly rated England U21 international and shining light of the Championship is also flexible enough to operate in the centre of the park as an attacking midfield player, so Ince’s arrival at St James’ Park would certainly shift the club up a notch or two.
NORWICH CITY: Steven Defour (Porto)
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The Canaries spent most of their summer transfer budget beefing up their attack, but the side from East Anglia still look woefully short of quality and experience in central midfield.
However, a move for the highly rated Belgium international would end those worries at a stroke and with the 25-year-old’s class and poise driving forward from the centre of the park, maybe manager Chris Hughton would start to finally see the best in attack out of new boys Ricky van Wolfswinkel and Gary Hooper.
SOUTHAMPTON: Leandro Damiao (Internacional)
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OK, so the last time that the Saints decided to take a risk and splash the cash by luring a multi-talented South American attacker to St Mary’s, it did not quite work out for the in-form south-coast side, with Uruguay international Gaston Ramirez currently struggling to adapt to life in the Premier League.
But that does not mean that new Southampton head coach Mauricio Pochettino should not try and shoot for the stars again by moving for the brilliant Brazilian forward, especially as the much-talked about 24-year-old would take the club on to the next level.
STOKE CITY: Andriy Yarmolenko (Dynamo Kiev)
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You just get the feeling that new Potters boss Mark Hughes is not far away from turning things around at the Britannia, not that performances have been poor so far in this campaign, only the results.
And it is in the wide areas that the Welshman really needs to find someone who can provide quality service to his front men, and that player is the brilliant Kiev winger.
Yarmolenko has been shining for both club and country for some time now, and it would be surprising were the 24-year-old not to jump at the chance of a move to the Premier League.
SUNDERLAND: Moussa Sow (Fenerbache)
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Even a blind man could tell you right now where recently appointed Black Cats head coach Gustavo Poyet needs strengthening come the turn of the year, with summer signing Jozy Altidore still to find the back of the net in the Premier League for his new team this season.
However, a move for the prolific Senegal international would bring some much-needed firepower to the north-east side’s forward line, as well as helping to add an end product to the passing game that the Uruguayan is now trying to introduce to Wearside.
SWANSEA CITY: Wilfried Zaha (Manchester United)
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From the outside looking in, it very much appears as though the England international’s days at Old Trafford are already numbered, with a move to a Premier League outfit that is not a direct rival of the champions surely the best answer for the tricky wide man.
Therefore, if there is one club in the top flight that would really suit the 21-year-old, then it is the Swans, especially with their adherence to playing fast-paced passing football via the wings.
And an attacking front three featuring Michu, Wilfried Bony and Zaha would surely take Michael Laudrup’s attractive side to another level…
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR: Juan Mata (Chelsea)
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The north Londoners are absolutely crying out for some more quality in their midfield wide areas to help assist Andros Townsend at present, especially if the early evidence regarding club-record signing Erik Lamela is anything to go by.
However, in the system head coach Andre Villas-Boas favours, with a lone front man supported by a packed midfield and a forward in the “hole”, then the addition of the brilliant little Spaniard would be perfect for Spurs.
And especially as the Chelsea playmaker can operate equally effectively as a winger or behind a central striker.
WEST BROMWICH ALBION: Demba Ba (Chelsea)
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The Baggies would be quite some team if they could find the back of the net on a more regular basis, similar to when they had on-loan Chelsea front man Romelu Lukaku leading the line at the Hawthorns last season.
However, the Belgium international has since moved on to pastures new, but there is an equally gifted and imposing striker currently twiddling his thumbs on the bench at Stamford Bridge who would be absolutely ideal for Steve Clarke’s impressive unit.
WEST HAM UNITED: Salomon Kalou (Lille)
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Again, similar to with Sunderland before, even fans who do not support the Hammers would be able to tell you what area of the field manager Sam Allardyce will be concentrating all his focus on come January.
And if Big Sam can use the vast array of contacts he has built up in the game over the years, then he should try and move heaven and earth to lure the experienced and accomplished Ivory Coast forward to Upton Park to play off giant striker Andy Carroll.
That could produce an intriguing little-and-large partnership up front that would definitely take the club to the next level.
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