Transfer Market Crystal Baller

Step inside my lair, as I look deep inside my crystal ball for all the answers to whom your club will be buying in the January transfer market. The window of opportunity opens on the 1st January 2009 and will close at midnight on the 2nd February 2009. The window period has been extended due to the 31st of January falling on a Saturday.

Arsenal:

With Arsenal’s newly appointed captain Cesc Fabregas out for the season, it’s all about filling the void in central midfield left by the Gunner's creative genius.

The names flying around the crystal ball are Marcos Senna, Yaya Toure, Andrei Arshavin and Gökhan Inler.

Likely in: One of  the trio of Yaya Toure, Andrei Arshavin and Gökhan Inler

Outrageous buy: Carlos Tevez; Alexandre Pato

Possibly out: Nicklas Bendtner, apparently Jose Mourinho’s a big admirer…I wonder if he’s watched him play.

Aston Villa:

Sheffield United defender Kyle Naughton will be going somewhere this January but where is anyone's guess. The crystal ball says Villa will get him for defensive cover as they push for a top four finish. A striker is needed.

Likely in: Kyle Naughton

Outrageous buy: Peter Crouch

Possibly out: Wayne Routledge to QPR

Blackburn Rovers:

For Big Sam it’s all about keeping hold of Roque Santa Cruz from City's greedy paws.

Likely in: Steve Finnan (Espanyol)

Outrageous buy: Bolton player

Possibly out: Robbie Fowler

Bolton:

I expect Bolton to be very busy, but no big names, lower league players. Fulham’s Jimmy Bullard is top of Megson’s wish list.

Likely in: Michael Kightly (Wolves)

Outrageous buy: Ryan Taylor (Wigan)

Possibly out: Nicky Hunt extended loan at Birmingham

Chelsea

Chelsea will be looking to bring in a stiker with the names like Adriano and Wagner Love coming up.

Likely in: Adriano and Valencia centre-back Miguel if Alex departs.

Outrageous buy: Andrei Arshavin, just because Roman Abramovich wants him.

Possibly out: Alex

Everton:

Striker, Striker, Striker! Although Cahill and a few part timers have filled the gap, the Merseyside club will be hell bent in getting a striker.

Likely in: Sylvain Ebanks-Blake (Wolves); Fabiano Santacroce (Napoli)

Outrageous buy: Michael Owen return to Merseyside

Possibly out: Andy van der Meyde—I kidding, no one wants him.

Fulham:

Roy Hodgson has a soft spot for Scandanavian players and he’ll be after Swede Rasmus Elm from Kalmar FF. On the other end of the scale he’ll be fighting tooth and nail to keep Jimmy Bullard and Brede Hangeland.

Likely in: Rasmus Elm (Kalmar FF) and Kagiso Dikgacoi (South African)

Outrageous buy: Al Fayed is unlikely to splash the cash

Possibly out: hopefully none

Hull City:

Phil Brown might have a losing battle on his hands as he inevitably loses Michael Turner.  With Dietmar Hamann only picking up a handful of starting line-ups at Man City, Hamann might be on the Tiger's shopping list.

Likely in: Aruna Dindane (RC Lens); Dietmar Hamann

Outrageous buy: Fraizer Campbell

Possibly out: Michael Turner

Liverpool:

The rumours of an Alonso exit won’t materialise although Pennant and Agger might be walking out of Anfield. Shakhtar Donetsk defender, Dmytro Chygrynskiy, will be all that Rafa wants as he pushes for the title.

Likely in: Dmytro Chygrynskiy

Outrageous buy: Aaron Lennon

Possibly out: Jermaine Pennant and Daniel Agger.

Manchester City:

If you believed what you’ve read in the papers, I’d have to go through a page of names that city have been linked with.

Likely in: Fabio Grosso (Lyon) and Bafétimbi Gomis (St-Etienne)

Outrageous buy: David Villa; Iker Casillas; Gianluigi Buffon; Roque Santa Cruz;

Possibly out: Jo to CSKA Moscow

Manchester United:

Quiet times expected at Manyoo. Axel Witsel will be a great future signing. I expect a lot from Belgian footballers in the upcoming years.

Likely in: Axel Witsel

Outrageous buy: none

Possibly out: none

Middlesbrough:

Gareth Southgate might spend a lot of his January warding off suiters for Stewart Downing. Yet another Belgian prodigy in the Premiership in Steven Defour.

Likely in: Steven Defour

Outrageous buy: none

Possibly out: Adam Johnson to Real Madrid (jokes, my crystal ball isn’t broken) and Mido

Newcastle United:

The news that owner Mike Ashley is no longer selling the club might be advantageous to Joe Kinnear as stability returns to St. James Park. Fabricio Coloccini is to be joined in defence by fellow countrymen Lucas Mareque.

Likely in: Lucas Mareque

Outrageous buy: Juanito

Possibly out: Nicky Butt

Portsmouth:

Hold on to ‘em assets "Tone". If Harry sweeps for David James we might see a chain reaction of Yohann Pelé coming from Lens. Blaise Matuidi will be bought to fill the gap left by Lassana Diarra.

Likely in: Blaise Matuidi

Outrageous buy: none

Possibly out: Glen Johnson

Stoke City:

Southampton’s Andrew Surman is top of Tony Pulis' list. Watford need the cash so a bid by the Potters might be tempting.

Likely in: Andrew Surman (Southampton), Tommy Smith (Watford), Gary Caldwell (Celtic)

Outrageous buy: Manucho

Possibly out: none

Sunderland:

The crystal ball seems to be foggy since the the introduction of Ricky Sbragia. One thing's for sure, he’s not a fan of Diouf.

Likely in: none

Outrageous buy: none

Possibly out: Ross Wallace; El-Hadji Diouf; Pascal Chimbonda

Tottenham Hotspur:

Brace yourself cause this is a mind blower, Redknapp is said to be desperate to get rid of Roman Pavlyuchenko.

Likely in: Craig Bellamy, Fernando Cavenaghi, Stewart Downing

Outrageous buy: Andrei Arshavin

Possibly out: Aaron Lennon

West Bromwich Albion:

I’m sorry but I have no time for West Brom, they shot themselves in the foot when they sold goal machine Kevin Phillips. The crystal ball says not even a dabble in the transfer market will save this sinking ship.

Likely in: Brian Stock (Doncaster), Oscar Trejo (Real Mallorca)and Jay Simpson on loan from Arsenal.

Outrageous buy: none

Possibly out: Craig Beattie, Shelton Martis and Jared Hodgkiss

West Ham:

Zola really wants £7m-rated striker Giampaolo Pazzini from Fiorentina, and that is why so many players will be up for grabs to collect the sum for Pazzini. Craig Bellamy has talent but little in the way of loyalty so I’m expecting him to move to Spurs.

Likely in: Savio Nsereko (Brescia)

Outrageous buy: Giampaolo Pazzini (Fiorentina)

Possibly out: Craig Bellamy, Nigel Quashie, Lee Bowyer, Luis Boa Morte, Calum Davenport, Danny Gabbidon and Jon Spector

Wigan Athletic:

Steve Bruce will be sweating over the future of Emile Heskey. Bruce’s top priority is Nicky Butt from Newcastle United.

Likely in: Nicky Butt

Outrageous buy: none

Possibly out: Antonio Valencia, and Marlon King to Hull City permanently.

One things for sure the economic "mumbo-jumbo"—this is the official terminology—will not be affecting the English Premiership as we go into the second half of the closest  season ever at both ends of the table. If you are as fortunate as me to have a crystal ball at home, let me know what yours reveals.