10 Premier League players who must leave in January
The Premier League title race is beginning to take shape, with multiple teams likely to be in contention till the end. It has been a stunning start to the season for many clubs, with a lot of players producing unbelievable performances.
However, that has also meant that a few other deserving players have missed out on regular game time.
A lot of Premier League players could be on the move this January
Most Premier League teams are blessed with deep squads. Given the intense competition for places, it is understandable why clubs cannot give enough game time to all players.
Nevertheless, that also means players cannot remain on the sidelines forever. That's because for most of them, a place in their national team could be at stake for dearth of regular playing time. On that note, here's a look at ten Premier League players who need to make a move in the winter transfer window.
#10 Phil Jones (Manchester United)
What happened to Phil Jones is very unfortunate. The Englishman was touted to become a big player for Manchester United when he signed to play under Sir Alex Ferguson in 2011.
While most of his teammates have either left the club or retired, Jones has remained at United. He has seen four managers come and go since Ferguson's retirement. Due to injury, the English defender has been sidelined since January 2020.
Phil Jones 'wanted' by 13 clubs in January transfer window #mufc manchestereveningnews.co.uk/sport/football… https://t.co/Mv9Mpm0qjs
Injuries have marred Phil Jones' career, which means he has never lived up to his huge promise. It is unlikely the former Blackburn defender will get many chances under new manager Ralf Rangnick. So it would be wise if he moves away from the Premier League giants in the winter transfer window in search of regular game time.
#9 Dele Alli (Tottenham Hotspur)
Another Englishman who has struggled to live up to his potential is Dele Alli. The Tottenham Hotspur midfielder looked like a solid player when he burst onto the scene for the London club.
His creative abilities combined with his technical skills make him a dangerous player when on song. Unfortunately, Alli has lacked consistency, and has therefore been sidelined frequently. The change in managers at Tottenham Hotspur hasn't helped his cause too.
With Antonio Conte at the helm now, there hasn't been a significant change in Alli's chances of regular game time at the Premier League club. The 25-year old can still find a good club in January and turn around his fortunes.
#8 Raphinha (Leeds United)
Leeds United might not have had the best of starts to their Premier League campaign, but Raphinha has looked in great form. The left-footed attacker has been quite lethal with his goalscoring this season.
Last campaign, the Brazilian scored six goals in 30 Premier League games. This season, though, he has reached the same tally in just 12 outings. Raphinha's finishing has improved to a great extent, and it looks like he's ready to play for a bigger club.
Fabinho on Raphinha:
“Even in the summer transfer market, there was some talk that he could go to Liverpool, I even expected that to happen, but he stayed at Leeds.” https://t.co/jIoDISyRfj
Apparently, Liverpool are eyeing the former Sporting Lisbon forward. Leeds won't make it easy for The Reds, though. But if the player pushes for a move, Raphinha could move to the Premier League giants in January.