Five mutually beneficial player trades that should happen this January

With a third of the season already past us, managers and fans alike have tasted the fruit of their activity in the summer transfer window. For some, the season has been a casual gallop, well ahead of the maddening crowd (yes, we’re looking at you Chelsea, Bayern, Juve fans). Others have suffered a serious reality check and seen their high-flying hopes brought to a premature tame end (Liverpool or Dortmund, anyone?). But football is football. And in football, hope springs eternal. After all, aren’t matches (and similarly seasons) won and lost in the second half? Haven’t we learned already that it is too early to write someone out of the title race before ‘squeaky-bum time’ comes to pass?So take heart, dear readers, and look eagerly to the winter transfer window in the hopes that your club will follow through on some of the following genius suggestions. That should help keep your Christmas cheer going for a while, we hope.

#5 Xherdan Shaqiri - Paulinho

Mauricio Pochettino might already be regretting his switch from potential Champions League nights at St Mary’s next season to the cheery atmosphere (Adebayor might disagree) of White Hart Lane. He has good reason to do so as well, with his three strikers having scored a total of 5 league goals between them in 21 appearances. There is no doubt then that the addition of a Shaqiri, who can be more of a goal-scoring threat, will supplement the efforts of the Tottenham attacking midfielders consisting of the likes of Lamela, Eriksen and Chadli.

The choice of whom to send in the opposite direction is a tough one, primarily because Bayern are more than adequately blessed in almost all departments. However, considering all their injury problems in midfield, a holding midfielder such as Paulinho is one that will definitely add to their squad strength and will probably be considered to be a welcome addition.