We take a look at the positions that all 20 Premier League teams could strengthen with new signings
With the January transfer window now open, football writer Ben Bloom assesses each of the 20 Premier League clubs and targets the area each squad could strengthen with a new signing.
Arsenal – Central midfielder
Injuries have tested Arsenal’s squad depth to its limits but by the end of December a number of key absentees such as Gabriel were back, meaning Mikel Arteta does not require reinforcements to cover the issues in defence or in the final third.
However, there is reportedly some internal concern that injuries could soon become an issue in the middle of the park. Declan Rice and Martin Zubimendi have played 89 per cent and 93 per cent of all Premier League minutes respectively. A knee injury ruled Rice out of their 4-1 win over Aston Villa, and with Mikel Merino so often required up front, alternative options are limited.
Fatigue could therefore be an issue, and although Christian Norgaard would be an exception for that — the summer signing from Brentford has played just 31 minutes of Premier League football so far this season – Arteta could do with another experienced, top-level backup for the No 6 position.
AFC Bournemouth – Centre-back
Bournemouth’s 10-game winless run in the Premier League has been at least partially defined by defensive lapses, the knock-on effect of fatigue taking its toll on a small squad tasked by manager Andoni Iraola with running hard.
The Cherries have conceded 24 goals in those 10 matches while overall, they have conceded 35 goals – 12 more than at the same stage after their first 19 league games last season.
The obvious difference between the two years is the calibre of central defender. Illia Zabarnyi and Dean Huijsen, now of Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid respectively, were a step above what is currently available to Bournemouth.
A commanding leader at the back could settle things down.
Aston Villa – Striker
Although cover for right-back Matty Cash would be useful, Villa’s priority should be finding a striker capable of challenging Ollie Watkins for the No 9 spot.
It was recently revealed that Watkins, who has scored six Premier League goals this season, is continuing to play through a knee injury. Villa cannot necessarily rely on him for the moon shot at a title challenge, while his current deputy Donyell Malen is preferred as a second striker or a right-winger.
And Villa need a penalty-box poacher. Their Expected Goals (xG) of 17.6 is the seventh-lowest in the division. Scoring so many long-range screamers (10 of their 27 goals have come from outside the box) is simply unsustainable.
Villa fans will fondly remember the positive impact Marcus Rashford had after joining on loan in January last year. A similar injection of energy and invention up front could provide the boost Villa need to sustain their title bid.
Brentford – Speedy winger
Brentford have performed well above expectations this season but, for a team that generally sits deep and looks to counter-attack, they lack speed and verticality in the final third.
Going into the festive fixtures, Keith Andrews’ side ranked 19th for progressive carries (197) and 17th for dribble success rate (36.2 per cent), while their top two players for total dribbles completed are right-back Michael Kayode (47) and striker Igor Thiago (25).
Brentford need another player in the mould of Dango Ouattara to help them pierce lines on the break, in turn raising their creativity levels. Only four clubs have created fewer than their 126 chances.
Brighton & Hove Albion – Right-back
Brighton are reportedly in the market for a right-back, and it’s easy to see why former Seagulls favourite Pascal Gross has been heavily linked with a return to the south coast club. Joel Veltman turns 34 this month and has been prone to injury, leaving central midfielder Mats Wieffer as Brighton’s top choice for the right-back slot.
The results have been predictable enough. Ahead of their Matchweek 18 fixture against Arsenal, a high 40 per cent of the attacks against Brighton in the Premier League this season had come down their right-hand side.
A new right-back would help in attack, too. Yankubah Minteh has been excellent but only has five goal involvements in 19 Premier League matches. If he had an aggressive overlapping right-back to team up with, those numbers would surely climb.
Burnley – Experienced centre-back
It’s pretty obvious which end of the pitch Burnley need to focus on. Jaidon Anthony and Lyle Foster, with eight goal involvements between them, have provided enough quality in the final third but Scott Parker’s side are undermined by defensive issues.
Burnley are bottom of the Premier League charts for xG conceded (37.9) and have conceded 37 goals, an average of two per game.
Parker knows they need experienced top-flight defenders to lead that back line. Axel Tuanzebe was signed in the summer to do just that, but injuries kept him out of the side until October and now Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) duty with DR Congo has taken him away again.
Chelsea – Creative, inverting winger
Contrary to popular opinion, Chelsea do not need to improve their defensive options.
Robert Sanchez has improved significantly this season, Levi Colwill can form a world-class centre-back partnership with Wesley Fofana in the long term, and even without their best defenders regularly available, Chelsea’s post-shot xG conceded this season (the best measure we have for the quality of chances a team gives up) is 17.3 at the time of writing, the second-best figure in the division.
What Chelsea do lack is variation in the final third. All of their wingers are roughly in the same mould, choosing to isolate full-backs and run directly at the back line, meaning Cole Palmer’s only creative support comes from the dropping Joao Pedro.
Chelsea could do with a winger who drifts into central areas and takes some of the more subtle, line-breaking duties from Palmer. It’s telling that they have only played 46 through-balls this season – significantly fewer than their title-race rivals – and that striker Joao Pedro has made the most (eight).
Crystal Palace – Wide forward
“I think, to be honest, if you watch our game today, it’s pretty clear what we need,” Oliver Glasner said after Crystal Palace’s 1-0 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday. It wasn’t the first time he has strongly hinted that the needs firepower.
It’s easy to see why. Even putting to one side the summer loss of Eberechi Eze to Arsenal and Ismaila Sarr’s asbence at AFCON, Palace have not been putting their chances away this season. Subtracting their non-penalty goals scored from their non-penalty xG gives a score of -10.0, by a distance the worst in the Premier League.
Glasner’s side ‘should’ (as in, to an average Premier League level) have scored 10 more than their 21 in the Premier League, but it isn’t all about finishing. Palace are 20th for take-ons attempted (209) and 19th for take-ons completed (76).
The need guile, invention, and goals.
Everton – Right-back
Everton have been making do with centre-back Jake O’Brien deputising at right-back this season and although he has impressed David Moyes it is understood the Toffees manager would like someone who can attack as well as they can defend.
Moyes may also want O’Brien free to compete in central defence, where Everton are light on numbers and not quite as solid as the manager would like. Everton rank second in the Premier League for errors leading to shots (20), with right centre-back James Tarkowski (four) and right-back O’Brien (two) the top two.
Twelve Everton players have started 15 or more of the club’s 19 Premier League matches. This small squad needs depth.
Fulham – Striker
Striker Raul Jimenez has scored the winner in each of Fulham’s last two victories, but we shouldn’t be drawn in by recency bias.
Before that, the 34-year-old had just two Premier League goals this season, and Fulham, with the likes of Rodrigo Muniz out injured for most of the season, looked short up front. Their non-penalty xG of 15.9 is the third-lowest in the division, while six of their eight Premier League wins have been by a single goal – and half of them by a 1-0 score line.
Marco Silva could do with a different option from the bench; an agile, energetic forward who can change things up and get the cushion goal.
Leeds United – Centre-back
Leeds’ upturn in form over the last few weeks has been put down to Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s incredible goalscoring streak of seven goals in his last six Premier League games, but the club’s five-game unbeaten run has just as much to do with Daniel Farke’s formation change.
Leeds have been transformed since the switch to a 3-5-2, yet they haven’t kept a single clean sheet in that time and have conceded seven goals in five matches. Their good form is simply unsustainable unless these numbers improve.
Joe Rodon and Pascal Struijk have been joined in central defence by Jaka Bijol and although the overall shape has strengthened, the defence Leeds may want a more dependable player here, especially as Rodon is now ruled out with an ankle injury.
Liverpool – Centre-back
Liverpool were caught out when Palace pulled the plug on a deal for centre-back Marc Guehi on Deadline Day. Anyone watching their games this season can see why Arne Slot wanted a right-sided centre-back.
Ibrahima Konate has struggled badly throughout the campaign, often getting caught out of position, being slow to react, or making a high-profile mistake; his three errors leading to a shot is the most in the Liverpool team and eighth-most in the Premier League.
Unsurprisingly, more attacks have come down Liverpool’s right (41 per cent) than through the middle or down the left. This will only get worse – and even more will be required of the right centre-back – once the ultra-attacking Jeremie Frimpong is fully integrated.
Liverpool’s flank attacks conceded
Manchester City – Right-back
Things are coming together nicely for Man City, particularly in attack, but it remains highly unusual that Pep Guardiola is fielding two central midfielders in the full-back positions.
Both Nico O’Reilly and Matheus Nunes have earned plaudits this season, yet both players have shown they are not always comfortable in defensive positions, as revealed by the map of assists for goals conceded by Man City this season (below):
In the left-back position Rayan Ait-Nouri will soon return to challenge O’Reilly. There is no such competition for places on the right.
Manchester United – Central midfielder
Everybody knows what Man Utd need most: a central midfield partnership of Casemiro and Bruno Fernandes has performed admirably but more athleticism is required.
These two getting overrun has been a consistent theme under Amorim, seemingly leading to the abandonment (for now) of the back three system.
When you look at United’s average positions across the 2025/26 season (below), and see just how much space surrounds those two in the middle, the core problem reveals itself:
Man Utd’s average positions
United need some all-action energy in the centre of the pitch
Newcastle United – Full-back
Newcastle are not expected to be particularly busy in January, having reportedly spent somewhere in the region of £250million last summer.
Eddie Howe’s current headache is in defence, where Tino Livramento, Dan Burn, Sven Botman, Kieran Trippier, Emil Krafth and Lewis Hall are all battling physical issues of differing severity.
That is unlikely to force Newcastle into the transfer market to replace them in the short term, but a lack of covering depth across the entire defensive line – especially at full-back – is something that could be improved.
At 27 years and 182 days, Newcastle have the fourth-oldest average starting XI in the Premier League this season. Any incomings will almost aim to bring down that figure, with a focus on future development.
Nottingham Forest – Central midfielder
With Ibrahim Sangare at AFCON, and Ryan Yates expected to be out until mid-January with a hamstring issue, Forest are suddenly looking thin in central midfield.
Sangare and Elliot Anderson have formed a dominant unit in central midfield this season, especially during the recent upturn in form under Sean Dyche. But the lack of cover is telling.
Douglas Luiz has struggled since moving to the City Ground on loan from Juventus in the summer, and his future at the club appears uncertain.
Do not be surprised if Forest focus their intentions on the middle of the pitch as they look for reinforcements.
Sunderland – Striker
Not even the most optimistic Sunderland fan envisaged sitting so high in the table at this stage of the season. A wholesale squad overhaul during the summer has worked wonders, and there are few obvious gaps that need filling.
One area for improvement is in the final third, where Regis Le Bris would surely love a potent goalscorer. Although they have found the net 20 times in the Premier League, their xG total is just 15.6 – the lowest in the entire top flight.
Wilson Isidor has primarily led the line, but the Frenchman has scored just twice since mid-September after only managing three Championship goals in 17 appearances at the back end of last season once he made his loan move permanent.
Summer signing Brian Brobbey has largely been used as back-up, and Chelsea swiftly recalled Marc Guiu from his loan spell at Sunderland early in the season.
Tottenham Hotspur – Left-winger
Unsurprisingly, Spurs’ creativity has suffered in the absence of James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski, both of whom have not featured this season due to injury.
Although they have scored 27 Premier League goals, Spurs are punching far above their weight in that regard with an xG of just 17.2 (18th), 176 shots (17th) and 31 big chances created (14th).
Mohammed Kudus has made his presence felt on the right wing, frequently exhibiting his threat, but a rotating cast of characters have been unable to fill Son Heung-min’s void on the other side of the pitch.
Randal Kolo Muani, Brennan Johnson, Wilson Odobert, Richarlison, Lucas Bergvall and Xavi Simons have all been deployed there this season, but 37.7 per cent of Spurs’ open-play chances have come down the right, compared to just 26.7 per cent on the left.
West Ham United – Striker
West Ham have major problems at both ends of the pitch. They have managed just one Premier League clean sheet all season, with only Burnley and Wolves shipping more goals, but are also severely lacking a goalscorer to lead the line.
So often this season, that responsibility has fallen to talisman Jarrod Bowen, who tops the club’s scoring charts with six league goals. It would be far preferable to have the England international deployed behind a striker though.
Niclas Fullkrug has not scored in his eight league matches this season, while Callum Wilson has only netted four goals in 16 games, albeit with just seven starts in the Premier League since his summer move.
A proper goal threat to relieve the pressure on Bowen would considerably improve West Ham’s plight at the wrong end of the table.
Wolverhampton Wanderers – Attacking players
There are few – if any – areas of the pitch that Wolves could not do with strengthening during the January transfer window in their bid to avoid relegation.
The most pragmatic approach may well be to begin an early rebuild for a Championship campaign next season. But, in the short term, they could do with attacking creativity that has been sorely lacking.
Matheus Cunha and Rayan Ait-Nouri were involved in 32 of their 54 Premier League goals last season. Their departures to Man Utd and Man City respectively have left them woefully short of offensive threat.
Wolves sit bottom of the Premier League table and have scored a division-low 11 goals this season, with only two of their players netting more than once in the league.
Attacking summer signings Fer Lopez, Jorgen Strand Larsen, Jhon Arias and Tolu Arokodare (reportedly bought for a total cost of more than £80m) have managed just two goals and two assists between them.
