5 under-the-radar Premier League stars who big clubs should be targeting in January

5 under-the-radar Premier League stars who big clubs should be targeting in January

Even with an exciting fixture schedule,

Premier League sides will be hard at work trying to identify their transfer targets as the January window draws near.

Ollie Watkins, Jarrod Bowen, and Dominic Solanke are a few of the players

whose names have been connected to high-profile January transfers to the Premier League.

With 12 goals in the Premier League so far this season,

Solanke has been sensational for Bournemouth.

The only player with more points than Solanke is Erling Haaland,

and Bowen is tied for fourth place in the standings with Heung-min Son.

While Watkins hasn’t scored as many goals in the Premier League as Solanke and Bowen,

the forward for Aston Villa has nine goals and six assists.

Solanke and Watkins have been linked to several teams, including Arsenal,

while Bowen is expected to join Liverpool during the winter transfer window.

However, what about those guys who are slightly unknown but would make wise additions in January?

Mirror Football examines five celebrities who might not have received the attention they merit.

João Gomes

Gomes, a gifted midfielder, has excelled for Wolves this season after being given many opportunities to shine under Gary O’Neil. The Brazilian,

who arrived at Wolves in January 2023 after leaving Flamengo,

has started 17 of the team’s first 19 Premier League games.

Gomes won 10 of his 14 ground battles and made seven ball recoveries in Wolves’ 2-1 victory over Chelsea on Christmas Eve.

The 22-year-old, on the other hand, had 55 touches, controlled the midfield,

and won seven of his nine tackles. If there are other Premier League teams interested,

that wouldn’t be shocking.

Alfie Doughty

It’s reasonable to say that Luton is beginning to adjust to life in the top flight after a challenging start.

Doughty has been crucial to the team’s improvement in form.

Many were uncertain about Luton’s chances of success following promotion.

The 24-year-old picked up two assists in their close loss to Arsenal earlier in the month and scored his first Premier League goal in their 3-2 victory against Sheffield United.

Although Doughty plays mostly as a left-back, Luton uses him as a wing-back,

which is a position that suits him well. In the Premier League this season,

only Kieran Trippier (157) has completed more crosses than Doughty (129),

and the former Stoke defender is drawing a lot of attention.

 

Milos Kerkez

The 20-year-old Kerkez, a Hungary international, has been a major factor in Bournemouth’s explosive comeback in recent weeks,

particularly at left-back. He made 15 top-flight appearances this season after joining the Cherries from AZ Alkmaar in the summer.

He has adapted to the Premier League like a duck to water.

Together with his excellent defensive play, Kerkez’s left-handed delivery is unmatched.

He performed admirably against Manchester United and picked up an assist in the 2-2 draw against Aston Villa earlier this month.

However, Kerkez’s injury kept him out of the Cherries’ victories over Fulham and Nottingham Forest.

Pedro Joao

Though he has been more visible in the Europa League,

the Brazilian has been outstanding since moving from Watford to Brighton in the summer.

Pedro leads the second-tier league in Europe with six goals in six games,

including a spectacular game-winning goal against Marseille that propelled the Seagulls to the top of their group.

Because Evan Ferguson is frequently preferred as the No. 9 in the Premier League,

Roberto De Zerbi’s rotation has obscured Pedro’s amazing European record.

Pedro has nevertheless managed to score five goals in the Premier League,

including two last month against Nottingham Forest.

 

 

John McGinn

Considering how well Aston Villa has played this season,

it may be harsh to include McGinn on this list,

but it wouldn’t be shocking if any of the so-called “Big Six” gave him a look in January.

The Scot has arguably been one of the best midfielders in the Premier League in 2023–24,

leading Villa’s ascent up the table.

Although McGinn has always been praised for his hard work and perseverance,

Unai Emery has managed to get McGinn playing with more quality and final product this season.

The 29-year-old has already scored seven goals in a single season,

more than he has done in his Villa career thus far.

 

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