Sancho, Phillips among players who need a January transfer

The January transfer window is fast approaching and some players across Europe are hoping it will bring them a change of fortune. Whether they are looking to refresh their careers or compete in Euro 2024 or the Copa América next summer, or simply know that they will never play another minute under their current managers , many top players may feel the need to change things.

Here are 10 players who should be desperate to make a move this winter.

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Kalvin Phillips, Manchester City

It's unclear who is more desperate for Phillips to make a move in January: the player himself or England manager Gareth Southgate.

The midfielder has played 393 minutes in the Premier League since joining City from Leeds United for £45million just 18 months ago, prompting Pep Guardiola to publicly apologize for not not having been able to imagine a role for him in his team.

He's a player England have consistently relied on – he won the Player of the Year award in 2021 – but with so few minutes left in the tank it will be difficult for Southgate to imagine a role for Phillips in his squad for Euro 2024 as well. .

Jadon Sancho, Manchester United

Any player who has been asked to train and eat separately from the first team clearly needs pastures new. This is the case for Sancho at Man United, whose career at Old Trafford appears to be over after falling out and publicly criticizing manager Erik ten Hag.

Like Phillips, the England winger has both a career and a place in the Euro 2024 squad to worry about, although Sancho's international situation is far more dire given his last call-up was in October 2021.

Who knows how close Sancho is to the player who scored 78 goals and assists in three seasons with Borussia Dortmund – but surely someone will take the plunge and find out? Even on loan?

Noni Madueke, Chelsea

Despite the remarkable number of injuries Chelsea have suffered this season, Madueke has not had the chance to have a good run in the first team.

It's unclear whether this speaks to a lack of confidence on the part of manager Mauricio Pochettino, but the raw details are clear: he has played just 123 minutes in the Premier League this season; he's stuck behind Raheem Sterling, Mykhailo Mudryk and Cole Palmer on the depth chart; and now that Christopher Nkunku is about to enter the offensive rotation, things look even bleaker.

Madueke is one of the best dribblers in the league and needs to get back on the pitch and develop – whether at Stamford Bridge or elsewhere.

Sergio Gomez, Manchester City

Following the departure of full-back Oleksandr Zinchenko to Arsenal in the summer of 2022, the signing of Gómez made perfect sense: he is the same converted hybrid midfielder/full-back style player, he is left-footed and could come in in the void.

But over the past 18 months, City have moved away from this full-back model, now preferring to choose between central defenders Nathan Aké and Joško Gvardiol for the spot on the left.

Perhaps a tactical adjustment from Guardiola in 2024 will bring Gómez back into contention, but for now he has no role to play. Even a loan could come in handy to ensure the 23-year-old's development doesn't stop.

Reiss Nelson, Arsenal

It's a long way from when Nelson's breakout and potential promise excited us – that was in the 2019-20 season, when he started seven Premier League games and came off the bench for 10 more.

Incredibly, he hasn't started another one since, only getting complete kills in Europa League matches or, more recently, a Champions League draw that meant nothing.

Nelson is now 24 years old. There comes a certain point where players just need to play, and he might just be there. Unfortunately, due to the presence of Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli on the wings, this is unlikely to happen for Arsenal.

Hugo Ekitike, PSG

PSG were reportedly unhappy with Ekitike's refusal to leave the club during the summer window – whether to Eintracht Frankfurt or Premier League clubs. Since then, he has only played a miserable nine minutes for the first team. If it wasn't clear then, it is now: there is no future for Ekitike in Paris, with Randal Kolo Muani and Gonçalo Ramos firmly ahead of him in the pecking order.

Still 21 years old and brimming with potential, this could be a smart move for any club in need of increased firepower mid-season. He complements a strong finish with impressive technical ability and pace.

Thomas Lemar, Atlético Madrid

Where did Lemar's career go? Winner of Ligue 1 in this glorious Monegasque team of 2016-17, alongside Bernardo Silva, Kylian Mbappé and Fabinho; winner of the 2018 World Cup with France. But for several years, he has been stuck on the Atleti bench.

Lemar is just one name in a long list of talented technicians who simply haven't convinced manager Diego Simeone and, with a contract until 2027, this nightmare is not coming to its natural end any time soon.

Ferran Torres, Barcelona

On the surface level, Torres' involvement with Barcelona this season seems okay. He started around half of the available La Liga and Champions League matches and scored three goals in each competition.

But there seems to be a lack of confidence in him; since signing him for Man City's forward line for €55 million in January 2021, the Blaugrana have constantly recruited more players to compete with or replace him. In 2024, minutes will be harder than ever to come by, especially as Brazilian prodigy Vitor Roque hits the scene in January.

Deciding to leave a club like Barcelona is never easy, but Torres is exceptional and could play regularly for so many other top teams.

Stefano Sensi, International

Inter signed Sensi permanently from Sassuolo in 2020 for €25 million, following a loan spell, but despite his obvious talent, they struggled to find him a first-team role.

Throughout 2022 and 2023, the midfielder has taken out loans from Sampdoria and Monza to find regular playing time and, as January approaches, he is expected to aspire to another transfer – temporary or permanent .

The number of Serie A minutes he has played this season (28) is consistent with his age, which is not good. Sensi is an artist with the ball at his feet; we just need to see more of him.

Eric Dier, Tottenham Hotspur

Sometimes you get the hint that your manager doesn't trust you. For Dier, that clue came when, after losing regulars Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven to suspension and injury, manager Ange Postecoglou opted to play two full-backs rather than give him an out.

Despite numerous upheavals in his position, Dier has just one Premier League start to his name this season, with all signs pointing to a lack of compatibility between his style and that of Postecoglou. If Postecoglou is here to stay, Dier probably isn't.

He has been linked with a reunion with former Spurs boss José Mourinho in Rome and, slightly more fleetingly, a romantic return to his first club, Sporting CP.