January Transfer Window 2026

[Willow18]

I don't really think that's true. I'm not talking about a striker who necessarily scores 20 goals or wins you a load of games single handedly etc, I'm more just talking about someone who might turn a centre half on the halfway line and get away from them, or offer a constant threat in behind because of their pace, or mean that any half decent cross into an area is dangerous because they're great in the air, or just be able to consistently look like they might create themselves half a yard to get a shot away in promising positions. Just things that make defenders and managers think about how they need to set up and how that affects the wider team as space is freed up etc. At the moment it doesn't feel like we have any of those things. Barry has shown some decent hold up play recently but like I say, a lot of that is fairly basic and more the type of thing that just gives you a semi-useful platform rather than the type of thing that opens a game up or switches you from defence to attack etc. Again, this isn't me saying we need to go and buy a player like this in January, or that Barry can't develop further, it's just a comment on why I don't think it's quite as simple 'it doesn't matter who plays up front, it wouldn't make any difference' or 'only £100m strikers do good things'.

Have you felt like any of the strikers we’ve played against this year have offered any of those things?

 

[Swartzy]

We aren't going down.

We aren't qualifying for Europe.

We're out the cup we had most chance of winning.

Unless circumstance dictates a long term target is available - I'd knock this window on the head.

Maybe a cheap loan.

No point signing Cenk Tosun and Theo Walcotts again.

Oh you Scrooge..

Just ruined my January read, good, fun 'new year's entertainment..

 

[Lanolin]

Have you felt like any of the strikers we’ve played against this year have offered any of those things?

Yes, definitely. To put it into perspective, I think a fit DCL offers the type of thing I'm talking about, and I'm not exactly a fanboy when it comes to him.

 

[Willow18]

Yes, definitely. To put it into perspective, I think a fit DCL offers the type of thing I'm talking about, and I'm not exactly a fanboy when it comes to him.

Any examples?

Oh I’m a DCL fanboy mate, not sure we had the option to keep him

 

[hetion]

Think we should really try to get in Mainoo on loan, sort out the Garner contract and sign a RB. That would be enough to get over the line this Jan.

Again, the last thing we need is another box-to-box 8 who's a okay-at-best defensively and doesn't progress the ball up the pitch, I don't know why people keep bringing up Mainoo

He might be amazing in a couple years but he does nothing for us right now except develop a Utd player for them

 

[Bluewolf]

Our recruitment team just signed Barry for £27m, if he’s not a 10 goal a season striker, how confident are you that we can find one?

I like Barry tbh, give me a RB, a LB, and just a different style of striker to rotate with Barry

R9 wouldnt get 10 goals in this side.

We need fast attacking fullbacks and we have two cbs playing there that dont go past the halfway line.

A LB and a RB should be top priority in January

 

[Drico]

Again, the last thing we need is another box-to-box 8 who's a okay-at-best defensively and doesn't progress the ball up the pitch, I don't know why people keep bringing up Mainoo

He might be amazing in a couple years but he does nothing for us right now except develop a Utd player for them

Yeah, the Grealish loan is a different kettle of fish - he's finished at City and we will possibly benefit from him now and in the future. Mainoo would be crazy - whatever short-term benefit we get would be tainted by the reality that we couldn't build around him for the future.

 

[Drico]

We aren't going down.

We aren't qualifying for Europe.

We're out the cup we had most chance of winning.

Unless circumstance dictates a long term target is available - I'd knock this window on the head.

Maybe a cheap loan.

No point signing Cenk Tosun and Theo Walcotts again.

Agreed - especially if we intend having a new manager in the summer.

 

[RomanReigns]

i reckon it will be lingard, ward-prowse and fabio borini

 

[NikNak8]

Respectfully disagree. Having 2 real full backs drags players wide and creates more space in the middle and more space for Ndiaye and Grealish.

We're extremely predictable on the ball and our front 3 can basically be marked out of games by decent opposition.

Our strikers are possibly the worst in the league unless Barry has a massive shift in form and ability which I cant see. At this rate he'll be lucky to net 5 goals this season. I dont think our centrebacks are good/mobile enough to be able to play with more attack minded fullbacks. I agree we need better options and especially at RB but think we will leak a lot more goals if our CB pairing remains the same and our fullbacks priority is to get forward at very opportunity.
When Brainthwaite comes back maybe Aznou might get more of a shout. Striker and RB are the priorities for me and of equal importance, RB means O'Brien can play CB too which is a bonus as he is more mobile than current duo.

 

[HappyJack]

I just quickly went through our games, we’ve had 5 goals scored against us by Strikers this year,

Hwang from Wolves
Ekitike
Haaland x2
Woltemade

Outside Hwang who is rubbish, these Strikers we all want us to sign don’t exist or cost 80 million

Leading Prem scorers:
Haaland - 17
Thiago - 11 (5 pens)
Welbeck - 7
Ekitike - 7
Mateta - 7 (3 pens)

Obviously Barry & Beto have been poor up to this point, but the game doesn’t revolve around a top CF banging in 15+ anymore

Yes agree but we need a functional forward player who can take gilt edged chances, Hold the ball up, turn a defender, head the ball and position himself in the box to get the chance…we dont have that yet we have 2 dysfunctional ‘strikers’….

 

[Willow18]

Yes agree but we need a functional forward player who can take gilt edged chances, Hold the ball up, turn a defender, head the ball and position himself in the box to get the chance…we dont have that yet we have 2 dysfunctional ‘strikers’….

Do you reckon we could get Brighton to sell us Welbeck?

 

[Jimishorts]

But that's for the next transfer thread.

Ooh, you little tease.

 

[ToffeeScot]

Again, the last thing we need is another box-to-box 8 who's a okay-at-best defensively and doesn't progress the ball up the pitch, I don't know why people keep bringing up Mainoo

He might be amazing in a couple years but he does nothing for us right now except develop a Utd player for them

January isn't really the time to be spending money on players unless you really need them. What we really need is a RB and LB so it makes sense to put funds into those players. At CM we are actualy quite comfortable with the players we have and thus we only really need a short term solution to the end of the season and Mainoo fits the bill. It allows us to have another option in the park in terms of being able to control games a bit more.

 

[frank_da_tank]

We need to go all out for greenwood

Guys a goal scoring machine, just needs a arm around him