NO WAY! ARSENAL LIVERPOOL & CHELSEA SHOCK TRANSFER MOVES?

Hello everybody and welcome to That's Football, wow is how I'm going to start this video because I don't think we've been on the edge of such a significant January transfer window in years. So many clubs asking the question, do we take the plunge or do we step back and go with what we've got? And I'll tell you what, the risk against reward is absolutely massive. If you can bring in a couple of players in January, it really could be the difference between no European football and European football. It could even be the difference between a title and no title. It could even be the difference between no Champions League football and Europa League football. The rewards are huge, as I said, and it's about who is going to do what. You look at that league table and you go, that title race is wide open and any one of those clubs in the top four could do something in the January transfer window that gives them the edge. We've had the warning already. We can't overstate the importance of this transfer window. Look at Chelsea, look at Spurs, look at Manchester United, look at Newcastle, look at Brighton, decimated by injury from pretty much August all the way through to January. Is that going to be Arsenal next? Is it going to be Man City next? Is it going to be Liverpool next? Why do you think you're unique? Why do you think that the footballing calendar of the last 18 months is going to ignore your football club as fatigue reigns within the Premier League? So that's a big reason to be taking a warning and looking at players, but also the edge. Where can you make improvements that give you that little bit more? If you're Arsenal, do you go and get that striker like Ivan Toni? Chelsea, do you go and get that striker and try and bump up the league and get something from what looks like a very difficult position? Also, cups to be played for as well. What about Aston Villa? The prospect of being in a title race, but more importantly, the prospect of being in the Champions League. They're looking at players as well, as are Spurs. Liverpool, we haven't mentioned them. There are so many opportunities out there, and I think that to do nothing is such a major risk. We know that Spurs are looking at this Genoa centre-back. I want to go through each team and get your comments in below on who you think needs what and whether teams will do it. I was reading today about this Spurs deal for Dragovin or something like that. I forget his name at Genoa. And I think that, look, if this is a well-scouted centre-back, it's a very intelligent deal. They've had an injury to van de Ven, who's been a revelation. Romero's important, but he's got a temper. So you've been playing full-backs at centre-back. It's a very intelligent deal for Spurs to do. And I think that maybe one or two other deals with the Harry Kane deal could be massive. I think that the January transfer window is misunderstood and ignored. And there's one club who ignores it more than any, and that's Man Utd. They're happy to put statements out saying that the January transfer window really isn't worth doing anything and we like to focus on the summer. And maybe that's why Man Utd haven't won anything really significantly for 10 years, because you look at the January transfer window and for many years, it's been a significant time. Going back to the days of people like Ivanovic and Matic being bought by Chelsea. We've had Van Dijk, who's probably the best ever January transfer window signing. Bruno was a very, very important one for Manchester United a few years ago. There are plenty of others. Luis Suarez was brought into Liverpool at that time as well. So there's plenty that can be done in January. And you know what? Even if you dismiss it, even if you don't think it's important, look at that league table, look at now and things change. And maybe the January transfer window is going to become more and more. In fact, I believe it is going to become more and more important. The more and more football teams have to play, because I've never known a season like it. I've not looked at the latest stats, but a month ago, we'd had a 15% increase in injuries this season compared to last season. And I think that's just going to keep happening. And therefore, the January transfer window becomes a jail card. It becomes an opportunity. And maybe as fans of all these clubs in the race, you're now looking at your owners and going, are you moving with the times or are you thinking about the bank balance? Because you look at the Ivantoni deal and Thomas Frank is saying, I want to keep this player. I mean, they've lost five games in a row. I want to keep this player. But you look at Chelsea and you look at Arsenal and you go, if you drop a quality Premier League striker into those teams, they are better. They are better for it. You can go, let's get by with Jesus and Nketiah. You can go, let's get by with Jackson and Broha. But if you give yourself a Premier League proven striker, you are better for it. So what are the reasons why you wouldn't do that in January? Well, if you haven't got the money, you can't do the deal. And, you know, if you can't find the money, you can't do the deal. But should you be finding the money? Because I look at Arsenal and I think they are crying out for something new and something relevant. And whether that's fullbacks, someone's playing next to Declan Rice or a striker, well, what's the best quick fix halfway through a season that's going to reinvigorate the team, excite the fans and have a significant difference and goal scorers win games, whether they can afford it or not. Well, you know, as an Arsenal fan, I'm sure Arteta as well as Arsenal fans is going to say, I want that striker. And if the club say we can't afford it, well, you sit there at the end of the season and you go, well, that could have been the difference. That could have been the difference. So and as for Chelsea, well, look, I think they're getting better, but I don't think that if they stick with what they've got, they're going to end up in Europe. So it could be the difference between Europe and not. And I think that, you know, that is a key thing. But look, Gary Neville, Carragher were talking about Liverpool the other day. And if they do a deal, you won't know about it because they're so very, very good at getting done deals secretly and quickly. I don't know whether Liverpool need something, but I'm not Jurgen Klopp. I'm not a Liverpool fan. I'm not Liverpool's owners. And they might look at it and go, well, we don't think we need anything, but, you know, we can do something. Shall we do it? And why not do it? I mean, Man City not apparently going to bring anyone in, but Kelvin Phillips apparently going to go to Newcastle. And we talk about Newcastle ninth in the league. They've got Man City next. They've got Villa after that. They need to turn their season around massively. Fabrizio Romano was saying yesterday that David de Gea would love to go to Newcastle. I know Depravka played well against Liverpool, but for God's sake, David de Gea in goal on a short-term deal and Kelvin Phillips in on loan, you're suddenly a much better team and you're only heading one way at the moment. And again, it's about, and I think that's the big thing. This is why I'm interested to see your comments on this. It's the big thing, isn't it? Are owners and managers going to go, I think we're OK with what we've got and run the risk of not being OK with what you've got? Or are you going to do something that's going to invigorate and go, look, for Newcastle fans, de Gea and Kelvin Phillips come in. They don't cost very much. They're loan deals. Oh, my God. David de Gea at his best is one of the best goalkeepers in the league. And Kelvin Phillips at his best is one of the best holding midfielders in the league. Yes, they've had rocky roads, but they could be really invigorating and they would be exciting to Newcastle fans. So I think that it's not just about what you sign, it's about what you loan in as well. And there's stuff there that clubs desperately need to do. And look, Newcastle can't just sit there and go, we don't need to do business. You've had one of the worst injury crises in Premier League history. So I think it's fascinating. And I almost feel that snooze or lose could easily have been the title of this video because I look at that league table and I just look at the bottom left hand corner and say, who wins the January transfer window? And sometimes we say that because there's no football and it's the summer. But I think the league table has never been so intrinsically linked to that statement. Who wins the January transfer window? How many points will it be worth? Because you give Arsenal a striker, they're a better team for the next few months. You give Chelsea a striker, they're a more dangerous team for the next few months. You bring two or three players into Newcastle, they can turn that season around very, very quickly. Manchester United, obviously I speak about them on a daily basis on the United stand. We've got no money, but it's more about getting players back. But invigoration is a big thing. West Ham, I mean, we've not even mentioned West Ham and they're right in the mix of all of this. But I do look at it and I go, well, look, Tottenham, we already, and also we've spoken about the Afcon and the Asia Cup. That's a massive problem for Tottenham as well. There is this sort of getting by mentality, which is dangerous. And I think that the one thing that we've learned about the Premier League over the last decade is you get what you pay for. And if you don't pay for anything, you won't get anything. And there is a massive risk to doing nothing. And I look at that Spurs and Arsenal fourth place at the moment, it's basically 40 points. Chelsea are 12 points off that. That's a hell of a turnaround. But on the other hand, they're three points off seventh, which is the Conference League. And they're six points off sixth, which is the Europa League. So there is still very much things to play for Chelsea as well as cup competitions. The same for Newcastle, the same for Manchester United. But the big, big issue is if you do nothing and everyone else does something, someone's got to finish 10th. Someone's got to finish ninth. And it can't be West Ham in both places. Anyway, get your comments in. I think it's massively intriguing. Get your comments in. What do you think about your club? What do you think about other clubs? Should they be doing something? What would you like them see to do? Is it a risk to do nothing? Would you be pissed off if your club did nothing and then fell out of the top four or the title race? Or is it understandable to do nothing in a January transfer window? Get your comments in. Make sure you smash a like on the video. And don't forget to listen to Goldbridge Saves Football podcast in 2024. It's out now. The link's in the description. Get involved with that as well. I'll speak to you on the next one.