Daniel Sturridge, Peter Crouch, Leonardo Ulloa: Who could bolster bottom six in January?
Friday 25 November 2016 13:40, UK
With the January transfer window on the horizon, who could the bottom six sides in the Premier League sign to boost their survival chances?
Swansea, Hull and Sunderland currently occupy the relegation places, but Middlesbrough, Crystal Palace and West Ham are all hovering just above the drop zone.
Here are the players that Football Whispers believe the bottom six teams could move for in January.
West Ham - Daniel Sturridge (Liverpool)
West Ham made several attempts to sign a top-class striker over the summer, reportedly seeing bids rejected for Alexandre Lacazette, Michy Batshuayi and Carlos Bacca.
They ended up securing Simone Zaza from Juventus on a season-long loan with the option to buy, but the Italy international has flattered to deceive thus far, failing to net a single goal in 558 minutes of action.
So Slaven Bilic is still in need of a goal scorer, and the Express believe the Hammers could be set to move for Liverpool's Daniel Sturridge.
Sturridge is no longer a guaranteed starter at Anfield, with manager Jurgen Klopp often preferring to line-up with Roberto Firmino as his central striker.
But despite slipping down the pecking order on Merseyside, Sturridge's quality cannot be disputed. With a 72.7 percent pass completion rate and 52.2 percent shot accuracy, the former Chelsea forward has proven his worth even without goals.
Multiple reports suggest West Ham will test the waters with a £25m bid in January.
Sunderland - Peter Crouch (Stoke)
David Moyes' Sunderland have managed to recover from a disastrous start to the season by winning their last two games.
Although Victor Anichebe has netted three goals in his last two, the Black Cats have largely been reliant on former England striker Jermain Defoe to shoulder the goal-scoring burden.
The 34-year-old has scored seven of their 12 league goals so far this season, after playing a major role in ensuring the club's survival with 15 goals last term.
To help ease the pressure on Defoe, The Sun reported recently that Moyes has identified Peter Crouch as a potential January target.
Crouch, now 35, has been starved of game time at Stoke this season, featuring in just 241 minutes of play. But the veteran England forward has bagged three goals in the EFL Cup and has won a remarkable 75.7 percent of his aerial duels.
Having previously played together at Tottenham, Moyes might be hoping Defoe and Crouch can once again form a successful 'little and large' partnership.
Swansea - Leonardo Ulloa (Leicester)
Swansea fans were excited by the prospect of their team signing two high-profile Spanish strikers in the summer.
Borja Baston was acquired from Atletico Madrid for a club-record fee of £15.5m after an impressive loan spell with Eibar, and Spain international and World Cup winner Fernando Llorente moved to south Wales on a free transfer after his contract with Sevilla expired.
But the duo have managed just two goals between them this season, with Bob Bradley's side averaging less than a goal a game in the Premier League.
The Mirror believe that the Swans will make a January move for £9m-rated Leicester striker Leonardo Ulloa.
The Argentinian finds himself below Jamie Vardy, Shinji Okazaki and record signing Islam Slimani in the pecking order at the King Power Stadium, and might be open to a switch away from the Premier League champions to seek first-team football.
Hull City - Ravel Morrison (Lazio)
Hull started the season as relegation favourites after a summer which saw no investment in their playing squad.
The departure of manager Steve Bruce didn't help matters, but the Tigers are now able to count on the vast experience of former Manchester United assistant manager Mike Phelan, who was made the permanent boss at the KCOM Stadium after impressing in a caretaker capacity.
But Hull still face an uphill battle if they are to remain in the top flight beyond this season, and their thin squad would benefit greatly from an addition or two in January.
And, according to The Sun, Phelan could be set to turn to a familiar face in the form of Ravel Morrison when the transfer window opens.
Morrison was regarded as one of the most promising young players in the Red Devils' academy as a teenager, and Phelan will be well aware of his natural gifts, even if his career has perhaps not panned out as planned.
Currently on the books of Lazio, Morrison is yet to play this season, but he did show flashes of brilliance during his spell with West Ham, and if Phelan can tap into his immense potential, Morrison could prove a key figure in Hull's fight against relegation.
Crystal Palace - Branislav Ivanovic (Chelsea)
Crystal Palace spent big this summer in the hope of building a team capable of challenging for European qualification.
But they have struggled to fulfil their potential and just above the relegation zone after five defeats in a row.
Alan Pardew's side have scored more goals (17) than any other team outside the top eight, but have struggled to keep them out at the other end, shipping 21 in 12 games so far this season.
The Mirror are reporting that Pardew has his sights set on adding an experienced defender in January, and Chelsea's Branislav Ivanovic is apparently top of his wishlist.
Since the Blues made their switch to a back three, Ivanovic has found himself out of the side. Despite this, the Serb has already produced an impressive return of nine tackles, 60 successful aerial duels and 10 interceptions this term.
Ivanovic may not be in favour at Stamford Bridge any more, but his experience could be valued at Palace.
Middlesbrough - Ibrahim Amadou (Lille)
Middlesbrough fans might not have heard of Ibrahim Amadou before this summer, but as the January window gets ready to swing open, the Lille defensive midfielder could be back on Aitor Karanka's radar.
The 23-year-old might not be enjoying the best of seasons with the Ligue 1 side, but his rise over the past 12 months has been superb.
L'Equipe recently linked Amadou with a move to the Premier League, and it is believed Lille rejected a eight-figure sum for the midfielder in the summer.
As they try and climb out of Ligue 1's relegation zone, they might welcome the funds to buy reinforcements.
The Cameroonian was signed from AS Nancy in the summer of 2015 and after starting as a centre-back, he quickly developed into a strong, intimidating defensive midfielder and played a huge part in Lille's seven-game unbeaten run last season.
He helped the club, under former boss Frederic Antonetti, reach the Coupe de la Ligue final and was easily one of the best players in the squad.
Strong in the air, quick along the ground and no stranger to a fierce tackle, he has the physical traits that would perfectly suit a Premier League side that needs to be up for a fight.
