'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/4AAQSkZJRgABAQAAAQABAAD/2wCEAAMDAwMDAwQEBAQFBQUFBQcHBgYHBwsICQgJCAsRCwwLCwwLEQ8SDw4PEg8bFRMTFRsfGhkaHyYiIiYwLTA+PlQBAwMDAwMDBAQEBAUFBQUFBwcGBgcHCwgJCAkICxELDAsLDAsRDxIPDg8SDxsVExMVGx8aGRofJiIiJjAtMD4+VP/AABEIAAYACgMBIgACEQEDEQH/xABgAAEBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABQcQAAEEAgIDAAAAAAAAAAAAAAEAAwQRAhIFBiEiMgEBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABgcRAQABBAMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAECAAMREiJBkf/aAAwDAQACEQMRAD8AzfrBjwOTgyHYzctvBy82HfjMURRUzXf20wG3mhdC0RRqVuDbiMTG8n0KOLxDrLX/2Q=='%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Club football will return on Boxing Day, and a week later the January transfer window will open. At every major tournament, some players attract attention, including strikers. These players make major moves in the next transfer window and a scramble will commence in January as teams try and nab the biggest stars.
Teams are always in need of strikers, players who you can rely upon to score goals consistently. Injuries to players like Gabriel Jesus and Armando Broja, for example, have opened the door to incomings at Arsenal and Chelsea.
We look at three players that could be on the move during the January transfer window.
#1 Cristiano Ronaldo - Free agent
It is shocking to think a day would come when Cristiano Ronaldo was searching for a football club and no one wanted him. The Portuguese forward was released by Manchester United during the World Cup following his explosive interview with British broadcaster Piers Morgan.
Portugal were eliminated by Morocco in the quarter-finals, and Ronaldo failed to make an impact at his last World Cup.
Marca reports that Saudi Arabian club Al Nassr are confident about a move for the striker, and the Middle East looks like his likeliest destination. Ronaldo's wage demands mean that very few clubs could realistically sign him in January.
Ideally, Ronaldo would like to stay in Europe, especially after seeing Lionel Messi win the World Cup but it does seem like the Portuguese's time at the top is over.
#2 Marcus Thuram - Borussia Monchengladbach - Striker
Marcus Thuram has 13 goals in 18 appearances for Borussia Monchengladbach in the Bundesliga this season. His form earned him a place in Didier Deschamps France squad, and he made five appearances at the World Cup, providing two assists.
Thuram will only have six months left on his contract in January, with several clubs keeping an eye on him.
The Manchester Evening News reports that Manchester United are interested in the player as a replacement for Cristiano Ronaldo. Thuram would be a cheap solution to a hole within the squad.
However, with only six months left on his current deal, several more clubs are bound to throw their hat in the race. Expect Thuram to sign a pre-agreement for the summer or sign for a new club in January.
#3 Dušan Vlahović - Juventus
Dušan Vlahović was on cloud nine when he signed for Juventus in January of 2022 from Fiorentina. Almost a year later, he has not lived up to expectations with the Serie A outfit, and teams are circling the Serbian striker.
Vlahović has made 15 appearances for Juventus this season, scoring seven goals. He made two appearances for Serbia at the World Cup, scoring one goal.
Vlahović's contract expires in June 2026, so Juventus are under no pressure to sell the player with more than three years left on his current deal. As per Corriere Dello Sport, Arsenal remain interested in the player, along with teams like Chelsea and Bayern Munich.
