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With the season slowly drawing to a close as just seven match-days remain, it’s time to consider what some Premier League clubs will be up to in the transfer market this summer.

And the first port of call, in Football FanCast’s opinion at least, should always be to raid those unfortunate clubs who just have plummeted out of the top flight; firstly for players they can no longer afford to keep and secondly for players who’ve indisputably proven themselves to be too good for the English second tier.

With just seven points separating Leicester City at rock-bottom and Sunderland in 15th – or perhaps more importantly, just three points separating the Black Cats and a 19th-placed Burnley – there’s plenty of relegation-bound stars on offer at the moment.

And knowing how West Ham like to maintain their ever-shrewdness in the transfer market, we’ve listed FIVE lads the East Londoners should target this summer if their respective clubs fail to beat the drop.

SEB LARSSON

For a side of such renowned dominance in the air, West Ham’s set piece return isn’t as almighty as one might expect this season.

They rank sixth in the Premier League with eleven goals, but a squad blessed with aerial combatants such as Diafra Sakho, Andy Carroll, James Tomkins, James Collins, Winston Reid and Alex Song – to name just a few – could probably be doing a little better.

A set piece specialist is in order. And thus, I point the Hammers in the direction of Sunderland’s Seb Larsson, Sweden’s answer to David Beckham.

The 29 year-old isn’t the goalscoring midfielder once was, netting only five times since the seven goals of his debut Stadium of Light campaign in 2011/12, but he’s still a real threat from dead ball situations – especially when providing – and after so many years in the Premier League is far too experienced to surrender himself to the Championship.

His tenacious spirit and industriousness only further suit the Hammers’ style of play. But with two years remaining on his current contract, the Black Cats are by no means obliged to sell this summer.

Kieran Trippier

Amid reports of Liverpool targeting Hammers loanee Carl Jenkinson, the East Londoners may find themselves requiring a new right-back this summer should they fail to land the Arsenal youngster permanently.

One relegation-inspired alternative comes in the form of Burnley’s Kieran Trippier – a lesser famed but equally important part of the Turf Moor outfit’s safety bid alongside sought-after striker Danny Ings.

He won consecutive slots in the PFA Championship Team of the Year in the two seasons preceding Burnley’s top flight ascension last summer and during the 2013/14 campaign amassed the most assists of any player in the division – an impressive 14 – even bettering Hammers summer signing Aaron Cresswell.

This year, the 24 year-old has continued to impress as one of Burnley’s predominant outlets going forward and an ever-present member of their starting Xi, claiming four assists in 31 appearances. Likewise, his average of 1.7 chances created per match is the highest rate of any player within Sean Dyche’s squad.

In my opinion, Tripper has proved himself more suited to the top flight than most Burnley players this year – but even if they do go down, Burnley will be reluctant to sell.

RON VLAAR

With Winston Reid set to depart on a free transfer and James Collins now the wrong side of 30, some fresh blood is needed at the heart of the Hammers’ defence this summer – and the club could certainly do a lot worse than bosman-bound centre-back Ron Vlaar.

Concrete Ron might not be quite as formidable as his humorous moniker suggests, but he’s proved himself to be of Premier League standard during his three campaigns at Aston Villa, serving as club captain for the majority of that time, and demonstrated his potential to play at an even higher level last summer – reaching the World Cup semi-finals with the Netherlands.

He’s a brutish and basic defender, but that fits perfectly into the Hammers’ functional style. Likewise, he’ll be leaving Villa Park on a free transfer this summer, having already rejected several contract offers from the Birmingham club.

Whether West Ham find themselves eclipsed in their pursuit of the Dutch international, however, remains to be seen – he’s been linked with moves to Manchester United and Spurs this summer, to name a few of his tabloid-mooted suitors.

MATT PHILLIPS

West Ham have lacked genuine wide options this season, with Stewart Downing proving far more effective in central attacking roles and Matt Jarvis showing only further regression.

And although Matt Phillips spent his first few months in the Premier League rather anonymously, he’s been in fantastic form over the last few weeks, notching up two goals and seven assists in his last eight appearances – including that absolute stunner against Crystal Palace a few weeks ago.

That makes the 24 year-old the Premier League’s top creator for 2015 and suggests, given a bit more game time, he could become a decent wide-man at top flight level.

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QPR’s wage bill is so large they’ll have to downsize should they plummet into the Championship this season, and with just two years remaining on his current contract the Scotland international is a strong candidate for an inevitable cash-in.

His incredible form during the campaign’s final run-in, however, will have undoubtedly caught the eye of several Premier League clubs.

ESTEBAN CAMBIASSO

In an otherwise Championship-standard Leicester City side, Esteban Cambiasso’s quality and experience has stood out a country mile.

The former Argentina midfielder is the Foxes’ second-top scorer with four from 23 Premier League appearances this term whilst averaging 2 tackles, 2.1 interceptions and 1.1 chances created per match.

Now at the ripe old age of 34, the former Inter Milan star – who won five Serie A titles and the 2010 Champions League during his time at the San Siro – doesn’t offer the Hammers much in the way of longevity, or for that matter, stamina in the middle of the park.

But consider the positive impact a Champions League-standard midfielder like Alex Song has had on West Ham this season; Cambiasso, although perhaps not quite at that level anymore, has the potential to do the same.

Furthermore, his contract’s up in the summer and Leicester almost certainly won’t bother renewing if they go down. He’s clearly a short-term signing, but on a free transfer could prove to be a very astute addition to the squad for next season.

Last season, Arsene Wenger was able to rely on Robin van Persie in order to form a late charge on the top four in the Premier League. This season, the Arsenal manager may be holding another ace up his sleeve – except we won’t really know how influential it is until sometime in May.

That’s the erratic nature of football –or is it fun? Being able to make a bold decision one week which swings the entire season in your favour when the game looked up. But Arsenal has needed to go back to basics when all hope seemed lost. The traditional Arsenal we’ve known under Wenger has been done away with and a defensive game has been adopted.

It’s a sad state when it’s come to this: a club who have long been considered the most attractive football team in England having to resort to a ‘back-to-basics’ approach. But Wenger should receive plenty of praise for having the ability to once again potentially turn this whole thing around. Well maybe not quite unwavering admiration. After all, this is Wenger’s team that he’s assembled. These are players who were identified as good enough for his brand of football by a group of scouts under his watch. For all the attention to detail and the meticulous building of this football club under Wenger, I fail to believe that his scouts haven’t been drilled in properly identifying players who are good enough for Arsenal.

It’s been far too long since Arsenal have played that free-flowing football that was once described as “from another planet” by van Persie. It’s been too long since a sustained period of time in a campaign was built on the theme of irresistible football and a style of play that genuinely was stunning.

In truth, it wasn’t too long ago. The last time Arsenal had a fantastic football approach to their game was the 2010-11 season, where one of the highlights of the campaign saw a commentator describe the team’s winning goal as a “Barcelona goal from Arsenal,” when they defeated Pep Guardiola’s side at the Emirates.

But the swing in approach and quality has been too quick and too severe. Wenger made a late dip into the transfer market for a group of players who really weren’t suited to his ideals of the game. You have to ask sometimes whether the manager is consciously buying pieces to a puzzle or if he’s just snapping up what’s available at a decent price.

When Arsenal made the call to Everton and eventually sealed the signing of Mikel Arteta, did Wenger really intend for the Spaniard to play as the team’s holding midfielder? Surely not. Surely most were right on the money when it was assumed that Arteta was the replacement for Cesc Fabregas, albeit one who was nowhere near the same class in terms of quality and ability.

So if Arsenal’s last two games – two 2-0 wins away at Bayern and Swansea – are a conscious effort to turn things around, why has it come so late?

Wasn’t it fairly obvious that there were not enough players in this team to play the style of football that was most recently executed by those headed by Fabregas? Santi Cazorla and Arteta, and then only some way into this season did Jack Wilshere appear. It wasn’t enough and the tactical approach – if we’re going to call it that – wasn’t suitable to what was on offer. You then go back to the question that has been asked countless times: is Wenger making the most of what he has at his disposal?

But this different approach has been a long time coming. Players like Aaron Ramsey and Carl Jenkinson are far better at getting ‘stuck in’ and rolling up their sleeves than they are at imitating Barcelona or Ajax. Sure, Ramsey could become one of those players in the future, but with a whole team and club down on confidence, the only option Wenger had was to take a far more basic approach.

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I don’t believe all of Arsenal’s good defensive work over the past two games has solely been linked to the absence of Thomas Vermaelen. Per Mertesacker stated over the weekend that the team were analysing their defensive performance against Tottenham with a view to improving. Mertesacker, notably, is a defender who stays deep and denies the opposition space in behind. Recent performances completely fly in the face of those who have said the German is one of the worst defenders in the league. The point is, even the very best will be made to look like amateurs if they’re used in the wrong system.

Now, it’s very difficult to know what exactly goes on inside the walls of London Colney, and most of what is said by outsiders is largely speculation. But when have you ever heard of Wenger instructing his coaches and players to go over the tapes of recent performances with the intention of eradicating mistakes? The Arsenal manager always seems to be about sending his team out to win at their own game first, rather than countering the threat of the opposition. If Wenger really is taking this on board, then it couldn’t come soon enough.

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Everton fans are all saying the same thing about the latest comments on Cenk Tosun – that being a good finisher doesn’t matter if you never get any chances.

While the mood around Goodison Park right now is pretty pessimistic, fans are certainly excited about the arrival and form of Cenk Tosun.

The Turkish striker moved to Merseyside in January, and has now scored four times in six games after a difficult bedding in period.

Fans are desperate to see some more attacking football from their Toffees, and the arrival of Tosun has certainly played its part in a couple of vital wins.

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Still, fans are fed up with Sam Allardyce and his rather negative brand of football, and they aren’t happy with Duncan Ferguson’s comments on the Turkish striker.

“He’s a finisher. I’ve worked with players before…and he’s a finisher. You know, in the main, if he gets a chance, he’ll stick it in,” the former Toffees’ front man said.

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While Ferguson is somewhat exempt from criticism, fans certainly aren’t holding back on their side’s style of play, pointing out that the “finisher” needs more chances to try and finish.

Some of the best Twitter reactions can be found below…

When Tony Pulis left Stoke City, it looked as the Potters would go into a bit of a decline. The progress that Stoke had made under Pulis was grinding to a halt, and the club were managing only mid-table finishes.

Pulis, of course, did a wonderful job in the Potteries, guiding Stoke into Europe for the first time since 1974-75 after losing to Manchester City in an FA Cup final.

His physical approach was lambasted in some quarters, or even just labelled as a throwback to a quaint English footballing past. Critics jokingly established a benchmark for silky footballers who play short passes and show off tricky feet, well – they’re only good players if they can do it on a cold, rainy night in Stoke.

But Stoke’s decline post-Pulis never happened. In fact, Stoke have been progressing further under Mark Hughes, they’ve been doing away with the long-ball tag, and they’ve been doing all of this on the quiet.

Last season was Hughes’s first since taking over at the club, and he guided his team to its best Premier league finish of 9th. More importantly, though, he managed to transform the team’s playing style from one of directness and physicality to a more subtle and sophisticated approach.

Pulis’s reign wasn’t all about long-ball of course, and they did play some nice football at times. But no longer do Stoke resemble a rugby team at all.

Although there has been even more progress under Hughes, it must be remembered how big a service Tony Pulis did for the club. He got them to the ‘promised land’ of the Premier League and kept them there, building a squad that worked well together and made the Britannia Stadium a fortress. But in some respect, Pulis did the club just as big a favour by quitting while ahead. He seemed to have taken the group about as far as he could have done and the league positions show that, hovering around 13th or 14th place.

Mark Hughes has come in, and he isn’t a manager who is happy to just fight against relegation – he is there to create real progress. And under his stewardship, Stoke have shown that.

They finished 9th last term, and sit 8th in the table so far this time around, and although they still look some way off the European pace, Stoke continue to improve and impress.

The Staffordshire club still possess the work ethic and solidity that Pulis instilled into his side. Players like Glen Whelan, Jon Walters, and Ryan Shawcross are still there and still bring that to the team, but the added flair of Victor Moses and Bojan Krkic has brought the team to a new level.

Bojan especially was on great form at the start of this season, before he injured his cruciate ligament, forcing him out for the rest of the season. Even if he does play again this term, he probably won’t be totally up to speed.

But this just means that he’ll feel like a new signing for the club if he can get back up and firing again when he comes back.

His signing shows the ambition of the club. He is a former Barcelona ‘wonderkid’ of course, and eyebrows were raised when he signed for the club. But before his injury he actually fitted right in – illustrating Hughes’s intention to play passing football, not the long ball, physical game that Stoke have been chastised for in the past.

If the club can maintain their current league position, and finish 8th this season, that would be even further progress for a club on the up. And getting Bojan back for the start of next term will help them push on further if he can stay fit. But they’ll need to strengthen further still if they are to unseat one of the current top seven and climb further up the ladder.

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Stoke are quietly becoming one of England’s best clubs, and people don’t even seem to be noticing them. Their progress has been steady rather than spectacular in recent seasons, but that’s no bad thing. They have become a team with a solid base to build its more elegant football on top of, but the weight of expectation doesn’t weigh too heavily on the Britannia.

This season is full of positives for the quietly progressing Stoke, and full of hope that they can progress further. But if nothing else comes of this season, at least Stoke proved that Bojan is a good player – he can indeed do it on a cold, rainy night in Stoke!

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The relegation battle in the Premier League is far from over, just yet, but there is the strong inclination that West Ham have done enough to be safe from danger.

Sam Allardyce’s contract at West Ham is set to expire in the summer though. David Gold and Sullivan have insisted that they will sit down and discuss new terms in May but does the former Bolton and Blackburn boss deserve better? Or is this a rouse to move the 58 year old on?

A spiral of uncertainty now swirls around Upton Park as Allardyce has insisted he wants to thrash out new terms as soon as West Ham are mathematically safe. You can hardly blame him considering the nature of his departures from football club’s in the past.

Should Gold and Sullivan make the situation more comfortable for all involved and sign Allardyce to a new contract as soon as possible? If Big Sam is to remain at the helm surely he will need to make plans for the development of the team going into next season for the transfer window, long before May.

At this moment I want to point back to the 10 point pledge the West Ham owners made to the fans in May 2010 going into the 2010/11 season. It was as a signal for how they planned to lead the club the success.

The first point on this list was to appoint the right manager. The season after this checklist was made West Ham were relegated and the Allardyce reign began. He achieved promotion at the first attempt and now looks intent on achieving survival in his first Premier League campaign for the Irons. If this is not the qualities of the right manager for the job then it is difficult to quantify what is.

They went onto mention in this pledge that they would listen to the supporters too. Whilst you will never see all the West Ham supporters advocate the methods of Allardyce they would surely be in agreement Premier League football is a priority. It is useless playing pretty football next season if they are to get relegated to the Championship.

The eighth point of the plan is the one which may draw contention as it was to make football enjoyable for people to come and watch. This is where the Ownership at Upton Park seemingly have a get out of jail free card to dispense of Allardyce’s services using this as an excuse. Would that be acceptable? Definitely not.

It appears to be quickly forgotten at times that Premier League football is a results business. Arsenal have regularly played eye catching football yet still disappoint their supporters. Swansea would not be lavished with praise for their style of play, in the manner they have been this season, if they had not achieved Capital One Cup glory. The Gold and Sullivan partnership may want to be careful what they wish for in their handling of their current boss. The grass is not always greener.

If there is any hesitation as to whether they should be handing their man a new contract they want to read their own words they wrote in 2010 at the end of their 10 point pledge.

“We are here for the long term and our goals will evolve as we progress. We are proud to be here and will never stop working for you.

“All of us share the same hopes and dreams. It is not just about aiming for cup finals or derby victories but about feeling part of something together and all pulling in the same direction.”

If Allardyce is for the long term this may be a worry, but surely for now they have to, as they state above, progress. There may be a leader in the future in the mould of Di Canio who can deliver the glamour football required but for now stability is essential.

West Ham should have enough this season to survive but achieving the same feat two seasons running would be a greater achievement. There may be plans for the Olympic Stadium and continued development in various aspects but ensuring consolidation on the pitch is what remains most important.

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If fanciful thoughts have suddenly struck Gold and Sullivan to try and quietly relinquish the duties of Allardyce then the Hammers may be the latest club to be struck with the curse of sacking him too soon.

Whilst Allardyce is by no means entitled to contract security in the nature Pardew was awarded at Newcastle, it is time for the sensible decision to be taken at Upton Park.

If the plan does though suddenly evolve and a new man is handed the reins to lead West Ham into battle then you wonder whether there really is a plan in East London after all.

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According to Football London, Spurs are eying up a £50million summer swoop for Ajax defender Matthijs de Ligt.

What’s the word?

De Ligt has been linked with a whole host of Premier League clubs over the international break, and now Football London claims that Spurs have added their name to the list.

Toby Alderweireld is looking increasingly likely to leave the club this summer, and Mauricio Pochettino has lined up the young Dutchman as his replacement.

De Ligt became the youngest player to ever captain Ajax this season, the 18 year-old has started 28 league games for the Dutch giants.

Arsenal have also been heavily linked with the young centre back.

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Good replacement for Alderweireld?

No fan wants to lose a player like Toby Alderweireld, especially given the severe shortage of top quality centre backs on the market, but Matthijs de Ligt is the closest Spurs could possibly get to a perfect replacement.

18 year-old de Ligt has already earned five caps for the Netherlands, and looked calm and composed when paired with the likes of Liverpool’s Virgil van Dijk over the international break.

Valued at £21.8million by Transfermarkt, de Ligt has three league goals and an assist this term, but has really wowed spectators with his defensive capabilities. The young centre back averages one tackle, 1.8 interceptions and 4.4 clearances per game, as well as boasting an 89.2% pass success rate.

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De Ligt has played in a back three and a back four this season, making him a perfect fit for Tottenham. Jan Vertonghen and Davinson Sanchez could continue as part of a back four while the young defender adjusts to his surroundings, and Pochettino’s versatility and flexibility would certainly find the right fit for the young defender.

On top of all this, it would be a great opportunity for Spurs to get one over on their North London rivals, who also fancy the 18 year-old.

Spurs fans, should de Ligt replace Alderweireld? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below…

When former Southampton youngster Luke Shaw first made his all important switch to Old Trafford at the beginning of the season, many within the game largely saw it as a safe deal for Manchester United, and one that would surely pay off for Louis van Gaal in the not too distant future.

The 19-year-old left-back arrived at his new club after impressing fans of the Premier League throughout the 2013/14 campaign. Shaw seemed to utilize endless energy down the flanks, was equally as good at attacking as he was at defending – and although the former St. Mary’s favourite had only just burst onto the scene – even Roy Hodgson saw fit to reward the defender with a place in England’s 2014 World Cup squad.

Whilst the nation’s summer endeavours in Brazil hardly turned out positive for the Three Lions though, Luke Shaw’s addition in the team at such a young age nevertheless highlighted the extent of talent on offer for the rising star.

However, since life in the top flight of English football rarely plays out in the most ideal circumstances possible, the new man at Manchester United just hasn’t been able to produce the goods consistently enough for his manager this season.

In light of such developments, just how much of a gamble has Luke Shaw’s move to Old Trafford ultimately been for the historic Premier League club, as well as for the player himself?

Well one thing constantly burdening Louis van Gaal’s new no. 3 in his attempted rise to the top is the extortionate transfer fee that the Red Devils were forced to pay out for him. The overall cost for the former Southampton man was reportedly in the region of £27 – £30 million, despite the fact that the player himself has barely made much of an impact on the English game in the grand scheme of things.

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Shaw faced complaints of being overweight in the run up to the 2014/15 campaign, has often looked out of his depth playing in the much more intimidating cauldron of Old Trafford, and has simply only performed to a fraction of what many within the game initially touted him as capable of so far for his new manager.

All of a sudden Luke Shaw appears to be not much more than an average talent – who whilst still being able to call himself a regular Premier League player – just hasn’t matched the status that first surrounded him upon arriving at Manchester United.

This whole affair highlights a much greater issue afflicting the English game at the moment however: English players are simply far too over-valued, and far too over-hyped in the modern era for their careers to play out naturally.

Yes, the up and coming young talent may still have a promising future ahead of him, obviously it’s far too early to write a player off who hasn’t even turned 20-years-of-age yet, and yes, injuries have certainly hampered the player’s Old Trafford career so far – but ultimately Luke Shaw was never even close to being worth the suspected £30million that United eventually paid out for him. It was day-light robbery even in the kindest of senses.

Other European talents seem to go for a great deal less than their English counter-parts. Aside from the odd superstars who command the type of transfer fees that just aren’t matched anywhere else, the likes of Cesc Fabregas and Alexis Sanchez cost their respective clubs a similar amount to what Luke Shaw went for – and when you consider that those two aforementioned stars are already in the peak years of their career – Manchester United’s expensive gamble on an 18-year-old Southampton player does seem a bit silly looking back.

Whilst it seems clear that the Red Devils simply weren’t shrewd enough when it came to landing Luke Shaw last summer, such discussion should have little effect on how the player himself approaches the next stages of his career. He is still young of course, still has a certain degree of potential left in him, and could still do a job for England when the right time comes. That much is certainly true.

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As Luke Shaw simply looks nowhere near a £30million player however, maybe this once promising transfer was ultimately doomed almost as soon as the wheels were first set in motion – and that is a sad indictment on the English game above all else.

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It was at this point last month, guided by Nigel Adkins, that Southampton were finally starting to look like an accomplished Premier League team and building up a steam in their survival crusade. Fast forward to the present and Mauricio Pochettino is now at the helm having sensationally replaced Adkins at St Mary’s less than a month prior prompting widespread surprise and condemnation for the Saints board. Its fair to say that the South Coast club have found it tough going under Pochettino thus far, failing to win in the three games since his arrival. But if there is one thing the Argentinian excels at it is pushing clubs to punch above their weight, something he achieved at Espanyol, and to his credit Southampton have moved the ball better in recent weeks, especially against Wigan when they deserved to leave the North West with more than a share of the spoils. But with Pochettino and the club still tangled in a sticky transitional period the last team they’d want to face is title chasing Manchester City.

This has been tagged as a must win game for City by manager Roberto Mancini after he watched his side fall nine points behind leaders and local rivals Manchester United last weekend. Defending the title they won in dramatic circumstances last May has left the champions running on empty and it’s hardly a shock that they find themselves playing catchup on United. Offloading Mario Balotelli to Milan last month has put the onus on Sergio Aguero, Edin Dzeko and Carlos Tevez to fire City back to the top-flight summit. They proved last week that there is still enough left in the tank to challenge when coming from behind to snatch a point from Liverpool, stretching their unbeaten run to eight games, while Aguero’s breathtaking equaliser exemplify’s the present abundance of quality at the Etihad Stadium.

Team News

Luke Shaw and Nathaniel Clyne are both doubs after withdrawing from the England under-21 squad in midweek. Gaston Ramirez and Guly do Prado are also struggling to be fit in time.

Yaya and Kolo Toure are back from African Cup of Nations duty, while Vincent Kompany and Maicon could be available.

What the managers said…

“We played games in which we have deserved to get more points than we have done, but I think the way we are approaching games and playing are the way in which we will start to pick up points. All of our matches are difficult in this division, but we know that Manchester City were the champions last season so we will need to be at our best to beat them. For me, Manchester City are a great team with great individual players and they can decide a match on their own.” Mauricio Pochettino believes Southampton deserved more from his first three games in charge (sainstsfc.co.uk)”Manchester United have done better than us this season because they won a lot of games. They have nine points more than us. But if we can recover eight points in six games, recovering nine in 13 games will be easy. I never remember the title race being finished 10 or 13 games before the end. Three years ago Chelsea were nine points behind at one point. By the time they played at Old Trafford two or three games from the end, they were only three points behind. In the end, if Manchester United win all their games from now to the end of the season, they deserve to win. But I am sure we have another chance.” Roberto Mancini maintains his side can claw back the nine point gap held by Manchester United (Manchester Evening News)

Pre-match Fact: Southampton striker Rickie Lambert needs just one more goal to bring up his century for the South Coast club.

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Prediction: Southampton 1-3 Manchester City

Manchester United produced a stunning second half comeback on Saturday to prevent rivals Manchester City winning the title at their expense, winning 3-2 at the Etihad Stadium.

In a much hyped English Premier League encounter, the pressure was on United to prevent their supporters suffering more heartbreak than necessary this season by conceding the title race in a head-to-head match with Pep Guardiola’s outfit.

Two goals down at the interval, supporters worst fears looked like they would be realised but Jose Mourinho’s side scored three second half goals to put a smile on every fan’s face.

Paul Pogba stole the headlines with two of the three goals but it was another player that supporters were quick to praise – Alexis Sanchez.

The Chilean had a hand in all three goals, directly assisting the equaliser and winner.

It was the kind of performance that demonstrated why the club were so eager to sign him in January.

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Fans took to Twitter to share their thoughts on his display…

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Spain may have let their grip on the international scene slip during the summer, but home to both the reigning Europa League and Champions League title holders, there’s no questioning the quality on display in La Liga.

Indeed, it’s a division that churns out talent after talent from their exceptionally well-run youth systems, many of which eventually make it to the Premier League.

Liverpool have been linked with plenty since the summer, so now that the January window is finally upon us, we could see a few La Liga stars making their anticipated moves to Merseyside this month.

So if you want to impress your Reds-supporting mates with some transfer knowledge, be sure to check out the FIVE Football Fancast have picked as the most likely to turn up at Anfield this transfer window.

MARTIN MONTOYA

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Liverpool were strongly linked with Barcelona’s Martin Montoya ahead of the last January transfer window, but his move to Merseyside failed to materialise. Now that the young full-back has revealed his desire to leave the Nou Camp however, his agent claiming a ‘100%’ commitment to finding a new club this month, the timing is right for the Anfield outfit to make good on their long-term interest.

The 23 year-old emerged as a regular in Barcelona’s first team squad during the 2012/13 campaign, bursting onto the La Liga scene with a stunning long-range strike against Malaga – a huge testament to his quality on the ball.

Prior and since, he’s amassed 59 appearances for the Catalans across all competitions, but Montoya remains stuck behind right back veteran Dani Alves in the pecking order and now appears to have lost his patience with the La Liga giants.

Capable of playing on either defensive flank, tough-tackling, speedy and blessed with all the technical and creative talent you’d expect from a La Masia product, it’s no surprise the former Spain U21’s availability has also attracted interest from Arsenal and Juventus, to name a few.

Liverpool lack a long-term option at No.2 however, with Glen Johnson’s contract up and the end of the season and Javier Manquillo at Anfield only on a two-year loan, and for that reason alone will be more keen than most to land Montoya this January.

Having extended his contract in March until 2018 however, The Express claim Barcelona value the Spanish prospect at a rather costly £16million.

ALVARO ARBELOA

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Another La Liga full-back alleged to be on the Anfield radar this month is former Liverpool defender Alvaro Arbeloa.

The 31 year-old made 98 appearances for the Reds before heading to Real Madrid in 2009, since winning La Liga and Champions League titles with Los Blancos, in addition to two European Championships and the 2010 World Cup with the Spanish national team.

He certainly won’t be remembered in the annals of right-back history as one of the all-time greats, but Arbeloa’s quality, experience and consistency at top level remains undoubted; he’s featured in the majority of the beautiful game’s biggest occasions.

Having slumped down the pecking order at the Bernabeu following the re-arrival of Dani Carvajal in January 2013 however, managing just four starts in La Liga this term, and now entering the final 18 months of his contract, it’s believed the Spain international is seeking pastures new this January.

Arsenal and Chelsea have both been linked, but The Express claim Arbeloa will reject both in favour of a return to Merseyside.

KIKO CASILLA

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Brendan Rodgers’ desire to improve Liverpool’s options between the sticks is no great secret, with the Anfield gaffer recently dropping Reds No.1 Simon Mignolet for an ‘indefinite period’ after a string of costly individual errors.

One of the names believed to be in the mix is Espanyol shot-stopper Kiko Casilla, strongly linked with an Anfield switch back in October, whose heroics over the last 18 months have secured the role of third-choice in Vincente del Bosque’s Spain squad.

Only one goalkeeper, Elche’s Xabi Irureta, has made more saves than the 27 year-old’s 59 in La Liga this season, and with Espanyol’s financial problems well-known, Casilla’s availability this month is undoubted, having admitted earlier in the campaign that he could be sold to raise funds.

The Metro believe Espanyol could sell for around £8million but the Spain international is by no means the only goalkeeper linked with a Reds move this January.

DANI PAREJO

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Following the Liverpool skipper’s revelations earlier this month, the issue of finding a long-term skipper to Steven Gerrard is now more important than ever on Merseyside.

Valencia playmaker Dani Parejo has been linked with a Liverpool move before, and although he’s hardly a reincarnation of the England international in terms of physique, quality and style, he would add something a little different to the Reds’ midfield, making him an interesting partner for the industrious Jordan Henderson.

Indeed, 25 year-old is rather wiry and slight compared to your average Premier League midfielder, but he’s a fantastic technician with great vision and a consistent contribution in front of goal, claiming nine goals and ten assists in 62 appearances over the last two-and-a-half campaigns.

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This has arguably been Parejo’s best season yet for the Mestalla outfit, netting four in 15 whilst averaging 2.9 tackles, 1.1 successful dribbles and 1.2 shots per match and donning the captain’s armband.

He’s was valued at £20million by the Express in the summer however, and with Valencia currently just a point off a Champions League spot in La Liga, Liverpool will struggle to convince the Mestalla outfit to sell their skipper mid-season.

Luciano Vietto

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The absence of a dependable goalscorer at Anfield this season has reportedly lead to Brendan Rodgers’ interest in Villarreal prodigy Luciano Vietto, dubbed ‘the next Sergio Aguero’, according to Mirror Football.

The 21 year-old left Argentine side Racing Club this summer with a promising return of 18 goals in 69 league appearances and has since bagged eight in his first 16 La Liga outings, in addition to amassing three goals and two assists in the Europa League.

Much like the Manchester City star, the Argentina U20 is a mobile, versatile and energetic striker, capable of playing in any position across the forward line and blending potency with industriousness.

He’s not an immediate answer to Liverpool’s profligacy in front of goal, but certainly seems like a wise long-term investment, having already impressed in the Argentine and Spanish top flights.

Mirror Football also claim the striker is valued at £12million, which should be within Liverpool’s financial reach this month, but whether Villarreal would be prepared to cash-in on their hottest prospect after just six months remains to be seen.