Southampton and Swansea men among likely January movers

The January transfer window is now open and the next month is sure to be full of speculation about transfer business involving all 20 Premier League clubs.

Gossip is also likely around numerous Premier League players that require moves to kick-start below-par seasons. Here are five names that can be expected to be seen in the headlines:

Victor Wanyama

Southampton arguably lost out financially this past summer when Nathaniel Clyne left to join Liverpool as he entered the final year of his contact. Given that Wanyama only has 18 months left, the Saints could find themselves in a similar position again in July.

Wanyama has looked a shadow of his best so far this term, seemingly lacking the intensity and desire that made him such a formidable partner to Morgan Schneiderlin in the Saints midfield previously.

Ronald Koeman is not short of other midfield options, with Oriol Romeu capable of doing the destructive work in front of the back four. Allowing Wanyama to leave in January may work out best for all parties.

Saido Berahino

If Southampton do turn down a decent sum for Wanyama in January, they could find themselves with the dilemma that Tony Pulis currently does with Berahino.

Berahino failed to complete a move to Tottenham over the summer and has since only started eight league matches this season, with factors including his fitness and attitude keeping him out of the West Brom starting line up.

The Baggies are far from the wealthiest Premier League club and having their most expensive player capable of commanding a fee north of £20m wasting away and depreciating in value is far from ideal.

Jack Grealish

Towards the end of last season when Villa made clear strides of improvement under Tim Sherwood, it was the performances of a teenage Grealish that had supporters getting excited about what the future may hold for the club.

However, Villa are now as good as relegated with Grealish starting only nine times in the top flight. He has also spent time in exile with the under-21s after breaching club protocol.

A change of scenery may encourage the 20-year-old to get back to focussing on his football.

Andros Townsend

Rewind two years and Townsend was not only strutting his stuff for Spurs, but also looking like a staple of the England set-up after starring in the latter stages of qualification for the 2014 World Cup.

Now he can barely make Spurs’ first-team squad, being limited to only three substitute appearances in the Premier League this season.

A move away from White Hart Lane looks the only way Townsend will rekindle any dying embers of making England’s Euro 2016 squad and resurrect his promising career.

Leon Britton

Having fallen below Jack Cork, Ki Sung-Yueng and Jonjo Shelvey in the engine room pecking order at Swansea, it seems the time for 33-year-old Britton to move on after the best part of 12 years at the Liberty.

He rarely has a bad game controlling tempo in front of the defence with his accurate passing, but he is possibly far more one dimensional than those he is battling with for a starting place.

Britton looks ideal for a club like Brentford that like to keep possession and have big aspirations for gaining promotion to the Premier League.

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