Five La Liga players who could move in January

Suraj Radia

• 14 Dec 2023 14:03 CST
• 4 min read

The January transfer window is just weeks away from opening as clubs look to make amendments to their squads after a hectic festive period filled with fitness and injury concerns.

Teams in La Liga will be no different in hoping to conduct deals during the winter, with Real Madrid and Barcelona dealing with the rare occurrence of neither side being top of the table at this stage in the season.

Leaders Girona could be in the market to try and solidify their shock title push, while teams across Spain and Europe will likely face more interest in their talent from Saudi Arabian sides.

FootballTransfers takes a look at five La Liga players who could be on the move this January.

Robert Lewandowski

Barcelona went through a host of financial issues and economic levers to sign Robert Lewandowski for €50 million last summer, such were the hopes that the Bayern Munich legend would help take them back to the top level.

And while the 35-year-old did lead Barca to the La Liga title last season, Lewandowski has attracted criticism this year despite 11 goal involvements in 12 league starts.

The Polish striker certainly has lost a step and the impending arrival of Vitor Roque could see Barca turn to Saudi Pro League sides in the hopes of getting some money for Lewandowski before his form completely collapses.

Ferran Torres

Barcelona’s financial problems are well documented and it means that most their players will be available for transfer for the right price, including Ferran Torres, who has been linked with a return to the Premier League.

The 23-year-old has been limited to bench cameos and rare starts this season and could take the opportunity to search for more first team football in anticipation of making Spain’s European Championship squad next summer.

Torres and teammate Raphinha have both proved unconvincing and inconsistent during their times at Camp Nou and either could be sold this January to allow Barca more flexibility in signing players.

Dani Ceballos

Real Madrid, meanwhile, are unlikely to make wholesale changes to their squad mid-season, particularly with Kylian Mbappe entering the final six months of his contract, meaning Los Blancos could make another anticipated approach for the Paris Saint-Germain star.

However, backup players could still leave the Bernabeu, with Dani Ceballos a prime candidate for a move to Saudi Arabia or elsewhere, having found himself on the fringes of the first team this season.

The 27-year-old signed a new four-year contract in the summer but has played just 127 minutes in La Liga since and Real’s quality in depth in midfield may see them cash in on the Spaniard.

Giorgi Mamardashvili

Premier League sides in particular have had many struggles with goalkeepers this season and could turn their attention to arguably one of the standout shot-stoppers in Europe in Giorgi Mamardashvili.

The 23-year-old has impressed for Valencia since joining them in 2021 and has been extensively scouted by Newcastle in particular, who will be looking for a replacement to Nick Pope, who suffered a long-term injury earlier this month.

Valencia’s ongoing financial concerns means that key players are always up for sale and a fee of around €30m could attract their attention and seal a top level keeper for any side.

Assane Diao

Another exciting prospect in La Liga this season has been Assane Diao, who has broken into Real Betis’ team and provided an injection of flair and pace to their side in a breakout campaign.

The 18-year-old has two goals in eight starts in the league while playing on the right flank and has been linked with a €30m move to Chelsea among other sides.

Although still a raw prospect, teams are aware of the potential the Spanish youngster has and could look to move quickly to sign a youngster whose price tag could rapidly rise in the coming years.