Eight Serie A players who could move in January

Carlo Garganese

• Updated: 9 Jan 2022 08:46 CST
• 6 min read

Serie A is no longer able to break the world record on an annual basis in order to buy the most established players in the world.

However, the Italian league remains one of the best in Europe at developing the most supreme talent around.

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During the summer, let us not forget, we saw some huge transfers involving Serie A clubs; Romelu Lukaku joining Chelsea for €115 million, Achraf Hakimi signing for PSG for €70m, Cristiano Ronaldo returning to Man Utd – to name just a few.

In January 2022, we can expect some more interesting deals.

Below are eight players at Serie A clubs we should keep an eye on during the winter transfer window.

Aaron Ramsey (Juventus)

Aaron Ramsey was put on the transfer list this past summer as Juventus were desperate to get his hefty €7m-a-year wages off their books.

However, the Welshman refused to leave Turin as he was unwilling to take a paycut.

The Bianconeri will try again to offload him in January, and will even be willing to accept no transfer fee just to let him go.

He has virtually been frozen out of the first team, having not featured since October or in Serie A since September. There is interest in the Premier League, including from Newcastle.

Dejan Kulusevski (Juventus)

Big things were expected from Dejan Kulusevski when Juventus beat off competition from Inter to sign Serie A’s 2019-20 Young Player of the Year.

However, he has proven to be a major flop so far in Turin, and former Sweden coach Sven-Goran Eriksson recently told The Italian Football Podcast that Allegri doesn’t rate the Sweden winger.

It is understood that if Juventus receive an acceptable bid they will consider selling Kulusevski in January. Both Arsenal and Tottenham are interested. Spurs are considered the favourites given the presence of former Juventus transfer chief Fabio Paratici.

Arthur Melo (Juventus)

Arthur Melo’s transfer to Juventus has been a disaster for many reasons, but most damagingly his move is now being investigated by the Italian Financial Police.

It is alleged that his €72m transfer fee was deliberately inflated – and the same done for Miralem Pjanic’s 60m fee – when Juventus and Barcelona worked to move the players in the opposite direction last year. This was done in order to register a plusvalenza (capital gain) for both clubs.

On the pitch, Arthur has never got going. He has been struck by numerous injuries and Allegri doesn’t appear to trust him at all.

Arthur Melo’s agent Federico Pastorello has publicly stated that he is trying to find a new club for his client in January, perhaps initially on loan.

Franck Kessie (AC Milan)

AC Milan are at grave risk of losing yet another key first-team player for nothing in 2022.

This past summer, the Rossoneri had to watch on as Gianluigi Donnarumma and Hakan Calhanoglu joined PSG and Inter, respectively, on Bosman transfers.

Milan have offered him a new deal worth €6-6.5m a year which they will not go higher than. Kessie is demanding at least €9m.

Thus, rather than lose him on a free, Milan could decide to cash in during the January window – especially as Kessie’s form has been well below par this season. Many of Europe’s big clubs are interested in the Ivorian, including Man Utd, Liverpool, Tottenham and PSG.

Samu Castillejo (AC Milan)

Samu Castillejo is a very unpopular player with the AC Milan fans, who have often resorted to booing the Spaniard.

Milan tried to sell Castillejo this past summer, offering him all over Europe but the winger rejected numerous offers.

The Rossoneri responded by omitting the former Villarreal wideman from their Champions League squad.

He has made just a handful of appearances in Serie A this season and will be up for sale again in January.

Gianluca Scamacca (Sassuolo)

Juventus have made the signing of a forward a priority in the January transfer window, as they have struggled badly to score goals this season.

Sassuolo striker Scamacca is one of the names on their striker shortlist, alongside Mauro Icardi, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Anthony Martial.

The giant Scamacca is considered the most promising young number 9 in Italy and Juventus have been considered a loan move with obligation to buy in the summer.

But with Boga set to leave, Sassuolo do not want to lose another first-team player in January and will try and resist any bid. Inter, Milan and Fiorentina are also interested in the €40m-rated 22-year-old.

Dusan Vlahovic (Fiorentina)

Dusan Vlahovic exploded into the best young striker in Europe – after the incomparable Erling Haaland – in 2021.

Last calendar year only Robert Lewandowski scored more than Vlahovic’s 33 league goals in Europe’s top five leagues.

Vlahovic’s contract expires in 2023 and he won’t be signing a new deal. That means he will definitely leave Fiorentina this year.

It is highly likely that Vlahovic will depart in the summer as Fiorentina are chasing European or even Champions League qualification. However, a January move can’t be ruled out if an astronomical bid is made.

Juventus, Man City, Arsenal, Tottenham and Borussia Dortmund are just some of the big clubs interested in the giant Serb.

Bryan Reynolds (Roma)

Roma are set to offload a whole host of their squad players in January, with Bryan Reynolds, Riccardo Calafiori, Borja Majoral, Amadou Diawara, Gonzalo Villar and Federico Fazio all up for sale.

Reynolds is the standout name from this group of players because he had been somewhat of a coup for Roma when they signed him a year ago from FC Dallas.

Roma beat Juventus to the young United States right-back’s transfer but it just hasn’t worked out for him at the Stadio Olimpico.

He has been publicly criticised by Jose Mourinho on more than one occasion, with the Portuguese manager making it clear he doesn’t trust the 20-year-old.

A loan move to Anderlecht seems likely.

Matias Vecino (Inter)

Inter have the deepest central midfield in all of Italy, with a number of quality backups in the position who would walk into most other Serie A teams.

As a result, Inter could allow one of these players to leave in January to free up space and the two most likely options are Matias Vecino and Stefano Sensi.

The former is wanted by Roma and his contract expires at the end of the season. The latter, meanwhile, is increasingly injury-prone and the Nerazzurri may cut their losses.