The top 4 race is the fiercest it’s been in a while. There seems to be five teams fighting for the two remaining top 4 places with Arsenal, Chelsea, Tottenham, Manchester United and Leicester City hoping to finish behind Manchester City and Liverpool.
Therefore, this January window is so important because it gives these teams the chance to correct the wrongs of the season so far. Deficiencies that they couldn’t address last summer can be sorted out this window.
The saga of Thomas Lemar has been dragging on for at least 2 seasons now. The Frenchman has not enjoyed the best of times in Spain, only contributing to 9 goals in 64 appearances.
Regardless of the past two seasons, Lemar still has many admirers in England but Atletico reportedly wants in excess of £50m for him. Such a price tag is not warranted, and no team will pay that especially in January.
Here are 3 cheaper alternatives to Thomas Lemar for Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham.
Cristian Pavón
South American attackers are currently in high demand across the world. If you look at every major league across Europe, South Americans are at the forefront. That’s why clubs like Real Madrid are focusing their recruitment strategy on finding gems in that part of the world. Cristian Pavón is a name that’s kept popping up in recent seasons, as his potential has now translated into match-winning performances.
The Boca Juniors player is currently on loan at La Galaxy, where he has directly contributed to 9 goals in 13 MLS appearances. If Arsenal, Chelsea or Tottenham want to be ahead of the curve, they must turn their attention to Cristian Pavón instead of Thomas Lemar.
Felipe Anderson
The West Ham hybrid playmaker/winger may be one of the most underrated players in the Premier League. Since arriving in England, the Brazilian has consistently been one of West Ham’s best players, producing moments of magic when his team needs him most. Anderson has notably performed well against Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham and all the other big teams in the league.
In 55 Premier League appearances, the playmaker has directly contributed to 18 goals in a very poor West Ham side. This is a Hammers side that has seen their manager changed twice, meaning Anderson has been asked to play a variety of roles & positions, throughout all he has still excelled.
Lorenzo Insigne
It’s no secret that Napoli football club is in a mess at the moment. Off the pitch matters have dominated the press, thus having a negative effect on the team’s performances. The team that finished runners-up last season now sit 11th in the league having lost (7) more games than they’ve won (6). Reportedly, the president Aurelio De Laurentiis is not happy with the squad and wants to sell all the players at cut-throat prices.
That leaves the door open for a player that many of Europe’s elites have always admired to finally leave. Across his Napoli career, the 28-year-old has scored 75 goals and provided 64 assists in 236 appearances. Such a player would undoubtedly improve the squads of Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham, walking into their starting XIs.
