Every Premier League club's Christmas wish for 2024 ahead of transfer window
Merry Christmas, whoever you support and wherever you will spend the festive season.
At this time of year, it is traditional to make a wish – so I've allocated one to each Premier League club in the hope it makes their dreams come true.
ARSENAL: What is the one thing that would turn last season's near-miss with the title into triumph this time? The trump card that would get them over the line? A few weeks ago I said Victor Osimhen would take the Gunners to a new level, but the £112 million release clause in his new contract at Napoli might be too steep – so I wouldn't be surprised if they went for Ivan Toney.
LIVERPOOL: Above all, Jurgen Klopp will want Mo Salah to come back from the African Cup of Nations fit and in the same form the Egyptian king has been in so far this season. Jarell Quansah looks a good prospect, but in terms of winning the title a top-class central defender alongside Virgil van Dijk is now a priority.
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ASTON VILLA: All they want for Christmas at Villa Park is for manager Unai Emery to sign a new contract – because he is the Premier League manager of the season so far. To guide Villa within a point of the lead after 18 games is remarkable. Just give Emery whatever he wants.
MANCHESTER CITY: If you think Pep Guardiola is losing his touch, you probably believe in Father Christmas. City are only five points off the top and they will be right up there in May. Right now, Guardiola's Christmas wish must be for Kevin De Bruyne to come back because he would only improve their creativity.
Manchester City would love to have Kevin De Bruyne back sooner rather than later (Jose Breton/NurPhoto/REX/Shutterstock) TOTTENHAM: Easy – all they want at Spurs is their first trophy in 16 years. For all the exciting football under Ange Postecoglou, they need to validate all that adventure, all that enterprise, with silverware. That means going all-out to win the FA Cup by picking the strongest possible side – unlike last season's quarter-final debacle at Sheffield United.
NEWCASTLE: If Nick Pope is going to be out for several months, there is no point in Eddie Howe trying to compromise if he wants to lead his side back into Europe. At the highest level, success usually starts with a top-grade goalkeeper. That means going out and signing Aaron Ramsdale or David De Gea to plug the gap.
MANCHESTER UNITED: Between them, Anthony Martial, Marcus Rashford and Rasmus Hojlund have scored only three Premier League goals this season – a shocking return. But is it entirely the strikers' fault? I honestly believe that if United had signed Harry Kane in the summer, he wouldn't have scored as many goals as he has for Bayern Munich because they wouldn't create as many chances for him. Top of United's wish-list should be a proper service from midfield and wide areas to their No.9 up top.
Manchester United's summer signing Rasmus Hojlund has struggled to find the net (Paul Currie/REX/Shutterstock)WEST HAM: With respect, sections of the Hammers fan base need to appreciate manager David Moyes more. Lose one week and the phone-in lines are full of 'Moyes out' – but when he won the Europa Conference League he was the greatest thing since sliced bread. West Ham are in the top half of the Premier League, the last 16 of the Europa League and he's only the third manager in he club's history to lift a trophy. Any chance of some balance?
BRIGHTON: I love the way they play, I love head coach Roberto De Zerbi's passion, I love their recruitment – of players and managers – and I enjoy going to the Amex. If you find a manual on how to run a football club properly in your stocking, it will be Brighton who wrote it. A Christmas wish? More of the same, please.
CHELSEA: Some people think it's a measure of how far Chelsea have fallen that they celebrated reaching the League Cup semi-finals as if they had won the title. But that shows how much it means to them, and now they need £54 million Chrstopher Nkunku to step up and become their first 20 goals-a-season striker since Diego Costa back in 2016-17.
Christopher Nkunku has returned for Chelsea - but can he get the goals they need? (Getty Images)FULHAM: They have been terrific, and it's nice to see them in a major semi-final. The fans' biggest wish is probably to keep Joao Palhinha, the midfielder who makes them tick, in January. That's the big one – and they might have to hide him away, switch off all the phones and hope the window comes and goes without doing too much damage.
BRENTFORD: For all the talk of Ivan Toney leaving next month, there is a powerful case for the Bees telling him: We stood by you while you served a long ban for betting-related offences, so how about you return the favour and agree to stay until the summer to ensure Brentford stay safe in mid-table?
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WOLVES: It's been on manager Gary O'Neil's wish list all season, not just for Christmas – Wolves deserve a fair deal from VAR. Goodness me, they have waited long enough to catch a break! If a few key decisions had gone their way, they would be in the top half of the table and eyeing Europe.
BOURNEMOUTH: There were question marks about the wisdom of sacking Gary O'Neil and replacing him with Andoni Iraola. But they have improved markedly in recent weeks, culminating in that 3-0 demolition at Old Trafford. What do they want at the Vitality? More of the same – but don't sell top scorer Dominic Solanke.
CRYSTAL PALACE: My biggest wish is that Palace fans treat Roy Hodgson with respect. They have been in the Premier League for 11 seasons now, but that run would have ended six years ago without his rescue act. The other jewel in the crown at Selhurst Park is sporting director Dougie Freedman - his recruitment has been fantastic and they need to keep him.
EVERTON: Never mind gold, frankincense and myrrh – if the wise men on Merseyside could bottle the anger, and siege mentality, which charges the atmosphere at Goodison Park after Everton's 10-point deduction, they would never fall foul of financial rules again. Bottle that potent formula and they will finish comfortably in mid-table despite the handicap.
NOTTINGHAM FOREST: For Christmas, they need new manager Nuno Espirito Santo to come up with a clear plan, a clear structure, a clear way of playing... and they need to stay up. Just finishing above the dotted line will cover all bases in the short term, bust of they go down it will be a mess.
New Nottingham Forest boss Nuno Espirito Santo needs to turn results round fast (Joseph Raynor/ Nottingham Post)LUTON: Get well soon, Tom Lockyer. After what happened to the Hatters captain at Bournemouth last weekend, I would like nothing more than Luton to stay up. Manager Rob Edwards has proved a class act and the snipers who thought they would sink without trace aren't so vocal now.
BURNLEY: The Clarets have a belief, a philosophy and a manager whose convictions will not be shaken by 13 defeats in 17 games. But does Vincent Kompany have a Plan B? If he finds one under his Christmas tree, he would do well to use it occasionally.
SHEFFIELD UNITED: The Blades need the old Chris Wilder – the man who won two promotions in his first stint at Bramall Lane - to work his magic. I would love to see them stay up, but Christmas miracles are rarely delivered to order.
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