Transfer news: Jean-Philippe Mateta, Jorgen Strand Larsen, Tammy Abraham, Joshua Zirkee – the strikers who could move in the January window | Football News

There is a battle going on for several top strikers across Europe.

Centre-forwards are wanted in every transfer window and always come at a premium, but this month several very good ones are on the market and some big clubs are circling.

Below, Sky Sports News focuses on the eight most sought-after forward options this month, with Premier League clubs Aston Villa, Nottingham Forest and Everton particularly part of this battle.

But do not rule out other clubs emerging either as it gets closer to the deadline, which is just 11 days away.

Jean-Philippe Mateta (Crystal Palace)

Clubs interested: Juventus, Aston Villa

Mateta has told Crystal Palace he wants to leave the club this month. He has wanted to leave since last summer when multiple clubs tried to sign him and he did not agree a new contract with Palace.

The strongest team on him has been Juventus, but they have other options too such as Youssef En Nesyri. Aston Villa are also interested in Mateta but appear to be prioritising Tammy Abraham at Besiktas. Those two are not the only clubs.

However, Crystal Palace are not actively trying to sell Mateta and it would require a significant offer for the club to be tempted to sell.

They still value Mateta around £35m and, as things stand, an exit is not close. In the background is uncertainty around head coach Oliver Glasner and the club are trying to stabilise a rocky point in their season.

So far, Juventus are prepared to pay around £26m (€30m) to sign him in a proposal that would involve an initial loan for £1.7m and then a £24.3m obligation to buy in the summer.

Sky in Italy’s Gianluca Di Marzio has reported Palace have rejected an initial offer from Juventus. The Serie A club are willing to offer Mateta a four-year deal too with a significant pay rise.

Sky Sports News reported earlier this summer that Manchester United had an interest in Mateta but that was driven more by former head coach Ruben Amorim, who wanted a striker with Premier League experience. As things stand, there is no expectation that United will pursue a striker in this window.

Palace turned down bids for Mateta from Champions League clubs in the summer and there was also a late enquiry – but no bid – from Tottenham Hotspur before they signed Randal Kolo Muani on loan from Paris Saint-Germain on Deadline Day.

Atalanta, AC Milan and several Premier League clubs were also interested in Mateta in the summer but a move did not happen.

Since Glasner’s first Premier League game in charge of Palace in February 2024, only Erling Haaland and Mohamed Salah have scored more league goals than Mateta (35).

At 28, he wants to play for a Champions League club or for a club who have a good chance of playing in the competition next season.

He also wants to play for France in the World Cup after he was called up for the first time in October and he scored his first goal away at Iceland. But he faces tough competition for a place in a highly talented squad.

Palace executive chairman Steve Parish is a notoriously tough negotiator, and he has always been reluctant to let any players leave on the cheap. And Palace want to strengthen their squad this month after selling Marc Guehi to Manchester City.

They want to try and win the Conference League and finish as high as possible in the Premier League, keeping Glasner for the rest of his contract in the process.

Tammy Abraham (Besiktas)

Club interested: Aston Villa

Aston Villa have been stepping up their efforts to sign Tammy Abraham after Villa officials and the player’s representatives watched him play for Besiktas in Istanbul on Monday night. The club are currently in Turkey to play Fenerbahce on Thursday night.

Villa want to strengthen their squad after selling Donyell Malen to Roma on January 16 but money remains tight at the club and they are conscious of ensuring they meet their PSR obligations.

Villa’s high wage bill relative to their revenue means they have to be careful when it comes to spending in the transfer market. UEFA fined Villa £9.5m in July last year for breaking their financial rules.

It is believed Besiktas now own Abraham’s registration after he met the criteria to join them permanently amid an initial loan deal from Roma – and he is believed to keen to return to Villa, whom he spent time on loan at from Chelsea earlier in his career.

Abraham spent a hugely successful 2018-19 season on loan at Villa from Chelsea. He scored 26 times to help Villa win promotion back to the Premier League via the play-offs.

Other clubs – in the Premier League and in Europe – are also interested in Abraham this month and Villa now have injury problems in midfield, with John McGinn joining Boubakar Kamara on the sidelines.

Villa have already been in for midfielders this month, missing out on signing Conor Gallagher to Tottenham Hotspur. They are also trying to find a solution for Harvey Elliott, whom they do not want to play any further to avoid having to sign him permanently from Liverpool for £35m.

Jorgen Strand Larsen (Wolves)

Clubs interested: Leeds, Nottingham Forest, West Ham

Leeds United are the latest of multiple clubs to make enquiries to Wolves for striker Jorgen Strand Larsen.

The 25-year-old, who is valued at £40m by the struggling bottom side, is also attracting interest from West Ham, Nottingham Forest and Crystal Palace.

Leeds are aware of the competition for Strand Larsen and have to be cautious with PSR in this transfer window. As things stand, they have simply expressed their interest in the player with Wolves.

Departures could help Leeds to make room for incomings, and Jack Harrison has now joined Fiorentina. Joel Piroe could also leave in the next days. However, as things stand Leeds believe he wants to stay and fight for his place and the club will not push him out the door.

Crystal Palace are believed to have made an enquiry too, and that is one to watch considering the growing uncertainty around Mateta’s future at the club.

Since their own Strand Larsen enquiry, West Ham have signed two new forwards in Pablo and Taty Castellanos, with Callum Wilson also increasingly likely to stay.

Nottingham Forest are the other club to be keen on Strand Larsen but they appear to be focussing on Lorenzo Lucca on loan from Napoli.

Norway international Strand Larsen was the subject of intense interest from Newcastle in the summer, and since he has scored only three times for struggling Wolves this season, in 13 appearances, his value has depreciate somewhat.

Wolves are weighing up what they can do in the market to make themselves more competitive but also protect the long-term, which may include a period in the Championship.

Wilson Isidor (Sunderland)

Clubs interested: Everton, Nottingham Forest

Everton and Nottingham Forest have enquired about Sunderland striker Wilson Isidor.

No concrete approach has been made yet as both clubs are also considering or waiting on other targets, whom are on this list.

The Frenchman also has interest in him from multiple clubs overseas, and he is one to watch with 11 days left of this window.

The 25-year-old’s contract is up in 2028 and he has fallen down the striking pecking order at Sunderland behind Brian Brobbey and sometimes Eliezer Mayenda.

Isidor has not been in a Premier League squad since New Year’s Day and has not started two games in a row since November.

Isidor has scored only four Premier League goals this season, and none since October.

Youssef En Nesyri (Fenerbahce)

Clubs interested: Everton, Nottingham Forest, Juventus, Napoli, Sevilla

Youssef En Nesyri impressed as Morocco reached the AFCON final and it has ramped up interest in him from a number of clubs across Europe.

The Fenerbahce striker, known to Premier League clubs for some time after his impressive stint at Sevilla in Spain, is firmly on the radar of Nottingham Forest and Everton this month.

There is competition from two Italian giants, however, in Juventus – exploring him as an alternative to Mateta – and Antonio Conte’s Napoli, who are preparing to lose Lorenzo Lucca to Forest or elsewhere on loan.

According to Sky in Italy, even former club Sevilla have made an inquiry about getting En Nesyri back to the club.

Aston Villa play against Fenerbahce on Thursday night in the Europa League and although it is not clear how much they like En Nesyri themselves, a match-winning performance for the Turkish club would be hard to ignore if that is what he produces.

Lorenzo Lucca (Napoli)

Clubs interested: Nottingham Forest, Besiktas, Benfica

Nottingham Forest have agreed loan terms with Napoli for Lorenzo Lucca, according to Sky in Italy, but the striker has not given a final decision over his future and discussions continue.

Pisa – his former club – are also interested in Lucca and have offered him a chance to stay in Italy so the situation remains in the balance and down to the player.

Forest are therefore also working on other options, some mentioned above, and also including Evan Ferguson.

Forest have made signing a striker a priority following an injury to Chris Wood and uncertainty over the progress of Arnaud Kalimuendo, who has gone to Germany on loan for his development.

Lucca is a 25-year-old Italy international who is technically on loan at Napoli from Udinese. However, Napoli hold an obligation to buy him and so would execute that obligation before he would be able to move anywhere else.

Therefore, if Forest do indeed loan him, it would be from Napoli and not Udinese.

Joshua Zirkzee (Man Utd)

Club interested: Roma

Roma will begin preparing a proposal for Manchester United forward Joshua Zirkzee this week, according to Sky in Italy.

They have been waiting in the wings to move for the forward while United had Bryan Mbeumo away at AFCON and the change of head coach at Old Trafford needed time to conclude.

Roma would prefer to sign Zirkzee initially on loan, with a right to buy him if certain conditions are met, but a deal is not straightforward and the preference of the player is to stay and fight for his place, Sky Sports News reported earlier in the window.

Sky Sports News revealed earlier this month that United were aware of Roma’s interest but are not thought to be actively looking to sell Zirkzee when the transfer window opens, and he has recently made an impact in the team.

However, against Manchester City in Michael Carrick’s first game in charge, Zirkzee was not even in the matchday squad. It was said he had a minor injury.

A strong Roma advance will almost certainly test the resolve of both player and club if it comes.

Evan Ferguson (Brighton/ Roma)

Clubs interested: Nottingham Forest, Fulham

With Roma aiming to make changes to their forward line, including potentially bringing in Zirkee from United, Evan Ferguson’s situation on loan there is in doubt.

Napoli and Forest are keeping an eye on the situation and the decision is down to Roma, with Brighton deputy chair Paul Barber confirming earlier in the window that they do not have the option to recall him.

“It’s very unlikely, I would say (that he returns to Brighton),” Barber said. “We don’t have that option, so if he were to come back it would be because the club that has him at the moment doesn’t need him in the second half of the season.

“At the moment it seems very unlikely – he’s playing well and scoring goals, it’s not really one that is in our gift.”

Fulham have also long looked at Ferguson as a way of strengthening at centre-forward but their priority remains to sign PSV Eindhoven’s Ricardo Pepi.

If Ferguson’s loan is terminated and he arrives back at Brighton, there is expected to be increased interest from other clubs in taking him on loan for the second half of the campaign.

Although Roma are exploring changes, Ferguson has impressed there. He has scored five goals in 21 appearances including two in five games in the Europa League. It has been a positive step in his development so far, playing in Italy.

Which other strikers are on the market?

Callum Wilson (West Ham), Joel Piroe (Leeds), David Datro Fofana (Chelsea/Fatih Karagümrük), Ricardo Pepi (PSV Eindhoven), Artem Dovbyk (Roma)