With just under 72 hours to go (at time of writing), the January transfer deadline is fast approaching, and quite honestly, it’s yet to have gotten going for a lot of sides.

There is an obvious reluctance and inability to spend given the loss of matchday earnings for all clubs, however it also appears as though many clubs are holding onto their players as all squads have struggled with depth in this packed schedule. With injuries mounting, and the packed winter schedule, teams are not making things easy for any interest in their players. As a result, we haven’t seen or even heard rumours of ‘major’ deals going through.

In this post, we will look at 3 fairly big deals that are looking like they may just happen before the deadline and the window slams shut. These may not be quite “here we go” status, however if they go through, these would probably be the most interesting moves to happen on deadline day.

Let me know over on Twitter (@NextGoalWinBlog) if you hear or see any other rumoured moves and deals that may go down in these final few days.

Dele Alli -> PSG

What is going on with Alli and Mourinho at Spurs?

Honestly, it looks like another ‘generational English talent’ is going down the pan as Mourinho has been leaving out the attacking midfielder from line-ups and squads in recent games, signalling that a move will be occurring sooner or later. Meanwhile, across the pond, Pochettino has taken the reigns at PSG and has made comments on his desire to reunite with the likes of Alli. Now, this would be some move from PSG, as they will be bolstering their already packed attacking line-up, and it will be a big move from Alli, as he will have to settle for a squad role at PSG behind the superstars in their line-ups.

Tottenham have been struggling in recent weeks and months with injuries and lay-offs in their midfield which means they may be reluctant to let such a big player go with no replacement lined up or available, however the financial power and appeal of the French champions may mean Tottenham don’t have much of a say. PSG have been interested previously in the English midfielder, and with Poch’s arrival, it may be the catalyst to make the move happen and make Alli his first major signing in the French capital.

Mourinho has made comments that he expects Alli to remain at the club, however added that “unexpected things can happen”. As always, a lot of nonsense and mystery surrounds Mourinho’s comments, however it will be an interesting final few days, with Spurs playing on Sunday night against a tough Brighton side, Alli’s inclusion will signal a stay, while leaving him out will surely imply he’s on the move. Either way, the summer window and final few months of this season are huge for the midfielder, as his England place will be under threat, and the decision he makes in the next few hours could be crucial to his career,

Christian Eriksen -> Premier League

Eriksen is in limbo at the minute with his career. It was well documented he wanted the move to Inter Milan, however it just doesn’t seem to have clicked in the way he would have envisaged. With so many new names joining the side, Conte has looked elsewhere in his squads, leaving Eriksen to manage just 1,087 minutes on the field in Serie A out of 5,220 possible minutes since his arrival in Milan. It has also been revealed that Inter are willing to let Eriksen move on once again after just 1 goal and 2 assists in this time. It’s a real shame, and now aged 28, Eriksen’s next move could potentially be one of his last at the top-level.

Some big names have been linked with the Danish international over recent years. From Barcelona and Real Madrid, to more extravagant moves to the MLS or back to Ajax in the Netherlands. All would be fascinating moves for the assist magician, however really what I as a fan of Eriksen would like to see is a return to England.

Tottenham have also been heavily linked in bringing him back, and seem to have left the door open willingly for Eriksen to return, and they could benefit massively from his return, following the fairly poor performances of recent acquisitions in Bale and Vinicius. There are clear risks in this move for both player and club, as it will be a heavy increase to their wage budget, and they have recently taken on board big wages from returning player Gareth Bale for little return. This could perhaps make the club wary of a similar flop transfer deal.

Other Premier League clubs have been linked, with the likes of West Ham, Arsenal and Manchester United all eyeing up Eriksen. All of these would be fantastic moves, as I truly believe that Eriksen has 3/4 great seasons of top-quality football left in him. It is going to be interesting to see what happens, as these moves always seem likely around Eriksen, however the opposite opinions are coming out of Inter in the closing stages of this window. Early January, it had appeared a guarantee that he would be moving on, however Conte’s latest comments claim he is “going nowhere” after recent performances. Therefore, keep your eyes on the Dane, as he may stay or may go, but either way, we’re bound to see some fantastic performances in the coming matchdays.

Billy Gilmour -> Loan

The third and final move we are going to discuss is possibly not the biggest of the bunch, however I do think it’s one to really keep an eye on. With the arrival of Thomas Tuchel at Stamford Bridge, it appears as though he will want to shuffle the pack from Lampard’s setup, and this is resulting in some players either eyeing the exit door, or needing to look elsewhere for game time.

Young Billy Gilmour has been an absolute revelation in the games he’s taken part in to date, making a fantastic introduction against Liverpool in the FA Cup matchup last season. However, Tuchel has indicated that he will not be quite as willing to go all-out youth in his line-ups, meaning Gilmour is looking for a short-term loan to keep on top of his game time and get prepared for his almost guaranteed inclusion in Scotland’s Euro’s squad.

I think Sunday’s game against Burnley will provide us with more of an idea as to how Tuchel will want to setup the squad and his system in the league match vs Burnley, however I can assume that he won’t be including the Scott in his matchday squad. Clubs such as West Ham and Burnley have inquired allegedly about his availability, along with Steven Gerrard’s Rangers. Personally, the latter would be my preferred option for Gilmour, as he will be battling week-in week-out, and be managed by one of the greats in his position meaning he will have undergone the tutelage of 2 of England’s top central midfielders. Additionally, he came through the academy at Rangers, and so his development is already something that the club have helped with massively in the past.

In return for loaning Gilmour, the side he joins will be receiving a fantastic youth prospect, who has stepped up in big games already in just his first year or two at the top-level. With only 34 minutes of game time under his belt this season, he hasn’t been able to build on last season. However, in his 10 appearances for the Blues, he has averages a 6.4/10 rating, making 0.7 key passes per game, 0.4 dribbles and 0.3 shots per 90 minutes. This is a crucial time in his development, and he has to be careful. Going to a lower Premier League side like Burnley, he perhaps won’t be nurtured quite the same as he is at Chelsea. Meanwhile, if he aims too high at this early stage of his career, for the likes of Rangers, he will need to be guaranteed minutes otherwise it is a waste of an opportunity.

Gilmour has serious potential ready to go, however it will be interesting to see what he decides to do next.