Football Black Friday: Five bargain buys for the January transfer window

A desperate rush for a bargain isn't just reserved for Black Friday shoppers. In just a month's time, the Premier League opens the January transfer window, and managers will be looking for top quality brand names at low, low prices. Jose Mourinho is known to be looking for players to fit his vision at Manchester United and help turn around their moribund season, but leaders Chelsea and other title challengers could be on the hunt for some new additions.

Those arrivals could mean other names being pushed further down the pecking order at their clubs, and perhaps out of the door entirely. IBTimes UK looks at some of the big names who could be sold in January as Black Friday hits the football world.

Memphis Depay

Louis van Gaal brought Depay to Old Trafford in the summer of 2015 as a seemingly guaranteed prospect for the future. The Dutch winger scored 28 goals for PSV Eindhoven in the 2014-15 season, and Manchester United didn't think twice about forking out £25m for his services.

The 22-year-old had a promising start to life in Manchester, but fell out of favour with Van Gaal and never fully regained his trust. The situation has only worsened under Mourinho, with Depay's sole start this season coming in the EFL Cup win over Northampton Town.

Everton boss Ronald Koeman has already expressed an interest in bringing the Dutchman to Goodison Park in January, and a loan move could be a win-win situation for all parties.

Cesc Fabregas

The Spaniard was superb at the start of the 2014-15 season, leading Chelsea to the Premier League title following his return to England after a second spell with Barcelona. However, he faded late in that campaign, and is still nowhere near his old form.

Antonio Conte has given new life to the flagging careers of Diego Costa or Eden Hazard, yet he seems to have given up on Fabregas. In public, the Italian has reiterated his claims that Fabregas's future remains at Chelsea, but stats suggest otherwise. The former Barca star has started just one Premier League game this season, being withdrawn after 55 minutes in the humiliating 3-0 reverse to Arsenal.

Calcio Mercato Web and Corriere dello Sport are among Italian sources linking AC Milan with a January move, while the Daily Mirror has suggested he could face a switch to West Ham United.

A move in January would not only help Chelsea save a huge outlay on his salary, but also let Fabregas rediscover the form that once made him one of the best in the game in his position.

Mathieu Debuchy

While some fans may have forgotten him, Debuchy is still an Arsenal player. The Frenchman moved to North London in summer 2014 as a replacement for the Manchester City-bound Bacary Sagna. However, injuries and the meteoric rise of Hector Bellerin meant the former Newcastle United man hasn't had a platform to prove his worth.

In January last year he forced through a move to Bordeaux in a bid to make the France squad for Euro 2016, but another injury demolished those hopes.

His return to Arsenal hasn't seen an upturn in fortunes. Not even Bellerin's injury gave him a shot in Arsene Wenger's plans, with Carl Jenkinson preferred at right-back despite only just returning from nine months out himself.

At 31, Debuchy still represents a bargain for any Premier League club looking for defensive reinforcements in January. Arsenal are in no position to demand too much for him.

Alberto Moreno

Alberto Moreno joined Liverpool in the summer of 2014 in a deal worth around £12m after some break out performances with Sevilla.

The 24-year-old full-back has since made 98 appearances for the Merseysiders, but has never been fully accepted by the Kop. Jurgen Klopp originally looked to have helped the Spaniard turn a corner, but Moreno became persona non grata at Liverpool after being widely scapegoated for the Europa League final defeat to his old team.

The one-time Spain international has only started two league matches this season, with James Milner emerging as the surprising first choice at left-back.

Moreno is not a good match for Klopp's 4-3-3 formation, where full-backs are often left completely exposed.

However, his explosiveness would be perfect for any team experimenting with the en vogue 3-4-3 formation, and clubs across England or Spain would be wise to take advantage of his status and give him a new chance in January.

Kevin Wimmer

Wimmer signed a new five-year deal at Spurs last summer following an impressive debut campaign at White Hart Lane. He made a total of 21 appearances, serving as an able back-up for Jan Vertonghen and Toby Alderweireld.

However, Ryan Mason and Nabil Bentaleb both faced Tottenham exits not long after signing new deals, showing that nobody is completely safe under Mauricio Pochettino.

Wimmer has done little to show his boss he deserves a first-team slot this year. Youngster Cameron Carter-Vickers has even been preferred on the bench, with Eric Dier the usual cover for Alderweireld during the latter's injury.

The 24-year-old has only made four appearances this term, with the last two definitely not ones for the scrapbook. He scored an own goal in the 1-1 draw with Arsenal, while his shaky performance in the 2-1 defeat to Monaco saw Tottenham wave goodbye to the Champions League.

The Austrian defender proved last season he has what it takes to succeed, but he needs regular playing time if his development isn't to stagnate. A switch to some Premier League strugglers would surely serve him well, be it on loan or for the right fee.