From Chloe Kelly to Naomi Girma: 10 players who could move in January | OneFootball

Naomi Girma

Age 24 Nationality US Club San Diego Wave

Widely recognised as one of the best centre-backs in the world and recently included in the Fifa Best XI, Girma is entering the final year of her contract and speculation has been mounting that she could move away from San Diego. Only the wealthiest clubs in the world are likely to be able to afford her this window and she has been linked with the French giants Lyon, but Chelsea are also in need of a central defender after their Canada centre-back Kadeisha Buchanan suffered a season-ending anterior cruciate ligament injury.

Chloe Kelly

Age 26 Nationality English Club Manchester City

Having started only one Women’s Super League game this season, a move away from Manchester City may be the solution for Kelly to secure more match minutes in her quest for a seat on the plane to Euro 2025 with the Lionesses next summer. The winger, whose winning goal clinched England victory in Euro 2022’s final, is evidently not part of Gareth Taylor’s first-choice side at present and she has been linked with a move to Paris Saint-Germain. With Kelly’s contract expiring in 2025, a loan move in January to another WSL team could be on the cards, although amid Manchester City’s ongoing injury concerns, they may not allow a senior player to leave.

Marta

Age 38 Nationality Brazilian Club Out of contract

Having finally been rewarded for her patience after eight seasons with Orlando Pride when she and her teammates lifted the NWSL title in November, the six-time winner of Fifa’s world player of the year prize, Marta, is now a free agent. Her future is now the biggest question mark surrounding Orlando Pride’s off-season break. She has said she wants to continue her playing career for two more years. Orlando Pride said in November that they are in discussions with the three-time Olympic medallist about a new deal but she has been linked with a move to the Brazilian club Corinthians, who are understood to be very interested.

Keira Walsh

Age 27 Nationality English Club Barcelona

The subject of the world’s most expensive transfer at the time when she joined Barcelona in 2022, the England midfielder is on the verge of entering the final six months of her contract. Therefore she could technically sign a pre-contract agreement with another club from 1 January and leave the European champions on a free next summer. If Barcelona were to decide to cash in with a sale in January, however, then Arsenal and Chelsea would probably be at the front of the queue for Walsh’s signature. It is not yet clear whether Barcelona will be determined to keep her for the rest of this campaign in order to aid their Champions League title defence.

Kathrine Kühl

Age 21 Nationality Danish Club Arsenal

After a loan spell with Everton in the second half of last season, the young Denmark midfielder could return to the Merseyside club this January after the confirmation of the long-awaited takeover of Everton by the Friedkin Group. Kühl has many admirers in the game but appears to be a surplus to the first team at Arsenal after they bolstered their midfield options last summer with Mariona Caldentey. The Dane has made just one WSL appearance this season as a late substitute.

Hayley Ladd

Age 31 Nationality Welsh Club Manchester United

As Wales prepare to head to the European Championship, Ladd will understandably want regular game time in order to thrive in Switzerland. Match minutes have been few and far between at Manchester United this term, as she is yet to start a WSL game and has accumulated only eight minutes from the bench across three league appearances. Crystal Palace could be a potential suitor for this experienced operator, who was a regular part of the Manchester United side who finished second in 2022-23, but she is approaching the final six months of her contract.

Klara Bühl

Age 24 Nationality German Club Bayern Munich

Barcelona are understood to be interested in signing the Germany winger from Bayern as was first reported by the Spanish newspaper Sport in November. The 24-year-old has six months remaining on her contract and has admirers all across Europe. Bühl scored against England at Wembley in October as Germany recorded an entertaining 4-3 victory and found the net against Juventus in the Champions League in December as she helped Bayern qualify for the knockout stages. Domestically, she has scored four times in 10 Frauen Bundesliga starts this term.

Marie-Antoinette Katoto

Age 26 Nationality French Club Paris Saint-Germain

Another international player moving into the final six months of her contract is the France striker Katoto and there will be fewer more sought-after centre-forwards in world football until her future is determined. It is understood a January move is unlikely but that clubs from around the world were expressing interest in securing Katoto’s signature on a pre-contract agreement for a free transfer in the summer, while PSG will surely want to fight to keep their top scorer.

Kerolin

Age 25 Nationality Brazilian Club Out of contract

The North Carolina Courage are in contract negotiations with the Brazil forward, who won the NWSL’s most valuable player award in 2023 but is now a free agent after the conclusion of the three-year deal she signed before the 2022 campaign. The 25-year-old returned from a serious injury in September – marking her comeback with an immediate goal, her first of 2024. Before her injury, she was linked with a move to Manchester United in the summer of 2023. She has previously played in Spain with Madrid CFF, as well as representing various teams in her native Brazil.

Jule Brand

Age 22 Nationality German Club Wolfsburg

Believed to be a potential target for Lyon, as well as a hatful of Champions League rivals, Brand is another sought-after star who is now entering the final six months of her current deal. Brand reportedly rejected a move to Barcelona earlier in 2024 and has scored twice in three Champions League starts this season. She has been with the German club Wolfsburg since 2022 and was part of the Germany squad that reached the final of Euro 2022 and finished third at 2024’s Olympics.

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