5 Premier League players who should consider a loan move in January

Premier League clubs and players haven’t gotten as much value as they could from the loan market, but the time is now for these four players.

The loan market remains a largely untapped entity in soccer. Clubs seem to perceive it as a stop-gap solution and players seem to shun its permanence. It’s why the loan market is dominated by young, upcoming players in search of playing time. But, the ever-burgeoning squad sizes and diminishing finances could mean that loan moves become more commonplace in the game If utilized well, loan moves can become a crucial part of a Premier League club’s long term strategy.

These four Premier League players would benefit from a loan move

1. Naby Keita

Keita has seen his time at Merseyside curtailed by recurrent injuries. Despite being at Liverpool for more than two years now, he’s made just 71 appearances for the club. The arrival of Thiago last summer has furthered the competition for places in the midfield and could hamper first-team opportunities for the Guinean midfielder. But with three years still left on his contract, Liverpool won’t be inclined to sell a player they paid £52.75 million for.

Along with regular playing minutes, a loan move could give Keita the opportunity to build back his confidence. A reunion with his former coach Ralph Hassenhüttl at Southampton could be an option. But Liverpool’s depleted squad this season makes it unlikely they’ll let any players leave in the current transfer window. But, the Keita situation should be revisited at the end of the season.

2. Calum Chambers

It’s easy to forget that Chambers was one of Arsenal’s best players in the first half of last season. He’d cemented his place in the backline and Arteta spoke glowingly of the Englishman when he took over as manager in December. But in Arteta’s first game in charge, he picked up an ACL injury that ruled him out for more than a year.  That’s been the theme of Chambers’ time at Arsenal – a mixture of sporadic form, wasted opportunities and bad luck.

In his six years at Arsenal, he’s already been loaned out twice. And now a third one looks likely. It will give Chambers a chance at regular playing time and the opportunity to prove his value to Arteta. And even if Arsenal decide against re-integrating him into the squad after the loan, Chambers’ match fitness will make him a more attractive prospect to suitors.

3. Fikayo Tomori

Tomori was Derby County’s player of the season in Frank Lampard’s solitary season at the club. When Lampard took the reins at Chelsea the following year, he took Tomori back with him. The center-back was a crucial cog in Chelsea’s defense in the first half of last season but found himself slipping down the pecking order at the turn of the year. He didn’t play a single minute in Project Lockdown and looked set for a loan move in the summer transfer window. He turned down to West Ham because he wasn’t guaranteed playing time and a move to Everton was blocked by the club.

With the Englishman having made just 4 appearances all season, a loan move in January is imperative for his development. Frank Lampard seems to have realized this too and in a recent press conference confirmed Tomori could be leaving Stamford Bridge this month. AC Milan appear to be the favorites to sign the center-back, but Premier League clubs like Leeds and Newcastle also remain in the hunt.

 4. Jesse Lingard

A little over two years ago, Jesse Lingard was one of the hottest prospects in English football. He finished the 2017-18 season as United’s joint second-highest goal scorer and also started every game at the World Cup in Russia. His flair on the pitch matched that off it and his social media antics made him a fans favorite at United. The decline has been sharp. Beset by family issues and mental health problems, the Englishman’s confidence has suffered and with it, his performances. He went on a much-derided year-long goal drought in 2019 and his only league goal of the season came in United’s last game of the season!  The arrival of Bruno Fernandes, a player of similar profile to Lingard, only further complicated matters. The Englishman has largely been restricted to a role from the bench and is yet to make an appearance in the Premier League this season.

But United clearly still believe in Lingard, having extended his contract until 2022 in December last year. Somewhere deep down, a good player still exists. But, he needs confidence. Six months on loan gives him an opportunity at regular playing time and a chance to force himself back into Solskjaer’s plans for the next season. Sheffield United are reported to have expressed an interest in taking him on loan and there have also been rumors of interest from abroad. While he may pen his long-term future to Old Trafford, his short-term future lies elsewhere.