The transfer window in the Premier League closes in a little over 72 hours, but, after the torrential expenditure of 12 months ago, this season has delivered what barely amounts to a squally shower. Only a handful of permanent signings have been made across the 20 clubs, the most notable perhaps being Tottenham picking up a third choice center back in Radu Dragusin... Yeah.
Is there any chance that the Premier League might deliver the drama that is its stock trade before Thursday's deadline. Probably not. But maybe. Here are the storylines to watch out for:
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Gio Reyna bound for Nottingham Forest?
Jadon Sancho's impressive form since arriving at Borussia Dortmund has made inevitable the simple fact that Giovanni Reyna cannot stay with the German giants if he has serious aspirations to develop his career. Even a sparky appearance of the bench for the final 34 minutes of Sunday's 3-1 win over Bochum seemed to bolster that argument; the 21-year-old should be aiming to hit those heights for the full 90.
With a few days to go until the transfer window closes, Reyna has options with two chief contenders for his signature in Sevilla and Nottingham Forest. Both are scrapping for survival in their respective divisions. Neither have a particularly strong track record for stability in the dugout or in the transfer market.
Forest might well find themselves in pole position in this particular race solely because they could offer larger wages to Reyna in the long term, any deal likely constituting a loan until the end of the season with an option to buy. Convincing owner Evangelos Marinakis and the rest of the ruling powers at the City Ground could well be a tough ask for the youngster, who would be extremely unlikely to snare the number 10 spot of the talismanic Morgan Gibbs White. With Anthony Elanga impressing on one flank it could be that Reyna has to carve out a niche ahead of Callum Hudson-Odoi and Nicolas Dominguez, who has proven to be something of a Nuno Espirito Santo favorite of late.
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That is hardly an ideal career step for Reyna. Nor is the managerial carousel at relegation-threatened Sevilla, who have won one league game since September. Both, however, look more favorable than an ever-decreasing role at the Westfalenstadion.
Homegrown exodus at Chelsea
Chelsea might have avoided any issues with the Premier League's Profit and Sustainability Regulations (PSR) this season and might be confident about their financial standing in the years ahead, however the very real prospect that they will spend a second year out of European competition has to enter the equation at Stamford Bridge, where claiming the pure profit that comes with selling homegrown players looks to be the order of the day in the final hours of the January window.
Trevoh Chalobah has long been available after falling in and out of the first team as last season wore on. Fulham have frequently been linked with a move for the center back. Armando Broja, wanted by both the Cottagers and Wolves this month, could also depart, but the 22 year old is unlikely to go for anything like the fee Chelsea might like.
The big money homegrown sale would be Conor Gallagher. In theory one of Chelsea's most frequent captains this season, an in-form midfielder whose mere presence alongside Moises Caicedo and Enzo Fernandez brings the best out of the nine figure additions, should be entirely off the table. However the England international is out of contract in 18 months with no breakthrough in sight over a new deal. Newcastle, Tottenham and West Ham are admirers and though it is not necessarily certain that all of those three could finance a deal this month, it is not beyond the realms of possibility that Gallagher could depart.
Nusa snubbing Spurs
Less than a fortnight ago Tottenham fans were dreaming that they might have snared one of the most coveted youngsters in world football, the 'Norwegian Neymar' Antonio Nusa arriving from Club Brugge to strengthen Ange Postecoglu's frontline depth. That prospect might not be entirely finished, but it is looking increasingly unlikely now that Brentford have agreed a $32.5 million deal for the winger, who will stay on loan in Belgium until the end of the season.
Picking a club nine places below Spurs might seem a curious decision by Nusa at a surface level, but there is obvious appeal to life in west London, where more regular opportunities to start games will be on the cards. There would still be plenty of time left for the 18 year old to take the step up to a Champions League side in the years ahead, but he could well do so having already proven his worth in the Premier League. An almighty coup for Brentford, a sensible step towards the top of the pyramid for Nusa. This is a deal that could work out very well.
Villa hunt Rogers
With the Ollie Watkins well running rather dry -- one goal in his last nine games -- and Jhon Duran yet to convince Unai Emery, Aston Villa are on the hunt for more options at center forward. Their search has turned to Middlesbrough's Morgan Rogers, for whom they are reported to have had three bids rejected. Moving to Villa Park would be something of a homecoming for the West Midlands-born youngster, who joined the Manchester City setup in 2019 having come through the West Bromwich Albion academy.
City are said to retain a sizeable sell on clause for Rogers, pushing Boro to secure the highest price possible for a promising young forward who scored his seventh goal of the season in the EFL Cup semifinal defeat to Chelsea last week. Equally, securing a playoff spot in the Championship would be altogether harder for Michael Carrick's side without Rogers, who would still retain significant value in the summer.
Will the promoted sides take a swing?
One of the major factors depressing the market has been the belief that the three newly promoted sides are already destined to drop out of the Premier League, that there is ultimately no need to gamble on your own squad when there are three significantly worse alternatives in the mix. Even as the prospect of points deductions loom over Everton and Nottingham Forest, the triumvirate seem to share that view with little spending being made by Luton, Burnley and Sheffield United.
The latter might be the ones who change that. Chris Wilder hinted at as much after his side's FA Cup exit at Brighton's hands. They have signed Ivo Grbic as their new first choice goalkeeper while Villarreal loanee Ben Brereton Diaz is already among the goals. One further loan addition, possibly a center back, could be on the cards. "It is vital that we have someone who has played in the division or at a level which is equivalent to the Premier League," said Wilder. "We want players that make us better as a group and we feel we have done that with Ivo and Ben."
Luton, just one point from safety with a game in hand, are also looking to add Japan right back Daiki Hashioka, but links with Ecuadorian midfielder Oscar Zambrano were downplayed earlier this month. Burnley, meanwhile, do not appear close to adding to business that amounts to the loaning of David Datro Fofana from Chelsea. Without bigger steps than they have made so far, all three look like sides who will really struggle to make it back into next year's Premier League. Then again, they will at least return to the Championship rather more flush with cash.
