Transfer window: 20 top targets this January – in pictures

Adam Lallana (Southampton) Age: 25. Fee: £16-18 million. Possible suitors: Manchester United. Or any other top team looking to add extra spark and creativity in the final third. Though Southampton are unlikely to listen to offers for their England midfielder, currently in scintillating form, it may not stop clubs from trying. Photograph: Ben Stansall/AFP/Getty Images

Ander Herrera (Athletic Bilbao) Age: 24. Fee: £20-24 million. Possible suitors: Manchester United, Arsenal. Subject to a last-minute bid from Manchester United in the summer transfer window. Injuries and a recent drop in form may see a more favorable January price for the central midfielder. Photograph: AFLO/Nippon News/Corbis

Luis Muriel (Udinese) Age: 22. Fee: £16-20 million. Possible suitors: Title challenging team in need of an unpredictable option up front or impact substitute. Ultra pacey Colombian striker built like a bull, one of the hottest properties of the summer market and with huge potential. Inconsistent recent form should see the price reach more realistic levels. Photograph: Marco Luzzani/Getty Images

Edin Dzeko (Manchester City) Age: 27. Fee: £18-20 million. Possible suitor: Spurs. Despite playing an important role at Manchester City, is the Bosnian forward really content as the understudy to Negredo? Highly regarded at many clubs, though City might not sell to a direct rival. Or at all, as Manuel Pellegrini said this week. Photograph: Peter Powell/EPA

Eliaquim Mangala (FC Porto) Age: 22. Fee: £24-26 million. Possible suitors: Manchester City, Chelsea. Man-mountain of a centre-back, long-since chased by practically all the European top clubs despite having only one French cap to his name. Photograph: Paulo Duarte/AP

Fabian Schär (FC Basel) Age: 22. Fee: £14-16 million. Possible suitors: Chelsea, Spurs. Calm, comfortable on the ball and with an impressive positional sense, the young Swiss centre-back is attracting interest from scores of European giants and looks ready for the next step in his so far meteoric career. Photograph: Clive Rose/Getty Images

Fernando Reges (FC Porto) Age: 26. Fee: £10-12 million. Possible suitors: Manchester United, Liverpool, Everton. Disciplined, strong in the tackle and with a great work ethic, the ball-winning defensive midfielder is soon out of contract and the sought-after newly naturalised Portuguese (Brazilian born) apparently favours the Premier League. Photograph: JOSE COELHO/epa/Corbis

Daniel Agger (Liverpool) Age: 29. Fee: £10-12 million. Possible suitors: Top teams home and abroad. Currently second choice to Sakho, it would be surprising if offers aren’t received for Agger in January; he's left footed, experienced, can play the ball and is eligible to play Champions League. Photograph: John Peters/Man Utd via Getty Images

Fredy Guarin (Internazionale) Age: 27. Fee: £12-14 million. Possible suitor: Chelsea. Temperamental, hard-shooting Colombian heavily linked with Chelsea. Not quite finding his place in Walter Mazzarri’s midfield schemes, he's probably better suited to the hustle and bustle of the Premier League. Photograph: Dino Panato/Getty Images

Gonzalo Higuain (Napoli) Age: 26. Fee: £40-45 million. Possible suitor: Chelsea. Despite joining Napoli only this summer - for a record £32 million - the prolific striker is already linked with Chelsea. Though a January move seems implausible, Roman Abramovich can be persuasive. Photograph: Gabriel Bouys/AFP/Getty Images

Ivan Rakitic (Sevilla) Age: 25. Fee: £14-16 million. Possible suitor: Manchester United. Swiss-born Croat enjoying a magnificent season with Sevilla. The technically gifted playmaker, worthy of a place in most Champions League level sides, is the perfect remedy for a top team short on creating chances. Photograph: Denis Doyle/Getty Images

Jackson Martinez (FC Porto) Age: 27. Fee: £25-30 million. Possible suitor: Chelsea. Fast, physically strong and deadly in the box, the high-scoring Colombian centre forward has the pre-requisites to convert dominance into goals. Given the strong connection between the two clubs, possibly a January option for Chelsea. Photograph: Estela Silva/EPA

Maxime Gonalons (Olympique Lyon) Age: 24. Fee: £12-14 million. Possible suitors: High quality squad option for one of the title contenders. Deep-lying midfielder able to build as well as break up. The France international might become available for a cut price fee as Lyon are struggling to make ends meet. Photograph: Philippe Desmazes/AFP/Getty Images

Michy Batshuayi (Standard Liege) Age: 20. Fee: £7 million. Possible suitors: Arsenal, Spurs, Everton. The top scorer of the Belgian league has been heavily monitored by Premier League clubs this autumn. In addition to potentially making an instant impact, the robust Belgium U21 international also represents future resale value. Photograph: Nicolas Lambert/AFP/Getty Images

Mohamed Salah (FC Basel) Age: 21. Fee: £10-12 million. Possible suitors: Liverpool. A direct, fast and unpredictable winger who can operate on both sides. The Egyptian –currently being watched by many European clubs – has arguably impressed more in the Champions League than domestically this season. Photograph: RUBEN SPRICH/Reuters/Corbis

Nemanja Matic (Benfica) Age: 25. Fee: £20-22 million. Possible suitors: Manchester United, Chelsea. Once on Chelsea’s books, the lanky, elegant left-footed Serb has matured into an intelligent defensive midfielder who brings calm and order to his side. A return to Stamford Bridge is reportedly possible. Photograph: AFP/AFP/Getty Images

Nicolas N’Koulou (Olympique Marseille) Age: 23 . Fee: £10-12 million. Possible suitors: teams with Champions League aspirations looking to add pace to their defensive line. Cameroonian defender constantly linked with Premier League clubs. Marseille's £15 million valuation was considered excessive but with them out of Europe and the title race it could be time for a move. Photograph: Jean-sebastien Evrard/AFP/Getty Images

Pedro Obiang (Sampdoria) Age: 21. Fee: £8-12 million. Possible suitors: A potential opportunity for a mid/upper table team. Highly-rated, young, dynamic and tactically disciplined central midfielder who finds himself at a club that may need to sell a valued asset in January. Photograph: OLIVIER MORIN/AFP/Getty Images

Xherdan Shaqiri (Bayern Munich) Age: 22. Fee: loan. Possible suitors: A top eight side looking for an added attacking dimension, if only just for the short term. The left-footed Swiss winger with a thunderous shot has seen limited opportunities under Pep Guardiola and a loan move might suit him to accrue more playing time ahead of the World Cup. Photograph: Lennart Preiss/Bongarts/Getty Images

Yohan Cabaye (Newcastle) Age: 27. Fee: £16-20 million. Possible suitors: Manchester United, Arsenal. With goalscoring central midfielders a rare commodity Newcastle might face renewed interest for the influential Frenchman in January. He's 28 next month; the time might be ripe to reluctantly sell. Photograph: Richard Sellers/Getty Images