The January transfer window is edging ever nearer and all 20 top-flight teams will be looking to hit the January sales and find themselves that special player who will be able to push them up the table. Strikers were top of the list twelve months ago, with over £100 million being splashed out on them with varying levels of success.
Merseyside was the focal point for comings and goings as they snapped up Andy Carroll and Luis Suarez, with the Geordie failing to make an impact so far while the Uruguayan has been a sensation since his arrival. Going the opposite direction was former Kop favourite Fernando Torres, who stole the headlines when he moved for £50 million but since then the headlines haven’t been quite so positive.
Elsewhere, the top New Year signing was Daniel Sturridge who moved on loan to Bolton Wanderers, scored 8 goals in 12 games to steer them clear of the relegation dogfight and has since become an important cog in the Chelsea wheel.
These players can make or break a title push or a battle to avoid the drop and in order to buy the right player obscene amounts of money can be spent. But one player that all the top teams should be looking at is Steven Fletcher.
The 24-year-old has scored six goals from twelve appearances this season and five of them in his last eight games to help Wolverhampton Wanderers stay out of the drop zone. Since he moved to Molineux for £6.5 million he hasn’t always been in favour with Mick McCarthy but he has repeatedly made an impact when given the chance. He has a great eye for goal and is as equally potent with the ball at his feet or tussling in the air. This season he has more goals than Suarez, Torres, Carroll and Gervinho who all cost more than the Scottish international and deserves more plaudits than he has received.
His goals have come at important times for Wolves, scoring on the opening day in their win over Blackburn and more recently bagging a double to complete a dramatic late turnaround against Sunderland, earning a 2-1 victory. Without those three points Wolves would be in the relegation zone and it is moments like that which will make great differences this term. His other goals have come against Manchester United, Newcastle United and Liverpool, and while they were scored in games that they lost, it proves that he can be a dangerous player when he faces the best sides in the country.
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Fletcher’s workman-like style means that he is able to defend from the front and can contribute more than just goals to a side. He will keep running throughout the match and has a good footballing brain which helps him find the spaces that will get him on the score sheet. During Tuesday’s game against Norwich he looked a threat and although he was offside when put through to win the game in stoppage time, his movement off the back of the Canaries’ defender was clever and having blindsided his marker he produced a fantastic finish, only to have misjudged the timing of his run.
He may not be the most stylish centre-forward in the Premier League but his ability in front of goal is likely to have caught the eye of potential suitors and is more than worth a punt for Arsenal, Chelsea or Liverpool on the fringes of the top four. Taking Fletcher to the Emirates would ease the pressure on Robin van Persie to bag the goals and give them the opportunity to rest the Dutchman and vary their play. The Scot thrives on crosses, scoring 60% of his goals last campaign with his head and two-thirds of them the same with the season, so with Walcott now capable of swinging the ball in and Mikel Arteta in midfield, creating chances should be easy. After RVP the strikers around him are not top four quality so a brave buy from Wenger could well prove the antidote when he inevitably gets injured.
Meanwhile, at Stamford Bridge they could well be facing a striker crisis in a few weeks time. With Nicolas Anelka heading to China while Didier Drogba and Saloman Kalou head to the African Cup of Nations it will leave them with Daniel Sturridge and Fernando Torres as their two forwards and with Torres’ pitiful goalscoring record at the Blues, it could see them slipping out of the race for the Champions League places. At the same time, Drogba, Kalou and Torres could all leave Stamford Bridge before next season so a move for Fletcher would not be too far wide of the mark. At 24 it would also continue AVB’s plans to create a youthful side.
However, the best place for him would be on Merseyside. This season Liverpool’s chance conversion rate is one of the worst in the Premier League, scoring from less than 10% of their attempts on goal whereas Fletcher rarely wastes an opportunity to find the net. In partnership with Suarez there would be a frontline that compliments each other and is prepared to track back. His working mentality means he would suit Kenny Dalglish’s side and because the club has recognised wingers like Stewart Downing there would be crosses coming in every game for the 24-year-old to feast on.
The only stumbling block would be the transfer fee. Unlike a post-Christmas trip to the shops, prices will be higher next month because sellers know that they can hold their rivals to ransom. Having cost Wolves £6.5 million 18 months ago, Mick McCarthy will expect in excess of £10 million for his top scorer. For a Liverpool side that has routinely emptied its wallet under King Kenny another outlay may not be on the cards but if they want to take their place back in the top four there are more overrated, expensive transfer targets around.
Should the big clubs take a chance on Fletcher in January?
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