10 players top Premier League clubs can sign to catch up with Manchester City

After Gameweek 23, not much has changed in the Premier league barring a first league defeat for the hugely impressive Manchester City.

Pep Guardiola's side is still in the driving seat and it will take nothing short of a miracle for the rest of the big six to chase them down. The big five clubs have obvious deficiencies in their squad and all are working to make some necessary acquisitions.

18 days into January, only Liverpool has made a statement signing and after Coutinho's exit, they will be looking to bolster their already impressive attacking front line. But their win over City showed some obvious issues with their defence. So the club might move for one more defender.

Meanwhile, Mourinho has shifted his focus from upgrading his defence to acquiring Alexis Sanchez to bolster Manchester United's attack. But United are arguably short of a quality wing back, so do not be surprised if the Red Devils announce a big defensive signing before the end of the month.

Moving on to London, Tottenham Hotspur are the in-form team but is immensely dependent on Harry Kane for goals and it may force Mauricio Pochettino to sign a frontman given Spurs will be looking to go far in the Champions league as well.

Roman Abramovich and his management find themselves under tremendous pressure after ignoring manager Conte's plea of strengthening in the summer.

Hazard and Morata have looked extremely fatigued and burnt out after a hectic new year period and with Willian, Pedro and Batshuayi all increasingly looking out of their depth, the club looks to be in real danger of missing out on a top four berth given their rivals' current form.

Arsenal, meanwhile, are being Arsenal as the drama surrounding their Chilean enigma remains the most appealing story involving the club.

Walcott has moved on for a fee of £20 million and with Sanchez's future extremely unclear, if the club doesn't make some serious investment this month, not only will they face some barbaric backlash from the fans but will also be in serious danger of missing out on Champions League again next season.

There are certain players that all of the big five can afford and these players will certainly boost their squad. So, let's take a look at the 10 players that the biggies of England should look to sign this month. Kindly keep in mind that the list is not in any particular order.

Now starting with the most obvious one

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#10 Riyad Mahrez

The mercurial Algerian has never shied away from expressing that he wants to leave the Foxes for a big club to regularly compete for the titles.

After a demoralizing 2016-17 and an indifferent start to the current season, the winger has turned his form around and is playing some superb football that is reminiscent of his performances from Leicester's title-winning campaign.

A proven Premier League performer, the winger can be acquired for a relatively cheaper amount given the going rate in the transfer market but it is highly unlikely that the Foxes will be willing to part with their most prized possession this month.

However, given Algeria's absence in the upcoming World Cup, the winger's value may depreciate before the summer transfer window begins. So, for the right price, the clubs might be able to acquire his services and oh a bonus: he will be available for the Champions League as well.

The following clubs should look to sign the player

Chelsea - The defending champions have a lopsided squad. While Conte has a lot of options to build a strong midfield, the attacking line is a place where Chelsea are lacking some serious quality and the club is struggling to break down opponents.

Hazard and Morata need more creative support and both Pedro and Willian have not been able to perform the job consistently.

Arsenal - With Sanchez's exit closer than ever, Mahrez can be an ideal signing for the North London side. He is a proven Premier League player and will look at home in Wenger's quick passing side.

Arsenal's attack is lacking in quality and with their two best players' futures up in the air, Wenger might turn towards the silky Algerian.

#9 Harry Maguire

The burly defender has impressed so far in the league

The Sheffield born Maguire knows that he is destined for stardom. After rising through the ranks at Sheffield United, Maguire was snapped up by the Foxes at the beginning of the season for a paltry £12 million after his encouraging displays with Hull City in the previous season.

Ticking all the right boxes, the defender has been Leicester's best player so far and affirmed his quality during an emphatic performance against Manchester United.

The big defender is easy on the ball, reads the game well and is strong in the tackle but still seems a bit rough around the edges. Given that he has played only 55 matches in the Premier League and is still only 24, Maguire is surely on his way to being the best defender in England.

Maguire will be on every big club's watch list but since he joined the Foxes at the beginning of the season, odds are stacked against him moving to another club this quickly. However, it won't be surprising to see the defender challenging for trophies and representing one of the top clubs in the near future.

The following clubs should look to sign the player

Liverpool - City scored two late goals against the Reds that exposed how fragile Liverpool's defence is. Maguire can be the ideal partner for Van Dijk. The Englishman is comfortable as a ball playing centre-back but is equally effective as a typical rough English defender.

Signing Maguire will allow Liverpool to plug the holes in their much-derided defence and the team can genuinely become a challenger to Manchester City.

Arsenal - After a commanding 69 minutes, Arsenal allowed Bournemouth to get back in the game. This is not something that has happened for the first time. Arsenal's defence is simply not up to the quality of a top club. Maguire is an ideal Wenger player.

With Mertesacker hanging up his boots at the end of the season and Koscielny in his 30s, Maguire can become an ideal long-term centre-back leader for them and will add some much-needed quality and depth.

#8 Ciro Immobile

The Italian international is playing the best football of his career

The current best player in Italy has had quite a rocky career. Everyone doubted his capacity to succeed when he scored only 2 league goals in 4 years.

Before joining Lazio, Immobile had only one fruitful season in top-flight football when he finished 2013-14 as Italy's top scorer. A big move to Borussia Dortmund followed and the forward failed to deliver for the next 2 years as well.

Then, Immobile rocked up at Lazio in 2016 and since then under Simone Inzaghi, has scored 43 league goals in 54 matches and in the process, established himself as one of the best forwards in Europe.

Several question marks were raised regarding his ability given a rocky career. Under Inzaghi, Immobile has seemed to put his demons to rest and has already scored 26 goals in all competition goals in 24 games to equal his previous season's tally.

In the league this season, Immobile is leading the charts with 20 goals and 7 assists and in the process, has contributed 56% of Lazio's goals.

Immobile is quick, always on the lookout for spaces to exploit and is an excellent finisher. He is a hard worker, always pressing opponents when not in possession. He is the complete package and is finally playing to his potential consistently.

Given that Premier League currently has only 2 genuine world-class strikers in Kane and Aguero, Immobile can upgrade anyone's attack with his aggressive offensive playing style and clinical finishing.

Given his current form, Immobile won't come for cheap and question marks are there regarding his adaptability to new conditions, but Inzaghi has nurtured Immobile into a genuine lethal forward and he can be the trump card that any club would love to have.

The following clubs should look to sign the player

Liverpool - Despite blowing City out of the park, Liverpool still need to replace Coutinho and the club has lacked a genuine striker since Suarez. The only proper striker at the club, Sturridge, has struggled for fitness and form. The Reds have one of the best-attacking trios in the continent and a lethal finisher like Immobile will make the club even more potent.

Chelsea - Morata had started brightly for Chelsea but has faded a bit recently. But along with Hazard, he is the only attacking threat that Chelsea possess right now.

Conte's recent 3-5-1-1 formation shows Chelsea's lack of depth in the attacking third. Chelsea have been profligate in front of goal lately and the club needs to add more creativity to their attack. Immobile can form a fearsome front three with Hazard and Morata at Chelsea.

Tottenham - Harry Kane is in the form of his life and has kept Tottenham in the hunt for a top four slot. Dele Alli has been inconsistent this season and although Son has taken up part of the goalscoring burden, Spurs still need an additional forward to pair up with Kane.

#7 Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang

Aubameyang is a natural finisher and has established himself as one of the best strikers in world

Renowned for his exuberant lifestyle and energetic play style, Aubameyang is currently one of the top strikers in the world. After scoring 142 goals in 212 games for Dortmund, the Gabon international is looking for a new club and his relationship with the club is at an all-time low after missing a team meeting before a 0-0 draw against Wolfsburg.

Aubameyang is as fast as a bullet, can finish from even the acutest of angles and relishes big opportunities. He is the kind of genuinely world-class forward missing in the big six except for City and Spurs, although Spurs do need a second forward to take some load off Harry Kane.

United, Chelsea and Arsenal have all spent big this season on strikers but so far, their signings have yet to justify their transfer fee. The first year of settling into a new environment can be a factor and all of Lukaku, Morata and Lacazette have done a decent job but given City's potent attack, all of the big five seriously need to upgrade their attack.

After selling Coutinho, Liverpool have a big hole in their attack and they have lacked a forward since Luis Suarez.

Dortmund will consider selling Aubameyang and he won't come for cheap. But the value of Aubameyang should not be a concern for the big five if they genuinely want to challenge Manchester City, PSG, Real Madrid, Barcelona and Bayern Munich.

The following clubs should look to sign the player

All five of them

Manchester City have the best attack in the league for a reason and that is the fact that they have consistent goal scorers. Initially, Arsenal looked to be extremely close to signing the forward but the German club has hit out at their English counter-part claiming there has been no contact with the club.

This leaves all of the big five in the same boat if they want to sign a goal-scoring machine in Aubameyang. The big five should not mull over whether or not to spend big money on Aubameyang. The Gabon international scores goals consistently and will be a worthwhile addition to any club that he joins.

#6 Nick Pope

Nick Pope has emerged as one of the best goalkeepers in the league

Goalkeepers are a different breed and are generally confined to a list of their own. But the 25-year-old Englishman has put in some quality performances this season that seriously warrants his place on a list like this.

After learning the trade in the lower reaches of English football, this is the first time Pope is playing in the top flight. Getting his chance after a horrible injury to Tom Heaton, Pope has been a true rock for Burnley this season.

An excellent shot-stopper, Pope is good in the air and equally comfortable at performing sweeping duties. His performances are one of the primary reasons that even after scoring just 19 goals this season, Burnley are seventh in the league with an airtight defence.

The following clubs should look to sign the player

Liverpool - Barring Liverpool, all big clubs have excellent goalkeepers. Given Mignolet's and Karius's erratic performances, Pope can be an excellent acquisition for Liverpool who have missed a consistent performer in goal since Pepe Reina.

Chelsea - Chelsea snapped up Caballero for free this season but Pope can be an excellent upgrade on him and with uncertainty surrounding Courtois, the Burnley keeper can be a good value for money asset.

Arsenal - Arsenal's No.1 is inching closer toward the end of his career and David Ospina does not look like a Premier League goalkeeper.

#5 Leander Dendoncker

Belgium has continued to roll out excellent players with Leander Dendoncker the latest one

If you follow the transfer rumours closely, then you will have noticed this Belgian being linked first with West Ham and then with Manchester United. The Belgian has been a key part of Anderlecht and is gunning for a place in Belgium's squad for the World Cup.

The Big Belgian is strong, excellent in the air and like all the Belgian players, he is extremely comfortable on the ball. His physique makes him an ideal Premier league defender and if recent history has shown anything, then like all of his compatriots, Dendoncker should be able to adapt to Premier league considerable ease.

Dendoncker is young, talented and on the watch list of every big club across Europe. A move across leagues this window might not happen but he has a big future ahead of him.

The following clubs should look to sign the player

Manchester United - With Eric Bailly and Victor Lindelof, United has a centre-back partnership for the future but they still lack the toughness and steeliness that is generally associated with a United side.

While Jones has been superb, he is extremely injury prone. Smalling and Rojo are far too inconsistent

Liverpool - They just need to replace Matip, Klavan and Lovren. Liverpool have required a top centre-back for years and has recently purchased Van Dijk for a world record fee.

But they will still look to acquire one more defender and the Belgian looks to have all the attributes to complement Van Dijk.

#4 Jamie Vardy

Vardy is one of the best finishers in England

The 30-year old striker has had quite a fairytale career. Vardy is a late bloomer and after spending his early years in Non-league football has achieved unparalleled success.

Blessed with excellent pace, industrious work rate and an ability to finish from anywhere, Vardy can seriously improve the attack of any of the big five. After a below average 2016-17, Vardy looks to be back to his best and deserves to play for a big club.

Vardy to Arsenal looked to be a done deal but the striker instead chose to sign a new deal with the Foxes and why Arsene Wenger did not make more of an effort to sign Vardy will remain a mystery.

Although 30 years old, it doesn't look like Vardy will lose his pace anytime soon. The fact that the big five need additional firepower up front cannot be stressed upon enough and compared to some of the other forwards in Europe, Vardy can be acquired for really cheap.

The Englishman deserves to compete for trophies and has all the attributes of a top-class forward. Only time will tell whether or not he gets another chance to write a new chapter in his career.

The following clubs should look to sign the player

Liverpool - With Liverpool's attack, Vardy can easily become a 20+ goal a season striker for them. He has all the attributes to score goals consistently when provided with regular opportunities and Liverpool's attack will be a big improvement over Leicester City for the forward.

Arsenal - Lacazette has had a difficult time settling into life at the Emirates. With Sanchez leaving the club for sure, Wenger needs more firepower upfront as Welbeck and Giroud are simply not at the level to play for a club like Arsenal.

Tottenham: Just imagine the prospect of Vardy, Kane, Son, Alli and Eriksen bombing forward together. Enough said.

#3 Wilfried Zaha

Zaha has been Palace's best player and rightly deserves a big move

If for nothing else, Wilfried Zaha will always be known as Sir Alex Ferguson's last signing as Manchester United's manager. The Scotsman signed the then young unproven winger as a gift for his successor. The world was excited to see the exciting young winger. But the fall from the top couldn't have been more brutal.

Unable to prove his worth at United, Zaha soon returned to his home club. With question marks over his attitude, it seemed that Zaha will go down in history as a talented player who never fulfilled his potential.

But since the previous season, Zaha has matured into Palace's best player and one of the most exciting wingers in the league. Blessed with trickery, pace and an eye for a pass, the winger is comfortable on either wing and relishes every opportunity he gets to take on his opponents. Zaha surely has the talent to take his game to the next level if given the chance.

Only 25 years old, the winger will warrant a high fee but that should not be an issue for any of the big five. Zaha can provide an extra pizzazz to any side he will join and surely it won't be long before the Englishman is again given a chance to battle out at the top rather than fight for survival at the bottom.

The following clubs should look to sign the player

Chelsea - Zaha can be the perfect partner in crime for Hazard. A lack of consistent support up front has been a bane for Conte this season. Zaha and Hazard have a lot of similar attributes.

With Fabregas behind them and Morata up front, the duo can form a lethal partnership for Chelsea. Chelsea's alarming performance against Norwich City could be the signal that leads to the management finally realizing that they have to spend money this month to stay in the top four.

Manchester United - Mourinho wants an additional winger. The prospect of returning to United will be exciting for the Englishman. Zaha has finally matured into the player that Manchester United had hoped he would become.

Arsenal: With Sanchez almost out of the door and owing to the uncertainty surrounding Ozil, Wenger should snap up the Palace winger. Arsenal's collapse against the Cherries showed the lack of depth the club has. Zaha is adept at quick and short passing and if Ozil stays, his partnership with the German and a revived Wilshere can be an exciting one.

#2 Nabil Fekir

The French international has declared his intention to play in England

Lyon is known for producing excellent players and they have produced yet another gem. The 24-year-old club captain Nabil Fekir is the latest Frenchman to have a breakthrough season. This season, Fekir has taken his game to another level and will look to finish the season strongly.

Fekir's most devastating attribute is his ability to play in different positions. Fekir is a strong character and is never fazed by any challenge. The Frenchman can be the answer to a lot of problems for any side.

Need a good winger? Fekir has excellent pace and dribbling skills and links up well with his teammates. Need a good no.10? Fekir can play centrally, possesses crisp passing and can drop deep to initiate devastating passing moves. Are strikers not scoring enough goals? Fekir is there to do the job and is already one of the top scorers in Ligue 1.

All the big sides will be monitoring his situation closely and will do their utmost to sign the lively Frenchman.

The following clubs should look to sign the player

Arsenal - Arsenal are the favourites to land the Frenchman and reportedly Fekir also has his heart set on a move to London where he will get the chance to link up with his former teammate Lacazette. Arsenal need to add quality players up front with all of Welbeck, Iwobi and Giroud looking out of their depth.

Liverpool - Fekir can be an excellent prospect for Liverpool. He is more than capable of replacing Coutinho. His intelligent passing and positioning will perfectly complement the fearsome Liverpool trio.

#1 James Tarkowski

Tarkowski has emerged as one of the breakthrough players of the season

Manchester United fan James Tarkowski is having the best season of his career and is rightly considered one of the breakthrough players of the season. The 25-year-old's rise to the top has been meteoric and he has put in some solid displays this season.

Tarkowski put all rumours to bed when he recently extended his contract with the Clarets but if he keeps on playing the same way, then he will be lining up for Cup finals and European nights pretty soon.

Tarkowski has worked hard to reach the top and it is reflected in his personality. Extremely strong headed, the young defender doesn't mind putting in extra work and rarely shies away from challenges. His physical and mental attributes have made him one of the best Burnley players this season.

His strength in the air and excellent timing on his tackles make him an ideal partner for a ball playing centre-back. He is calm under pressure and rarely makes mistakes. His work on and off the pitch make him a model professional as well.

It is highly unlikely that Burnley will sell him now but the big six are circling and all of them are in dire need of good centre-backs.

The following clubs should look to sign the player

Liverpool - They really need good defenders.

Arsenal - Tarkowski's physical presence at the back will be much appreciated by their fans as Arsenal have seemed a bit light at the back recently. Tarkowski and Mustafi look to be ideal partners and can form a formidable centre-back pairing that has been missed at the club for a long time.