Though the 'little brother' of the far busier summer window is often quiet, in what will be a World Cup year, clubs could hedge their bets on players a bit earlier than normal.
Zirkzee's cursory minutes against Bournemouth
Everyone in the game knows that if a player has a decent World Cup, his value can go through the roof.
Colombia's James Rodriguez might be the best example of that back in 2014, so if there is genuine interest in a player by a potential buying club, a January move has to be given serious consideration.
One player whose availability has gone a little under the radar of late is Manchester United's Dutch striker, Joshua Zirkzee.
To show just how far down the pecking order he has fallen under Ruben Amorim, one only has to look at the Red Devils' most recent game against Bournemouth, an epic 4-4 draw.
Not until the 93rd minute did the Portuguese decide that he would give Zirkzee more cursory minutes on the pitch, when the match was all but over.
Four touches of the ball included three passes, two of which were accurate, but for a player who clearly wants to be considered as one of the go-to strikers for the Netherlands in their games against Japan, Tunisia, and one other yet to be decided, that's an outrage.
Four goals in 41 Premier League games
Unfortunately for Zirkzee, his career at the Theatre of Dreams has turned into a nightmare.
In his 17 months to date with Man Utd., he's participated in 41 Premier League games, scoring just four goals and providing one assist.
His English top-flight total of 1,738 minutes played is actually the equivalent of just over 19 full matches - or not far off one full league game per month for the entire time he's been at Old Trafford.
In domestic cup action, he's fared a little better, with two goals in seven appearances, whilst he also managed two goals and an assist in 11 Europa League games last season.
Eight goals and three assists in 17 months isn't the form of an elite striker, but it doesn't appear to have put off Italian outfit, AS Roma.
Dutchman wants Roma move
According to the latest rumours coming out of Italy, board members from the Giallorossi have already met with their United counterparts to discuss a loan deal in January with an obligation to buy next summer.
It's believed that the player himself would jump at the chance to resurrect his career in Serie A, where he enjoyed the brightest of spells with Bologna, from whom the Red Devils signed him.
In 53 Italian top-flight matches for La Rossa, he amassed 13 goals and six assists, for a one-in-four goals-to-games ratio. One goal and two assists in five Coppa Italia appearances were also an acceptable return.
The one stumbling block to any move to Roma taking place at this point is United's valuation of the player.
United still want £35m
Signed for £36.5m, there's little doubt that his value has gone down significantly. However, the Red Devils still want to command a fee of £35m for his services, which, at present, is well beyond what Roma would appear to be willing to pay.
Another impending issue which could further complicate any move is that Gian Piero Gasperini wants any transfer to be concluded in the first few days of the window only.
With attacking talent both in midfield and up front, such as Artem Dovbyk, Matias Soule, Evan Ferguson, Paulo Dybala, Stephan El Shaarawy, Tommaso Baldanzi, and Leon Bailey in their ranks already, one might question the need for an underperforming centre-forward to be added.
However, those seven players between them have scored just eight goals and provided seven assists in Serie A so far this season, with only Dovbyk, as well as the on-loan Ferguson from that list, being considered close in style to target man Zirkzee.
Gasperini won't hang about
Despite Roma's current attacking limitations - their 16 goals scored in total is the joint worst output in the Italian top-flight in 2025/26, along with Udinese - the Giallorossi remain in fourth position, just three points behind leaders, Internazionale.
That's as much to do with Gasperini's tactical nous and the proactive way he gets his teams playing, and if he's able to land a target man who knows where the goal is, there's no telling just how far Roma could go this season.
Fabio Silva, Yuri Alberto and Beto are other names in the frame if a deal for Zirkzee can't be agreed upon by the start of the window, and it's understood that Gasperini will absolutely move on from the Dutchman if United play hardball in negotiations.
Given the current status quo, allowing any deal to slip through their fingers would surely be another opportunity missed by the Red Devils.
It's therefore in everyone's best interests to hammer out an acceptable solution that suits all parties over the next couple of weeks.
