The transfers that could save Luton, Burnley and Sheff Utd from relegation

The January transfer window could prove the last hope for Sheffield United, Burnley and Luton Town in their respective bids to avoid Premier League relegation.

At the very least, Luton fans may raise their eyebrows at that, the table looking a little rosier than it did just one week ago, but still it remains an uphill task.

Bookmakers have all three promoted sides odds-on to go straight back down, and that would make for just the second Premier League season – after 1997-98 – where this has happened.

The form of Crystal Palace, the slump at Nottingham Forest (before their recent win), and the points deduction at Everton could yet lead to a twist in the tale, but arguably it is January and the mid-season market where the relegation battle is defined. And the onus is on the bottom three.

Expect little from Luton

Luton became the first promoted club this season to secure back-to-back league wins when beating Sheffield United on Boxing Day, raising hopes of survival for Rob Edwards’ side.

It is now no longer mad to suggest the Hatters are the most likely of the trio to stay up, but they are also the most likely to spend the least in January after a shrewd summer saw them spend just £9.5m after their play-off triumph.

Leading the charge though is free signing Ross Barkley, who has started their last nine Premier League games. The former Everton and Chelsea midfielder has played the most passes of Luton’s outfield players this season, and has also attempted the second-most shots, with the 30-year-old adapting well to a deeper role that makes him their vital cog going forward.

Barkley provided the assist for Andros Townsend in the 1-0 win over Newcastle on 23 December, the pair proving the value of top-flight nous within a largely inexperienced squad.

Townsend – who was on the verge of signing for Burnley in the summer before the move fell through – joined Luton in October on a short-term deal until January, making an extension for the 32-year-old the first port of call next month, assuming both parties can reach an agreement, and that no other club offer him a more enticing deal.

Beyond Townsend, it may be a quiet January for Luton given free agents are few and far between, so too loan prospects. They are currently outscoring their relegation rivals, and have conceded fewer goals than Burnley and Sheffield United too, so there could be a sense – or more specifically a desperate hope – among the Luton hierarchy that Edwards has the tools he needs, and the momentum, to achieve something few believed was possible.

Premier League table

Burnley need ‘final touch’

Burnley finished 21 points above Luton last season but any belief that Vincent Kompany would oversee a smooth transition has long since disappeared.

A £48.6m summer spend was the third lowest among Premier League clubs, a stark indication of the sheer financial power in play above them, and it could take a similar spend in January to save them.

James Trafford, a £15m signing from Manchester City, is certainly proving valuable down one end – the goalkeeper boasting a higher save percentage than his Luton and Sheffield United counterparts Thomas Kaminski and Wes Foderingham – and so it is up front where Kompany wants to strengthen.

“The problem is that final touch in the Premier League, what is that? Down at the bottom of the league it’s [Dominic] Solanke, it’s [Raul] Jimenez at Fulham, that’s the level we’re talking about that you need for the Premier League,” said Kompany.

“To go out in the market and find that level of players, for us… no, unless Jurgen [Klopp] wants to give us a Christmas present with some of the guys he left out of the squad! Other than that, I think we have to be realistic.

“For us the biggest way to progress is to see the progression in the players we have. But if there is something smart we can do, we’ll obviously be open to that.”

Kompany knows that “smart” January transfers are difficult, while his point about relying on his current crop is one that he has echoed throughout December.

It makes for ominous reading, and with Premier League rivals unlikely to do them a favour, Burnley may well have to turn to the Championship.

Crysencio Summerville would be ideal, but after Fabrizio Romano reported a £20m bid from Burnley was turned down in the summer, his contribution since of 11 goals and six assists makes him invaluable to Leeds’ promotion cause.

Sheff Utd to ‘wheel and deal’

The overwhelming favourites to go down, you will not find any odds better than 1-10 for Sheffield United to be relegated.

Two wins in 19 means they are seven points from safety at the halfway stage of the season, and while they are a win away from passing Derby’s record-low of 11 points, it would take some second-half swing to avoid an immediate return to the Championship.

It would also require a near-miraculous January transfer window, too. Sheffield United have scored the least and by far conceded the most goals this season, giving manager Chris Wilder multiple headaches.

Wilder has spoke of a “wheel and deal” approach in January, while owner Prince Abdullah said: “I can assure you one thing: me and Chris are on the same page when it comes to January and after January.”

What that exactly entails is unclear, and when you ponder what strikers could be available, it is a short list.

Divock Origi is on loan at Nottingham Forest and has started just two league games there, but Forest are unlikely to cut that spell short to help out a rival.

Meanwhile in the Championship, Blackburn’s Sammie Szmodics leads the scoring charts with 14 goals. The 28-year-old could see this as an opportune moment to make the step up, but joining a club destined for relegation may therefore feel like a contradiction.

The same applies for Morgan Whittaker, the 22-year-old forward who only joined Plymouth in July and currently has 12 Championship goals to his name.

But best of luck. Strikers come at a premium in January, and moving to Luton, Burnley or Sheffield United? Well that could well be a sideways step.