While some Premier League clubs will be looking to add to their ranks in January, there will be a few players looking to make changes themselves.
With just six points separating fifth from 13th, the upcoming transfer window could prove important to the final reckoning come May. There are some big-hitters currently outside the Champions League spots, with reigning champions Manchester City sat in seventh while Tottenham and Manchester United remain in the bottom half after weekend defeats.
The Premier League's Profit and Sustainability Rules mean some may need to sell before they can buy, though. There were only a handful of January deals last season, with Aston Villa's move for Morgan Rogers among the most successful and Spurs' swoop for Radu Dragusin the most expensive.
There are plenty of players who will feel the time is right to try their luck elsewhere. Here, Mirror Football looks at 10 stars who could really do with a January exit.
When asked if Marcus Rashford might feature for Manchester United on Boxing Day, head coach Ruben Amorim was non-committal. The England international has been left out of the squad for United's last two league games, though, and has indicated he's ready for a change.
"For me, personally, I think I'm ready for a new challenge and the next steps," Rashford admitted. "When I leave it's going to be 'no hard feelings'. You're not going to have any negative comments from me about Manchester United. That's me as a person.
"If I know that a situation is already bad I'm not going to make it worse. I'e seen how other players have left in the past and I don't want to be that person. When I leave I'll make a statement and it will be from me."
The bigger issue is which club might be able to match the 27-year-old's United wages. It may be the case that a loan suits all parties better, with a view to a permanent summer exit.
Chiesa's move to Liverpool at the end of the summer window felt like a low-risk, opportunistic move. The Italy international cost just £12million from Juventus, but his lack of a proper pre-season has told in an injury-affected season.
The wide man has started just once for Arne Slot's side, in a 5-1 Carabao Cup victory over West Ham. He also got a 45 minutes from the bench in the quarter-final victory at Southampton, but hasn't featured in the league since September.
Chiesa signed a four-year deal when he joined Arne Slot's side in August. The manager may decide to hand the player more minutes out on loan if he feels there's enough cover in his squad for the time being.
Even before the season started, it looked as though Ben Chilwell's opportunities at Chelsea would be limited. Enzo Maresca made it clear Marc Cucurella would be his first choice left-back, while Malo Gusto and Renato Veiga have also appeared to be ahead of Chilwell in the pecking order.
"The idea for him was to leave," Maresca admitted in September. "In the moment that he's here, he's one of the squad, he's training."
Chilwell's only minutes this season came against Barrow in the Carabao Cup, with Chelsea leaving him out of their Conference League squad. A January exit seems inevitable.
Dewsbury-Hall may well have expected more opportunities at Chelsea after his summer arrival. The midfielder impressed under Maresca at Leicester last term, but has played just 55 Premier League minutes this season.
It's been a different story in the Conference League, where the 26-year-old has played 45 minutes or more in all of the Blues' matches. He also scored his first two Chelsea goals in the competition, in wins against Gent and Shamrock Rovers.
After remaining an unused substitute for the victories over Tottenham and Brentford, Dewsbury-Hall wasn't even in the matchday squad for Sunday's draw at Everton. He'll need to decide whether those minutes in Europe are enough.
"There are players that unfortunately didn't play a lot with us in all the competitions, like Chilwell, like Carney," Maresca said before Sunday's game. "Probably they're the first that will want to leave because they work every day because they want to play.
"If they don't play probably they are thinking to leave. Each player has a different situation so we'll see if anyone knocks the door and says I want to leave. We'll try to find a solution."
England youth international Chukwuemeka joined in the summer of 2022 and played 27 times across the last two seasons, scoring his first Premier League goal under Mauricio Pochettino. This term, though, the 21-year-old has been restricted to 130 minutes in all competitions.
Returning to Manchester United, Brazilian winger Antony could join team-mate Rashford in looking for a move. The Brazilian became one of the most expensive signings in United's history when he joined from Ajax in 2022, but fell out of favour before the arrival of Ruben Amorim in November.
The 24-year-old got 12 minutes from the bench in the recent Manchester Derby, but hasn't started in the league all season long. He has played just 10 times in all competitions, scoring his only goal of the campaign in a Carabao Cup win over Barnsley.
“He needs more confidence," Amorim said of the former Eredivisie star. “If you remember the Antony that played in Ajax, he lacks a little bit of confidence to go one against one, but he will improve."
Amorim vowed to help Antony improve if the winger was able to work to get back to his best. However, a move might suit him better than feeding off scraps when it comes to game time.
Speaking of big-money signings who haven't lived up to the fee, Beto's time at Everton could soon be up. The former Udinese striker is the Toffees' most expensive addition under Sean Dyche, but has failed to hold down a starting spot.
The Guinea-Bissau international has played less than 200 minutes in the league this term, with his only goal coming against Fulham in October. His sole start, away to Manchester United, ended in a 4-0 defeat for Dyche's team.
With fellow forwards Armando Broja and Youssef Chermiti recently available again after injury, there will be a fair bit of competition for places. If Dyche wants to strengthen in other areas, though, he might not stand in the way of an exit for Beto.
Kieran Tierney may well have left Arsenal over the summer were it not for the injury he sustained at Euro 2024. He recently made his return, though, playing for the Gunners long after many thought they had seen the last of him.
A move back to Celtic remains a possibility, though. It's certainly a potential route to more regular action, though Mikel Arteta insisted the Scottish international hasn't asked to leave.
With Bukayo Saka injured against Crystal Palace, Arteta may be forced to dip into the transfer market in another position. Tierney might well be considered expendable as Arsenal look to balance the squad - especially with youngster Myles Lewis-Skelly still preferred to him at left-back.
On the other side of North London, Spurs left-back Sergio Reguilon finds himself in a similar position. Like Tierney, the Spaniard returned to his parent club after spending last season out on loan but hasn't been able to enjoy regular minutes.
Reguilon had two loans last term, first at Manchester United and then at Brentford. He has played just one minute this term, against United in the Carabao Cup, though he was an unused sub for four of Spurs' last five league outings.
The 28-year-old is out of contract in the summer, with no suggestions his deal will be extended. If a taker can be found - and Getafe have been linked - the club may well be happy to get his wages off the books.
Newcastle winger Almiron signed a contract extension in 2023, but has struggled for minutes this term. A 17-minute run-out at Ipswich on Saturday was just his second league outing since the end of October, and it could be time for the Paraguayan to move on.
Almiron thrived in Major League Soccer before his 2019 move to St James' Park, and there appears to be interest in bringing him back across the Atlantic. Charlotte FC explored a summer deal, and have been tipped to test Newcastle's resolve again during the MLS off-season.
“Although Miguel isn’t happy with the minutes he has in England, he wants to stay and fight at Newcastle," agent Daniel Campos said in November. It remains to be seen whether that situation will still be the same as January rumbles on.