Winter's window of opportunity

Spending power
So far no major deals have taken place and it remains to be seen how many clubs have the financial muscle. One club who do have the spending power, Manchester United FC, have already stated their intent to add a striker, with Fulham FC's €11.5m-rated Frenchman Louis Saha a target.

Eligible for Europe
One reason for United's interest in Saha is his eligibility for European competition. For a new signing to be able to play in Europe, he must not have appeared this season in any UEFA club competition match, be it the UEFA Champions League, UEFA Cup or UEFA Intertoto Cup. The only exception is the first three rounds of the Intertoto Cup.

Strongest leagues
Last January, the first instance of a uniform mid-season European transfer window, saw little in the way of big transfers. Here uefa.com considers what can be expected of the clubs in the continent's five strongest leagues this time round.

* England
United apart, Arsenal FC are also likely to strengthen and there is no doubting Chelsea FC's capacity to spend following Roman Abramovich's summer activity. Indeed, Chelsea have already had an offer rejected by Stade Rennais FC for Czech goalkeeper Petr Cech. Another London club, Tottenham Hotspur FC, need midfield cover and have bought Michael Brown from Sheffield United FC. Leeds United AFC's financial problems mean forwards Mark Viduka and Alan Smith and goalkeeper Paul Robinson may yet attract bids from rivals.

* Spain
Real Madrid CF are not expected to bolster their ranks, despite calls for defensive reinforcements. The arrivals door could also be shut at several other big clubs - RC Deportivo La Coruña, Valencia CF and Club Atlético de Madrid - while Real Sociedad de Fútbol may lose Javier de Pedro who is eyeing a switch to England six months before his contract ends. RC Celta de Vigo's Primera División struggles could prompt a search for a forward. FC Barcelona, 12th at present, hope a move for Juventus FC's Edgar Davids will improve their fortunes.

* Italy
Davids' future at Juventus is uncertain as the 30-year-old Dutchman's contract expires in the summer and Juve would be happy to get a fee. They would be loathe to lose him to another Italian club, though. Another player out of contract in the summer is S.S. Lazio's Dejan Stankovic, an FC Internazionale target, but a more certain departure is that of Chilean international David Pizarro from Udinese Calcio. Parma AC's financial problems, caused by the collapse of owners Parmalat, may lead to the transfer of goalkeeper Sébastien Frey.

* Germany
FC Bayern München could again turn their attentions to the CA Boca Juniors striker Carlos Tévez, whom they pursued last summer. Germany's other Champions League representative, VfB Stuttgart, have given Felix Magath a €3m purse, although it is unlikely to help him. The future of Bayer 04 Leverkusen's German international Ingo Hertzsch is also generating speculation due to a lack of games.

* France
AS Monaco FC and Olympique Lyonnais, the country's remaining Champions League contenders, are unlikely to strengthen. Monaco's debts mean coach Didier Deschamps has no money, but good news for Deschamps came when striker Dado Pršo pledged to stay, despite interest from AC Milan. Elsewhere, AJ Auxerre could sign Czech defender René Bolf, FC Sochaux-Montbéliard are looking at FC Metz forward Jonathan Jager, and Paris Saint-Germain FC could bid for RC Strasbourg's Yugoslavian striker Danijel Ljuboja.