Arsenal January transfer state of play as Gunners consider SEVEN targets and three exits
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Mikel Arteta needs reinforcements - and quick. The problem is that all of Arsenal ’s transfer plans have been geared towards the summer and injuries have hit just at the wrong time. Bukayo Saka is Arsenal’s main man and he is out until at least the end of February. Gabriel Jesus is also out for the long term.
To make matters worse, it was the wide areas and centre forward where Arsenal needed to strengthen anyway and now it is even more acute. Even when they beat Tottenham, a proper striker would have ensured they won more comfortably. Gunners boss Arteta has hinted at some frustration about spending and also having “one of the thinnest squads in the Premier League.” So, the next windows are crucial.
Arsenal got last summer horribly wrong by signing a left-back in Riccardo Calafiori - who has proved to be injury-prone - and a workmanlike midfielder Mikel Merino. They already had midfielders and left-backs coming out of their ears. Another part of the art of being a sporting director is to be able to offload players at the right time to maximise value. They did not do that either. Last summer was a bad window for Arsenal.
So, what are Arsenal doing? Planning to sign another midfielder, of course. It could be a frustrating window when Arsenal need an injection of hope. Possibles. Benjamin Sesko. The RB Leipzig striker was wanted by Arsenal last summer but decided to stay for another year and also had a £60m “gentleman’s agreement” inserted in his contract to allow him to leave. RB Leipzig will not sell in January unless someone makes a crazy, crazy offer. And it’s hard to see Arsenal paying massively over the odds.
