As we enter the second half of the Premier League season, Arsenal are nonetheless very a lot within the race for the title, however Mikel Arteta might really feel he has to strengthen his squad this month if they’re going to make up the bottom on Liverpool.
With Bukayo Saka injured and query marks over Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus, the Gunners might look to strengthen in quite a lot of completely different positions this winter. Let’s check out 5 gamers who would improve the present squad.
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1
Nico Williams
Athletic Membership
Saka is about to be sidelined for greater than two months as a result of a hamstring damage that required surgical procedure, which means the right-wing place is now an issue one for Arteta.
Ethan Nwaneri was spectacular in Saka’s absence, scoring towards Brighton & Hove Albion, however Arsenal could also be eager to usher in a participant already confirmed on the high degree reasonably than sticking with a sizzling prospect, significantly in mild of the teenager’s personal current damage.
Nico Williams performed a key position in Spain’s Euro 2024 triumph final summer season, scoring towards England within the last, and he was very spectacular in La Liga in the course of the 2023/24 marketing campaign, choosing up 14 assists.
The Gunners have reportedly already opened talks with the Spaniard’s agent, and they’re able to set off his comparatively inexpensive launch clause of £48m ought to he give the inexperienced mild, so it will likely be attention-grabbing to see if issues advance over the subsequent few weeks.
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2
Randal Kolo Muani
PSG
Though Williams’ launch clause needs to be inside Arsenal’s funds, they could be hesitant to decide to such an outlay within the January switch window, particularly contemplating Saka shall be again earlier than the top of the season.
As such, the Gunners might look to usher in a short-term possibility till the top of the marketing campaign, which makes Randal Kolo Muani a lovely proposition.
The Frenchman is set to go away Paris Saint-Germain this month, doubtlessly on mortgage, and a transfer to the Emirates Stadium could be very a lot a chance.
The 26-year-old is succesful of taking part in on each wings and at centre-forward, making him a flexible possibility for Arteta within the last third, however signing him would undoubtedly be a chance.
If the attacker is ready to rediscover his type from the 2022/23 season, throughout which he amassed 29 objective contributions in 32 Bundesliga video games for Eintracht Frankfurt, he might be a stable addition to the squad.
Nonetheless, Kolo Muani has didn’t document comparable numbers with PSG, and the French membership’s willingness to sanction his departure casts doubt over whether or not he could be an acceptable signing this month.
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3
Matheus Cunha
Wolves
Gabriel Jesus has stepped up his sport over the previous few weeks, bagging 5 targets in two outings towards Crystal Palace after which as soon as extra towards Brentford, however he wasn’t at his finest in Havertz’s absence towards Brighton, as Arsenal dropped one other two factors within the title race.
With that in thoughts, Arteta might take a look at bringing in a brand new striker this month, and one ahead who has actually delivered within the Premier League this season is Matheus Cunha, with the Brazilian’s targets retaining Wolverhampton Wanderers above water within the relegation battle.
TalkSport’s Rory Jennings has tipped Cunha to switch the injured Saka this month, having featured usually on the wing all through his profession.
The 25-year-old has excelled in a centre-forward position this season, proving himself to be a extra dependable goalscorer than his compatriot Jesus, so it could make sense for the Gunners to pursue a transfer.
The one problem is the deal might quantity to as a lot as £90m based mostly on earlier stories, with Wolves unwilling to promote except they obtain an astronomical supply, and the striker is arguably but to show he’s worthy of an outlay that prime.
4
Victor Osimhen
Galatasaray/Napoli
Cunha is but to show himself over a protracted interval on the high degree, however Arsenal have an alternative choice in thoughts who has Champions League expertise and performed an important position in Napoli’s Serie A title triumph in 2023.
Nigerian striker Victor Osimhen scored 26 league targets within the 2022/23 marketing campaign, in addition to 5 within the Champions League, however his time with the Serie A membership got here to a bitter finish when he accomplished a mortgage transfer to Galatasaray in the summertime.
Throughout his time in Turkey, the ahead has continued his high quality goalscoring type, with former Besiktas man Sergen Yalçın describing him as “undoubtedly the very best centre-forward” within the nation.
Studies have instructed that the Gunners are plotting a “box-office” deal for the 26-year-old, which might imply paying his launch clause of £66m – far lower than the £90m it could apparently take to prise Cunha away from Wolves.
Given Osimhen’s expertise within the Champions League and title races, he’s prone to be a greater possibility than the Wolves star, and his arrival might be an actual increase to Arsenal’s Premier League title hopes.
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5
Jules Kounde
Barcelona
It seems as if Arteta’s important goal this month is to bolster his attacking choices, however a transfer for a defender isn’t out of the query, with Arsenal regarded as making ready a £62m supply for Barcelona’s Jules Kounde.
The Frenchman is claimed to be all for a transfer to the Premier League, and there’s a feeling that Barca could also be pressured to money in for a decrease price amid their monetary points, with a deal doubtlessly doable for round simply €40m (£33m).
The 26-year-old is able to taking part in at centre-back and right-back, and given simply how very important he has been to Barcelona this season, there’s each signal that he might push Ben White for a beginning spot.
Soccer expertise scout Jacek Kulig has beforehand given an outline of the defender’s skills, tipping him to be one of many world’s finest in his place sooner or later.
Whereas signing a brand new defender isn’t a necessity this January, Kounde might be a high quality addition, significantly when contemplating he could also be accessible for a comparatively low price.
Arsenal stay inside arm’s size of Liverpool, but when they’re to keep away from ending second for the third yr on the spin, it might be clever to usher in some new choices this January – and Arteta has quite a lot of high gamers to select from.
