Arsenal transfer rumours: 5 targets, areas of squad weakness and players who might leave in January

Arsenal are a club of extremes and after an early December blip there is a good feeling around the Emirates once more in light of recent results.

That could change in a January where Arsenal face Manchester City, Liverpool twice in the EFL Cup semis and Tottenham away, but for now the kids are doing just fine, with the Premier League’s youngest side climbing from bottom of the table to fourth in the space of three months.

The summer signings have settled. Aaron Ramsdale has emphatically won the No 1 jersey, Ben White is a near-constant presence in defence, so too Takehiro Tomiyasu, who has shrugged off questions over his quality with a string of impressive performances.

But still, there are decisions to be made, and manager Mikel Arteta will be working closely with technical director Edu to consider whether a change of personnel would help or hinder their progress in the push for fourth.

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Where are the weaknesses?

Arteta certainly has his favourites, with Ramsdale, White, Gabriel and Tomiyasu all starting 15 straight Premier League matches together, and since recovering from injury Kieran Tierney has displaced Nuno Tavares at left-back to become part of the regulars again.

This has provided Arsenal with stability. There was a run of four clean sheets in five during October and November, while shutouts against Southampton and West Ham helped them bounce back from defeats to Manchester United and Everton.

Losing Gabriel or White would probably see Rob Holding come into the side, but defensive reinforcements could be necessary, particularly with the threat of Covid absences on top of any injuries.

The same could be said for central midfield. Thomas Partey and Granit Xhaka are the fancied pairing behind Martin Odegaard, but Arteta may feel an improvement is needed with Mohamed Elneny and Albert Sambi Lokonga the current back-up options.

And up front? Well, there could be quite the transformation on the way…

Who could leave Arsenal?

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is the captain no longer, stripped of the armband after one disciplinary issue too many, and that could spell the end of the forward’s career at Arsenal, having been frozen out in recent games.

According to ESPN, Arsenal are willing to listen to offers for Aubameyang, with both Barcelona and Juventus identified as clubs who could look to sign the 32-year-old initially on loan, though his £250,000-a-week wages and a contract running until 2023 could make any deal complicated.

There is also the prospect of Alexandre Lacazette leaving in January, six months before his contract expires, while Eddie Nketiah could be on the move as well.

Other out-of-favour players have inevitably been linked with moves away as well, with goalkeeper Bernd Leno and defender Cedric Soares among them.

Leno, who had ousted Emiliano Martinez the year prior, could reportedly be of interest to Stuttgart and Bayer Leverkusen back in his native Germany.

Meanwhile, the Telegraph report that Watford could look to sign Sead Kolasinac in January to boost their defensive options.

Contract concerns

As mentioned, Lacazette is the standout name among those with expiring contracts, and The Sun reports Arsenal are unwilling to discuss a new deal with the Frenchman until the end of the season.

By then Lacazette could have agreed pre-contract terms with an overseas club, while Nketiah’s deal also runs out in the summer.

Nketiah’s future could become intertwined with Aubameyang and Lacazette’s, but the 22-year-old has reportedly told Arsenal already that he intends to leave.

Calum Chambers, Elneny and Kolasinac also see their contracts run out in the summer, and their positions will become a little clearer in the coming months.

Who could Arsenal sign?

The possibility of selling Aubameyang in January and losing Lacazette in the summer means forwards are the order of the day at Arsenal, with highly-rated Fiorentina striker Dusan Vlahovic among the options who could fill this void.

The Athletic report that Everton’s Dominic Calvert-Lewin has admirers at Arsenal too, and at 24 the forward fits the club’s transfer model, which prioritises young signings.

Meanwhile, Lille midfielder Renato Sanches has said he is “ready” to evaluate his options after declaring Arsenal and AC Milan are potentially interested in signing him.

The desire to strengthen in midfield could become a necessity with Partey and Elneny on Africa Cup of Nations duty, and while Marca claim Arsenal want Juventus’ Arthur Melo, a return to the Emirates for Aaron Ramsey has also been mooted.

Ramsey, who left Arsenal in 2019, could also be on Newcastle’s radar as the club look to stave off relegation with their new-found riches.

from Football – inews.co.uk https://ift.tt/3Eo53RV