As you might expect from someone who likes to play his cards close to his chest, Mikel Arteta wouldn’t be drawn on Arsenal’s potential plans for the January transfer window.
However, after being quizzed at today’s press conference, he did acknowledge conversations about how to improve the squad and deal with potential incomings and outgoings happen on a regular basis behind the scenes.
With four players departing for the African Cup of Nations in January, including key men like Thomas Partey and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, as well as Nicolas Pepe and Mohamed Elneny, the squad could be light and many feel an addition – even on loan – would be useful to provide cover during that period.
It wasn’t a topic the Arsenal boss was keen to go into details on, but he referenced discussions that may lead to some business being done depending on how active the market is.
“We have talks every week about it, how we can improve the team, and what things can happen in the January transfer window that can effect our squad,” he said.
“As you know, we have certain players with a little bit of uncertainty in the summer so we have to plan what’s going to happen now and what’s going to happen in the summer.
“A lot has to be done, we know and we don’t expect big things to be happening, but we need to be very alert in the market to see if we can improve the team.
“We have to be prepared because things can happen and injuries can arise in this period of the season and you have to be prepared and planned.”
His focus for now though, are the players he has available to him, saying, “I just trust in the players that we have and try to make them as good as possible and try to make them improve the team and try to be more and more consistent.
“If we play better we’ll get better results, that’s it.”
Arsenal January Transfers 2013 – 2021
January 2021 – Martin Odegaard (Real Madrid): Loan
January 2020: Pablo Mari (Flamengo): Loan* – Cedric Soares (Southampton): Loan*
January 2019: Denis Suarez (Barcelona): Loan
January 2018: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Borussia Dortmund): £55m – Henrik Mkhitaryan (Man Utd): Swap/Alexis Sanchez
January 2016: Mohamed Elneny (FC Basel): £7m
January 2014: Kim Kallstrom (Spartak Moscow): Loan
January 2013: Nacho Monreal (Malaga): £8m
*loans then made permanent
Nacho was only 8 mil. What a bargain he was. The orange keepy uppys alone should have placed a 20 mil price tag on his head!
Agree 100%, I really can’t believe only 8mill what a bargain, he was probably one of our most underrated players, was gutted when he left.
Now it’s Tavares @ 8 mil.
It’s time for the Gabis, the Pepes, the Holdings, the Chambers, The Lenos , the ANMs, to come in for some game time. Its probably one of the few times that we are quite equipped with no Europeans football to play for
They’ll all get the Sunderland game in 3 weeks.
Nacho..he was amazing. Apperently still is at Real Sociedad. Maybe he can act as our agent to recruit Isak.
Once can dream big.
Arteta is also from there and played for them, Odegaard was there recently.
Call me stupid/ naive, but I feel like it’s one we would be in with a decent shout at getting over the line if we went for him. Despite being pretty fucking phenomenal last season, he just doesn’t seem to have the RM/Barca/City hype around him of some other players. I’ve got a sneaky feeling it might be one to watch (based on nothing other than blind optimism of course).
I think he has got one more club to go before the hype of the big boys comes to him. Similar to Lewandowski going to Dortmund before Bayern kind of logic.
Unrelated, but did anyone see this news:
https://www.sportbible.com/football/news-gabriel-fought-off-baseball-bat-wielding-thug-in-attempted-robbery-20211201?source=facebook&fbclid=IwAR2uMoNQGVQ2s9xX8mDTjuXBmXbnc2AUSTYHjgPajIJZzlITozwTpSxXQe4
Crazy stuff. If Kolasinac was still here they could’ve started a nice personal bodyguard side business!
I think he is still here.
So ‘Kol-A-Gab Services’ is still possible.
First it was Kola now Gabi. DAMN!
It was said that “in DEFENCE” of himself “he grabbed the ATTACKER”.
Man wouldn’t let an attacker go past him on the pitch and off it as well.
From the follow-up article;
Local magistrate Michael Dean gives Gabriel 3 month prison term for assaulting attacker
You’re kidding, right?
Born to defend.
I can’t remember – was there money involved or was it a straight swap for Sanchez and Mkhi? If a straight swap, that looks like a not-very-savvy deal in hindsight…
Kim Kallstrom was my favourite.
I hope those conversations are something along the lines of how do we convince Mr Haaland we’re where he needs to be for the 5years or so 🤔