January has landed, the transfer window is open and Mikel Arteta is “expecting some activity”. It remains to be seen whether that constitutes anything more exciting than packing a few players off on loan, but who knows…with a Champions League finish still on the cards, it’s possible we could look to strengthen, especially with four players away at the African Cup of Nations.
Here’s our first rumour round-up of 2022…
Eddie Nketiah
We know Eddie is a free agent in the summer, we know we’re trying to persuade him to stay and we know he’s not short of suitors. Now that it’s January, the 22-year-old is free to talk to foreign clubs and the Daily Mail claim Bayer Leverkusen are first in the queue. The Germans were linked with the striker back in July but the prospect of getting their man on a free is reason enough to try again. Any English club wanting Nketiah will have to pay a tribunal fee.
Folarin Balogun
Per Mertesacker has already confirmed that the Gunners will send the 20-year-old out on loan in January, it’s really a case of finding him a suitable temporary home. According to Sky Sports, Middlesbrough are keen with manager Chris Wilder renewing the interest in the striker that he had while in the dugout at Sheffield United. Boro are just outside the Championship play-off places and will no doubt face stiff competition from other sides in England’s second tier.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang
Can the rift with our deposed club captain be healed? Mikel Arteta has shown little mercy since the early-December disciplinary breach and it’s possible the club could try and cash in on a player earning £350,000 a week. Barcelona, despite their financial problems, were touted as one option while the Mirror have suggested newly-minted Newcastle could take a punt on a loan deal with an option to buy in the summer.
Ainsley Maitland-Niles
We’re still expecting perennial window shoppers AS Roma to sign Ainsley on loan although, according to the Liverpool Echo, Everton haven’t yet given up. The Toffees made a move for the midfielder in the summer only for an offer to be rebuffed; a decision that riled the player enough that he moaned about it on social media. The below rating is based on Everton’s interest versus that of the Italians.
Sead Kolasinac
We’re a bit late to the party on this but the Evening Standard claimed last week that Watford could borrow Sead until the end of the season so long as Arsenal subsidise the Bosnian’s wages. Behind Kieran Tierney and Nuno Tavares in the left-back pecking order, there’s no reason to keep the 28-year-old, who is back fit after an ankle injury, while we wait for his contract to end in the summer.
Douglas Luiz
If Ainsley leaves and Mo Elneny follows him out of the door in the summer, Arsenal are surely going to be in the market for a midfielder sooner rather than later. The Sun claims that Aston Villa’s Douglas Luiz is a potential target. The Brazilian, once of Manchester City, has 18 months on his current deal and could be approached this month while Thomas Partey is at the AFCON. It all seems a bit far-fetched, not least because Villa are unlikely to want to sell one of their best players.
Denis Zakaria
Another option could be Switzerland international Denis Zakaria. Fussball Transfers (you have to admire a name that does exactly what it says on the tin) claims Arsenal are already in contact with the 25-year-old who is out of contract at Borussia Moenchengladbach in the summer. Mind you, they also list Borussia Dortmund, Bayern Munich, Manchester City, Manchester United, Barcelona, Juventus, Inter Milan and AS Roma as options – so they’ve covered their bases.
Sell the deadwood and invest in some good players.There is still need for improvement.
Put the ball in the net, run around a bit and don’t concede and we’re good.
L😂L
I see our man Nikhil is of the Arry Redknap school of football.
I really hope Balogun gets a team where he can feature moderately and develop more. Our midfield looks thin atm, fingers crossed on how things pan out in that area.
If Laca gets injured, we have no one to replace him, like for like. That would cause a major tactical distribution to our game. Which is btw progressing extremely well.
*disturbance*
Not the least of which his contribution as the stand-in captain. Laca has been good at addressing the refs, demanding protection, refraining frustrated teammates. All have been sorely missed with Auba as the captain, and I think no one else has the stature to provide at the moment.
Tierney? Ramsdale?
It’s really hard for a keeper to do the part of being a captain that involves stuff on the pitch. We know who regularly gets the armband when Laca is substituted–Xhaka is first choice, then Holding.
Just give it to Tierney, we all know he is a future Arsenal captain.
The P.E.A to Newcastle move makes sense. New rich club in search of a marquee signing who is in the twilight of his career but can still deliver the goods.
Such a move is a dream move for all parties involved.
Not for those of us who would find it hilarious if Newcastle got relegated this season.
Except for Aubameyang who probably wouldn’t want to play in the Championship.
Newcastle’s situation, I think, is completely unprecedented: a relegation battler that has the financial ability to buy and pay any player in the world. That doesn’t mean Messi is coming, or that they want a big name yet. If I were their management, I would try to immediately get good players (the quality of players you find at Villa or Wolves or even West Ham), especially defenders, regardless of age, on short-term contracts with very high wages. Then, if they stay up, over the summer begin to buy the core that in three to five years will challenge for the… Read more »
This club has always taken an eternity to sell wantaway players. Even if he’s no longer in Mikel’s plans, I doubt Auba is leaving anytime soon.
Stick with project youth. A young decent striker and midfielder please.
I’d also go a good RB to back tomiyasu up
Young players impress but win nada in terms of trophies.
Until of course they do then your comment looks silly Mr Hanson.
Hhhmmm…. George Graham, Alex Ferguson…
Tammy Abraham
Alexander Isak would be an interesting purchase since he has already played well with Ødegaard at Sociedad. I would also like to see an upgrade on Xhaka, but I’m not sure that is Douglas Luiz – he would give us more threat from the centre, but at the cost of defensive abilities. Another inspired signing from Edu would be nice, I’m starting to think he’s found Arsene’s old hat.
Isak’s certainly doing the rounds today….he’s only scored 4 goals in La Liga this season, but certainly looks fast, skilful and elegant. Is he strong enough for the Prem though….
Doubt we’ll get anyone on a permanent in CM in jan so maybe Wijnaldum to hold the fort until the end of the season?
It’s more about the style of striker we target Lacazette’s been dropping in to play alongside Odegaard as 2 No8s, that’s been working really well Laca does a big defensive shift, but gives us an extra option creating the overload in the first phase of play We need a more dynamic version of Lacazette, stylistically Isak looks like he can fill that role, he’s really skilful, two footed, and much quicker than Laca Depends on the price, and whether we can get players out in order to create the space Apparently Isak has a €90 million release clause, if we… Read more »
Yea I really don’t get the paying plus 50 mill for a striker who has scored 4 goals, unless he’s like martinelli and just burst onto the scene. A 25 yo giroud for 17million would do the job right now as I see martinelli and saka contributing salah and mane amounts of goals from 2022 onwards
Giroud arrived at Arsenal at around age 25. In his first season he got 11G and 3A in the League. Very similar numbers to Auba’s in the 20/21 season.
It’s easy to look back with rose-tinted glasses but Giroud was often a very frustrating striker. He suffered from exactly the same problem Auba has now.
Being in a team that didn’t play to his strengths.
He scored 17 last season and was exceptional at the Euros in fairness. Feel like his head may have been turned a bit (though admittedly don’t watch Sociedad so no idea how he’s doing)
I’ve watched Sociedad a few times this season to look at Isak and Merino (I’ll shamelessly admit that it’s because i signed them on FIFA). In the games I’ve seen, Isak has generally had few touches and little to work with. To be fair, i think all of the games I’ve seen have been losses and draws. His strength is running at defenders with the ball at his feet. Doesn’t seem like the kind of guy who you play the ball into to hold it up for runners. As much as I’m coming into it with a bias (I like… Read more »
I think he’s a good replacement for Auba and then Watkins would be a good replacement for Lacca in the summer.
If Morata goes to Barca from Juventus, we could swap Auba for Kuluveski and then buy Isak……free to let Pepe go then as well. Simples !
*Kulusevski
Contrary to others’ opinions; he didn’t impress me in Euros. Lot of money for unproven talent
Is Wijnaldum genuinely potentially available? He only moved in the summer did he not?
Dunno, just reading stuff…..he hardly ever plays at PSG though
Could Lukaku do a job for us?
NO CHANCE!
That interview.
Think he already is at Chelsea ! 😉
Of course! He just needs to keep granting interviews in a Chelsea shirt. That would do.
One of the top top strikers in football right now but will think he is too good to play at Arsenal.
What about that Haaland fella? I hear he’s quite good
All. The. Eggs.
We’d be set for 10-12 years. Maybe they’ll take Eddie and Reiss? Chuck in a Xhaka for good measure. And Kolasinac or Cedric just to be sure.
Still sore from the loss but pumped up from the gameplay. When you look at how much work we still have to do in the market, it starts to make some sense why we play like a world class team who’s one bad decision away from collapsing back into what we’re working on outgrowing. An upgrade on Xhaka and Auba would go a long way to solidify our top 4/title credentials.
So you think removing the dressing room pillars will solidify our top four credentials.
This pillar you speak of has more individual mistakes leading to goals than any other player in the league since he signed for the club. So yeah it does sound like we would improve replacing this “pillar” of mediocrity.
Any hope for having Velahovic?
No hope, none.
The Serbian-Mexican striker? Maybe.
sign dominic calvert lewin if auba leaves pls sirs.
i dont mind isak either, but i get the vibes he’ll do an aubameyang at some stage when sh~! doesnt go his way.
DCL is just .. right
Been injured a lot this season. Not a player who’s likely to move in January either.
Isak? I’m a Swede and Isak is probably one of the most mature, turnip like quality like players. I liken his personality very much to Henrik Larsson and not very Zlatan.
We need a rutabaga or another root vegetable, not a turnip!
Call any vegetable! Call it by name!
Rather have a striker who can score penalties personally 😂
For DCL, Everton would be wanting an arm, a leg and a pair of balls from Thierry Henry’s statue.
DCL way too injury prone. Inter’s Martinez, Oshimen from Napoli, Isak, Vlahovic, etc. will cost the same and have more potential.
Also, that guy Mbappe is out of contract soon I hear 🙂
DCL is bang average, he is another Welbeck. I don’t understand why people want him at our club. He had half a good season and that’s it. We are Arsenal not West ham, we need to set our sights way higher than this guy.
Enjoyed Welbeck’s goal against Chelsea the other day.
Very quiet on the striker-front. I am open to a Tomiyasu-type signing. Underrated striker from a mid-table team in Italy or Spain who fits the profile of an Adebayor or Eduardo.
This!
I’ve given up on trying to guess who we’ll sign.
After the last 5 players we brought in, I have complete faith in Edu & co.
Tomiyasu must be one of the best “defenders” in the league.
Would love if we were to find a hidden gem of a striker just as we did with Tomi. However, I just don’t think that talented strikers go under the radar in the same way that a talented right back can. I have a feeling there will have to be a significant outlay if we want the ideal striker
Haaland is the Dreams, of course. But Schick or Isak could fit amd do very well for us.
I do like Vlahovic, he is a strong beast, but he think of himself higher, so ok, bye.
Come on Schickinho or Isakinho!
I also have dreams of us making top 4 and somehow convincing Haaland that he wants to be part of a project with guys his own age.
Not that it matters a great deal, but him and Martin Ø are quite tight – like Laca/Auba-level.
So, anytime now, we can expect the usual disrespectful ESR bid from those clowns Aston Villa.
Absolutely certain there aren’t going to be any Chelsea pensioners coming in.
I am much less negative about Xhaka than most Arsenal supporters; I am aware of his limitations (who isn’t?) but I think he is better and more important than many people think. But when I watch how Declan Rice plays for West Ham, I can’t help thinking that a player of that quality, next to Partey and with the rest of the team we just saw against City, would be the best Arsenal side since, well, you know.
Do you mean Rice himself or just someone like him? Rice is ex-Chelsea academy, a lifelong fan whose family still all have season tickets at the Bridge, and is still best friends with Mason Mount. That’s only going one way..
How about signing in a referee, all the big team have at least one?…
😄😄😄
Valid!
What about Bruno Guimarães? Read a lot of rumors about him signing as well and I would really think that he & Partey together would be a perfect dynamic duo.
Andre-frank zambo anguissa. Sign him 2 our cm and we lift the pl nxt season