Arsenal transfer rumours: Do the Gunners need January reinforcements?
Heading into the 2023/24 campaign, Arsenal were touted as formidable contenders for the Premier League title, and their early season form has provided ample reasons for optimism.
Alongside their North London neighbours and arch-rivals Tottenham Hotspur, the Gunners went into the international break as one of only two teams yet to suffer defeat in the Premier League.
Arsenal have undergone a remarkable transformation under the leadership of Mikel Arteta, and their early season form further emphasises their transition with the Spanish tactician at the helm.
After amassing 20 points from their opening eight fixtures, Arsenal are level on point with Tottenham at the Premier League summit – although they sit in second place with a slightly inferior goal difference.
The Gunners have lost just once across all competitions, suffering a disappointing 2-1 defeat to Ligue 1 strugglers Lens in their second Champions League Group B fixture.
However, they responded to the setback with a monumental victory over Manchester City, with Gabriel Martinelli’s late strike earning the Gunners a massive win.
The success over Man City marked their first over the Cityzens in their last 15 meetings, ending their 12-game losing streak against Pep Guardiola’s side.
The triumph has sparked talks of a potential run that could finally see the Gunners end their Premier League drought, although they will do well to avoid getting carried away with the campaign still in its infancy.
Following the international break, Arteta’s side face Mauricio Pochettino’s reinvigorated Chelsea. Interested parties can buy Arsenal tickets at Seatsnet.com and book their trip ahead of the London derby showdown.
Upcoming fixtures will further test Arsenal’s mettle, but injuries have cast shadows on the squad despite their impressive early season form.
Gabriel Jesus spent the opening parts of the season as a spectator while nursing injury problems in the treatment room but has since returned to the fold and is back in top form.
Martinelli is also just returning from a significant injury lay-off and wasted no time demonstrating his importance to the Gunners’ front line with his match-winner against Man City.
However, the Gunners are still missing a couple of key players, including Thomas Partey, Bukayo Saka, and Leandro Trossard, who are integral parts of Arteta’s plans.
Considering the massive role injuries played in their futile title charge last term, Arteta will be keen to maintain the health of his key players.
On paper, Arsenal have a strong enough squad to challenge Man City for the Premier League crown this term, but with injuries now more prominent than ever, talks of potential January reinforcements have been mooted.
William Saliba’s lay-off at the tail end of last season derailed Arsenal’s title challenge, and they responded by recruiting Jurrien Timber, who is widely regarded as one of the finest young defenders in Europe.
However, it appears the Gunners can’t catch a break on the injury front, with the former Ajax man expected to be sidelined for a huge chunk of the campaign, leaving Arteta’s side light on defensive options.
Jesus has also proven to be injury-prone in recent months, and Eddie Nketiah has done little to prove he can comfortably lead the attack after scoring just twice in all competitions thus far.
While there are still some minor question marks in the squad, Arsenal are not expected to spend heavily in the January transfer market, considering they invested approximately £200 million on summer reinforcements.
Does Arsenal need to strengthen in January?
Arsenal may find themselves in an unavoidable predicament at the start of 2024, with three first-team players likely to be absent for an extended period.
The Africa Cup of Nations will kick off from January 13 until February 11, and Arteta could be without Mohamed Elneny and Thomas Partey for up to a month if they are called up to represent Egypt and Ghana, respectively.
The 2023 AFC Asian Cup will also commence during the same period, meaning Arsenal could lose Takehiro Tomiyasu – who is a part of the Japanese national team – in addition to Elneny and Partey.
Arsenal face Crystal Palace, Nottingham Forest, Liverpool and West Ham United during that timeframe and their fixture list could expand even further depending on their performance in the domestic competitions.
The unavailability of those players could bear significant consequences, particularly if Arsenal encounters any further injury woes in their defensive or midfield departments during their jam-packed schedule.
While the Gunners have midfield options to compensate for the absence of Partey and Elneny, Tomiyasu’s unavailability would leave Jakub Kiwior and Cedric Soares as the only defensive reinforcement in the first-team squad.
Arsenal may need to take a proactive measure by recruiting a versatile defender on a short-term loan to avert any potential complications that could jeopardize their quest to dethrone Man City.
Furthermore, there’s a pertinent question concerning whether Arsenal needs a prolific striker to bolster their offensive capabilities, especially amidst rumours of a potential move for Brentford hitman Ivan Toney.
Toney will undoubtedly take Arsenal’s frontline to a new level, adding that extra physicality and goalscoring prowess the Gunners need to fend off Man City in the title race.
Although Jesus and Nketiah are diligent workers, their combined goal tally of three this season raises questions about their ability to effectively lead the line, especially for a side chasing their first Premier League title in two decades.
An out-and-out striker could significantly enhance Arsenal’s prospects of sustaining a title challenge. However, the extent of Arteta’s efforts to address the striking situation in January remains to be seen.
Transfer Rumours
Despite having arrived at the Emirates Stadium only last year, Jorginho has found himself at the centre of persistent transfer rumours, and Barcelona is the latest club reportedly expressing an interest.
Jorginho has barely featured for Arsenal this season, amassing just 147 minutes of Premier League football, with Declan Rice firmly establishing himself as the first-choice defensive midfielder.
With Jorginho’s contract set to expire at the end of next season, The Sun reports that Barca are preparing to launch a proposal to sign the Italian maestro in January.
Hale End graduate Emile Smith Rowe has also been linked with a winter departure, with Newcastle United touted as a potential destination for out of favour Gunners youngster.
The injury-prone attacker was strongly linked with a move across the capital during the summer, with Chelsea reportedly keen, but Arsenal’s price tag warded off their London counterparts.
Smith Rowe’s chances of regular playing time at the Emirates are significantly limited, opening the door for a potential exit.
However, Arsenal are expected to demand a substantial fee, given the 23-year-old’s current contract still has two and a half years left to run.
