The decision of Arsenal to sell Calum Chambers to Aston Villa on Thursday was a huge shock for the club’s fans – especially with incoming transfers thin on the ground this month.
The decision has weakened what was already a threadbare squad. Fans are now concerned about what the short-term future holds for the club if they cannot bring any new players in before the end of January.
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In reality, the last month couldn’t have gone much worse. Their star striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has fallen out of favour, and they lost out on signing Serbian striker Dušan Vlahović.
To make matters worse, they’ve loaned out numerous players without bringing in replacements. Pablo Mari, Mohamed Elneny and Ainsley Maitland-Niles are amongst those that have departed on temporary arrangements.
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This is in complete contrast to the excellent window they had in the summer. The Gunners brought in the likes of Aaron Ramsdale, Ben White and Takehiro Tomiyasu, who have all been successful additions.
However, they still have time to turn it around. We’re looking at four Arsenal targets who the club could convince to make a late January move to the Emirates:
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Jonathan David
The Canadian goal-scoring sensation has torn apart Ligue 1 since he arrived at Lille in 2020. The 22-year-old has already bagged 25 goals in his 59 appearances for the club.
David is renowned for his pace and innate ability to exploit weaknesses in his opponent’s defence. His supreme talent contributed to Lille winning a historic domestic league title last year. But if he fancies a new challenge, Mikel Arteta could potentially welcome him to North London.
Ruben Neves
According to The Express, Arsenal and Manchester United are hunting for the midfielder’s signature. Wolves will expect no less than £45 million, and if the Gunners can match that, they’re in with a real chance of bagging the gifted Portuguese player.
The 24-year-old would be a fantastic addition to their squad. His accurate passing skill, sharp vision and ability to score incredible goals from range would all but guarantee him a place in their starting line-up – especially given Arsenal’s lack of depth in midfield.
Ousmane Dembele
The Frenchman has all the talent in the world. But unfortunately for the midfielder, his time at the Nou Camp hasn’t gone according to plan. He’s suffered from many injuries throughout his spell with the Spanish giants.
Dembele’s contract saga has been one of European football’s most significant talking points over the past few months. Barcelona are desperate to convince the Frenchman to reduce his salary, but no agreement has been reached. Los Cules are now looking to sell him, with his contract set to expire in the summer.
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Of all the transfers that Arsenal could bring in, Dembele is arguably the best. The 24-year-old needs a fresh start to breathe fresh air into his spiralling career. And what better challenge than a move to the Premier League?
Alexander Isak
Alexander Isak is making a massive splash in La Liga this campaign. The Real Sociedad ace has found the back of the net seven times in his 19 appearances. Therefore, it comes as no surprise that he’s generating attention from all the biggest teams in Europe.
Isak loves the team and their club legend, Thierry Henry, who has inspired him to get where he is today.
However, according to Mundo Deportivo, Isak has no intention of moving clubs mid-season. Arsenal would have to pay Sociedad’s €75 million release clause to enter talks with the player and somehow convince him to make the big-money move.
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If Arsenal can secure one of these transfers, they can keep up the momentum from the last few months that has seen them stride towards the Champions League places. However, if they fail to strengthen the squad, that momentum may quickly fall away.
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