Mikel Arteta did warn us that Arsenal’s main aim in the January transfer window would be to trim down our bloated first team squad, and we would have to agree that him and Edu have certainly achieved that objective.
On the arrival side, we have brought in Mat Ryan, which was an urgently needed backup to Bernd Leno, and the Real Madrid youngster Martin Odegaard, who will hopefully take some pressure off Smith-Rowe as a creative midfielder.
Our very first signing was the 19 year-old Omar Rekik from Hertha Berlin for 600,000 GBP. This was our paid-for signing in this window…
Other than that, the emphasis has been on getting unwanted players out the door or sending promising youngsters out on loan to gain experience.
So here are all the outgoings in full….
Mesut Ozil – Fenerbahce (no comment needed)
Sead Kolasinac has returned to Shalke to try and help them with their relegation battle.
He has now been joined by Shkodran Mustafi late last night…
Sokratis was also released and returned to Greece with Olympiakos.
Ainsley Maitland-Niles has gone to help Big Sam with West Brom’s relegation battle as well, and to give him a chance for regular first team football..
Joe Willock has joined Newcastle for exactly the same reasons as Ainsley..
The youngsters we have sent out on loan for their development are….
James Olayinka’s (so far successful) loan with Southend United has been extended until the end of the season.
Midfielder Matt Smith has been released from his Swindon Town loan, and has now joined Charlton Athletic for the rest of the campaign.
The young defender Joseph Olowu has joined Wealdstone on loan.
And our 20 year-old defender Zech Medley has been recalled from Gillingham and has now gone to Kilmarnock on loan.
And that, folks, is every single Arsenal transfer from January…