Analysis of the Top 10 players Arsenal have been linked to ahead of the January Transfer window

The 2023/24 season has been a good season for Arsenal no matter how you look at it. Currently top in the table, 1 point ahead of Aston Villa and Liverpool. Arsenal has a very good chance of winning the league especially considering Manchester City appear to be weaker this season.

However, the current Arsenal squad is short in some areas. We could definitely do with the signing of another defender, maybe a versatile one who can play centre back as well as right back, or even across all the defensive lines like injured Timber. With the 2024 January transfer window at the corner, it is worth looking at some of the players Arsenal have been linked to so far.  

Below are Top 10 players Arsenal have been linked to ahead of the January Transfer window.

10 – Marc Guehi: 

Age: 23

Nationality:England 

Position: Center Back

Current club: Crystal Palace

Profile: Marc Guehi is a right footed centre half that plys his trade in the English Premier league. He has been a key player  for Crystal Palace since his move in the summer of 2021 from Chelsea after different loan spells. A string of consistent performances from last year till now has earned him a national team call up to the English senior team where he has made nine (9) first team appearances. He is a strong defender who has a lot of abilities that appeal to attacking teams like Mikel Arteta’s side. 

Though he plays primarily on the left hand side of central defence for Palace, he is capable of playing anywhere in the back line. He’s fast, very strong, good on the ball and shows a high level of composure in and out of play. His physicality, ability to read and react to defensive situations has made him a sought after defender in the past two windows. Aside from Arsenal who have been linked with him, the two Manchester clubs as well as Liverpool and Tottenham have all been linked to his signing as well.. Palace, of course, are in no rush to sell their player and value him at 35-40 Million pounds if any deal must be struck.

For Arsenal, a defensive cover is high on the list of priorities. We’ve been plagued with injuries to key defensive players; Tomiyasu and Timber are currently sidelined for extended periods, both Ben White and Zinchenko have also missed a good number of games due to minor niggles, getting cover for their fullbacks and centre backs is important for Mikel’s men, especially as they enter into the business part of the season. If Arsenal  were to fully chase Guehi, reaching an agreement doesn’t seem impossible, especially as the Eagles don’t seem to be demanding a ridiculous amount before letting him go. There have been reports that Palace want between £35-$50 million for Guehi which is quite reasonable considering how much we bought Ben White for as well as what other clubs have paid for good centre backs.

9-Martin Zubimendi

Age:24

Nationality:Spain 

Position:Defensive Midfield 

Current club: Real Sociedad

Profile: Martin Zubimendi is a right footed central defensive midfielder currently playing in the Spanish La Liga for Club side, Real Sociedad. He is a full Spain international and has represented his country eighteen times. Zubi as he is popularly called has been a standout performer for his side and the La Liga in general since making his first team debut for  Sociedad in the summer of 2020 (July 24)

 Since then he has made over 150 appearances for La Real most of which have come in defensive midfield. He has been played more centrally on different occasions so it’s worth noting that he’s a well rounded midfielder, having come through the youth setup in Sociedad. He possesses the natural Spanish flair in midfield…”La Pausa”. That aside, he has a host of other attributes that makes him almost a unicorn profile for his role.

Considering how well he has played this season and last season, it is not a surprise he has attracted interest from big clubs around Europe including Arsenal. With Partey becoming increasingly unreliable, signing someone like Zubimendi will make a lot of sense. Although Partey leaving may be the only way we will be able to afford to bring in another midfielder.

Zubimendi is very good on the ball, press resistant, ability to carry from deep, passing between the lines and an eye for a killer final pass are some of his dominant attacking traits. There have been reports that talks have been held with his club. As a matter of fact, Daily mirror reported a while back that an official bid has been lodged and rejected by Soceidad.

A deal may not be possible in January but a summer deal doesn’t seem very unlikely with Zubimendi hinting previously that he is open to playing abroad and Sociedad valuing him around £40 Million. However, Arsenal are not the only club interested in signing Zubimendi, Spanish giants Barcelona are also reportedly very interested in the player but their financial limitations may hand Arsenal the advantage. Zubimendi is definitely one to keep an eye on as the window approaches.

8-Douglas Luiz

Age:25

Nationality:Brazil

Position: Central Midfield

Current club: Aston Villa

Profile: Douglas Luiz plays as a central midfielder for Aston Villa in the English Premier League. He has made over 176 appearances for the midlands side since his move in the summer of 2019 from Manchester City. Douglas Luiz is right footed and plays mainly in central midfield but just like most players on this list he is versatile enough to play in 2-3 order position aside his main position.

A full Brazilian International, he’s currently one of the first names on the national team squad list especially since injury to teammate Casemiro. Aside from Arsenal, Douglas Luiz has attracted interest from various powerhouses in England like Liverpool and Manchester United. His no nonsense defensive style coupled with his on the ball ability makes him one of the best at what he does. He tackles hard, is a good passer and carries the ball efficiently and his striking prowess is lethal, qualities that make any Midfielder a valuable asset.

Douglas Luiz has been subject of very serious interest from Arsenal for the past two seasons. Last summer Arsenal saw attempts to sign him fail as Aston Villa rejected two deadline day bids from the Gunners. Personal terms are thought not to be an issue and should Arsenal reignite their interest, the only obstacle is likely to be what Aston Villa will demand for him especially if they qualify for Europe. A January deal is unlikely. 

Arsenal midfield looks quite short in numbers at the moment. Injuries and national team participation for certain players (African Cup of Nations in January) would leave us even shorter, hence it is not a surprise that we have been linked with many midfielders ahead of the January transfer window.

7-João Palhinha

Age: 28

Nationality: Portugal

Position: Defensive Midfield

Current Club: Fulham Football Club

Profile: João Palhinha was reportedly close to signing for Bayern Munich last summer and has been linked with a move to the Emirates in recent time, especially on twitter. The Portuguese international is renowned for his tackling and ball winning ability. Palhinha has been a mainstay in his national team side since 2021 and has been a key reason why Fulham are doing considerably well in the EPL. He made his move to the English outfit in the summer of 2022 and since then his stocks and ranks have only gone higher and higher.

Palhinha almost exclusively plays as a defensive midfielder as his ability to win the ball and give long passes is best used there. After a successful campaign at Fulham where he made the most tackles in the entire division, he caught interest from clubs both within and outside England. Liverpool were heavily interested but seemed perturbed by the huge fee of over £55 Million Fulham labelled on their prized asset. Fulham reportedly accepted a bid from the Bavarian Giants, Bayern Munich and the deal was set to be completed, with Palhinha already flying to Germany for a medical but the deal fell through as Fulham couldn’t find a replacement and he returned back to England. Despite admitting he was disappointed not to move, Palhinha has clearly brushed that aside and has continued to perform at a very high level for Fulham. However, considering how well Palhinha has played this season for Fulham, it won’t be a surprise if he moves in the summer. Will that move be to Arsenal? Only time can tell.

Liverpool are also touted to be after the highly sought after defensive midfielder and might want to make a scoop either in January or in the summer. Fulham will however be confident that they will only sell their star player if their valuation of him is met as the player recently signed a new contract.

6- Ferran Torres

Age:23

Nationality: Spain 

Position: Right Winger

Current Club: Barcelona 

Profile: Ferran Torres is a versatile winger who plays primarily from the right but is capable of playing anywhere across the front three. For Arsenal, Ferran Torres is a name that always hangs around every transfer window within the last two years. The Spaniard joined Ferran Barcelona in the winter window of 2022. However since his move he has struggled heavily to nail down a starting berth and has always been linked with a move away. 

Arsenal has always been touted as a possible destination primarily due to Mikel Arteta’s history with former Manchester City players. Beyond that, Ferran Torres is also a very formidable attacking force especially when he’s full of confidence. He has a very good eye for goal, lethal finishing, and his sizzling dribbling ability makes him both a creative outlet and a goal threat. The fact that he has played in the Premier league before makes him even more interesting for Arsenal.

Ferran’s main problem has been inconsistency which could be tied down to both his injuries and possibly reluctance to play in a specific position. Without a doubt when he is fit and firing, he brings a lot to his team and clearly can be a good addition to this Arsenal team. Arsenal have long been in the market for a right winger to provide competition for Bukayo Saka and rest when necessary, Ferran Torres would provide that and more. Barca’s financial situation could help Arsenal sign the player for cheap.

5- Dusan Vlahovic 

Age: 23

Nationality: Serbia

Position: Centre Forward 

Current Club: Juventus

Profile: Dusan Vlahovic is left footed striker who has been on Arsenal’s radar for quite some time now. The Serbian international currently plays for Serie A giants, Juventus. Vlahovic has been one of the most sought after strikers in Europe for a while now, and for very good reason. A deadly left foot, a commanding presence in the box, and aerial ability rivalled by very few makes Dusan a very complete finisher and striker.  

Despite only making a big money move to Juventus only two years ago, the Serbian is still attracting a lot of interest from Europe’s top sides like Chelsea, Real Madrid and Of course, Arsenal. The Gunners have held long standing interest in the 23 year old since his time at Fiorentina. Talks were reportedly held with both player entourage and his then club side, however under dramatic circumstances the player rejected advances from Arsenal even after terms had been agreed with his club. 

Vlahovic had dreamt of playing for Juventus and held strongly to that dream despite very firm interest from Arsenal in 2022 winter transfer window, his dream did come to a reality after he eventually sealed a big money move away from Florence after a bid of over 70 million euros was offered by Juventus in a deal which saw Dusan move to Turin.

However, almost two short years later, that dream hasn’t been as rosy as expected, Juventus have been hit with a lot of restrictions with the FFP breathing down on their neck, they are in a similar position to Barca where they must make some high profile sales to balance the books.

Arsenal’s interest in Vlahovic still remains, as the Gunners have yet to find a centre forward who is lethal enough in front of goal, their current striking options, Eddie Nketiah and Gabriel Jesus leave quite a lot to be desired especially in terms of finishing chances. Signing Vlahovic, especially if a deal is possible in January, could be a game changer for Arsenal.

He is obviously not in the same vein of form which saw him score over 50 goals in his last two seasons in Florence, but his ability remains, if given the right system he would flourish again like before, and few teams look as promising as Mikel Arteta’s current Arsenal team. 

4- Victor Osimhen

Age: 24

Nationality:Nigeria

Position: Centre Forward 

Current club: Napoli

Profile: Victor Osimhen is the leading marksman for Italian outfit Napoli. The Nigerian striker has been linked to many clubs as we head into yet another transfer window where interest for Napoli’s prized asset always comes to the fore. Napoli’s President has on different occasions reiterated that Victor isn’t for sale as big clubs circle around him. 

Victor was signed by Napoli for a huge fee, around 70 million euros after a stellar season in Lille where he was named the best African in the Ligue 1, he initially struggled with injury after arriving in Naples but a scintillating display within the last year has had other clubs buzzing for the player. Chelsea, United, Barcelona, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich and Arsenal have all shown significant interest in signing Osimhen. That alone says a lot, young and hungry for more success. After helping Napoli to their first scudetto in thirty-three (33) years, Victor has shown more potential than most strikers his age. A very good finisher with a knack for always finding space for himself, incredible work ethic, good link up play, unbelievable physical strength and deadly instincts to top it off, Osimhen strongly looks like the complete package and most clubs know that.

Arsenal have held long time interest in Victor as he almost joined them right after his World Cup exploits with the Nigerian U-17 team. The move didn’t materialise under the then Arsenal coach Arsene Wenger but Arsenal have kept tabs ever since and with the need for a high profile signing and deadly finisher needed around the club, Arsenal have more interest in Victor than ever before.

Does Arsenal have a chance? Considering how much we paid for Declan Rice, one would think we are back to spending proper money on ready-made players and if the trend in the last few transfer windows are to be considered, then Arsenal have a good chance of signing Osihmen in the summer.

3- Florian Wirtz

Age:20

Nationality:Germany

Position:Attacking Midfield 

Current club: Bayer Leverkusen 

Player Profile: Florian Wirtz is a creative attacking midfielder who plays for Bundesliga side Bayer Leverkusen. The youngster who is only 20 years of age is mature far beyond his years. Wirtz has been attracting interest from Europe’s top sides, Arsenal inclusive. 

Shouldering the creative duties of one of the most mesmerising attacks in Europe at the moment, speaks volumes of his quality, primarily a right footer but ambidextrous to a good extent, versatile as he can play centrally, behind the striker and out wide. Ball carrying, ball striking and final pass are among his strongest qualities which makes him such a threat attacking wise. His numbers are quite impressive and he would surely add another dimension creatively to the current Arsenal midfield if a deal was furthered. 

However that seems quite unlikely in January, Leverkusen are in no rush to sell any of their key players especially are they are fighting for their first ever bundesliga title.

2- Marcos Leonardo

Age:20

Nationality: Brazil

Position: Centre Forward 

Current club: Santos 

Profile: Leonardo is a talented young striker who has been linked with several clubs around Europe in recent times. Coming through the youth set up at Santos, the Brazilian Under 20 international has been on the radar of European clubs like Arsenal for a while now. He has a very good eye for goal and the finishing to match and like most Brazilians has quick feet which helps him wriggle out of tight positions and makes him a constant threat to the opposition. Though very young, he has a lot of potential with a very high ceiling, under the right circumstances, he has what it takes to play football to an elite level. Arsenal are clearly in need of high level finishing in front of goal but it’s unclear what path they would take to finding it. 

If a cheap option was required, then surely a target like Leonardo will become more attractive as it would cost less than £15 million for a deal to be struck. Arsenal’s technical director Edu who is Brazilian may also be a further incentive for Leonardo to take a big jump. The presence of the likes of Gabriel Magalhães and Martinelli at Arsenal could add another perspective to the deal, definitely one to watch as it unfolds.

1- Ivan Toney 

Age: 27

Nationality: England 

Position: Centre Forward 

Current club: Brentford 

Profile: Ivan Toney is a well rounded striker who is contracted to Brentford, a club Arsenal seems to have a solid business relationship with. Toney is still serving a ban for breach of betting regulations, however, it has been widely reported that the Englishman could be sold in the winter transfer window as Brentford do not want him to run down his contract.

Arsenal are surely one of those teams with Ivan Toney reportedly a primary transfer target for the Gunners. A very good finisher, incredible link up, can play effectively with his back to goal and can be an aerial outlet, in many ways Ivan Toney is the perfect man for Arsenal’s frontline. Hence it is not a surprise that  Arsenal have been linked to him. 

According to Fabrizio Romano, Toney will be excited to sign for Arsenal. Valued at around £50 million, this price tag is quite fair and within Arsenal’s ballpark.

Betting Odds Of Arsenal Signing Ivan Toney In January

From all indications and considering what Arsenal needs, it is obvious that Ivan Toney is the best bet for Arsenal to sign a striker in January. According to the best betting sites in Australia and in the United Kingdom, Toney is 7/4 odds on to join Arsenal this winter. 

However, one issue is Nketiah. If Toney is signed, he’s surely going to have a major role to play, and that means Arsenal’s back up striker Eddie Nketiah would seek a move elsewhere as it would almost be impossible to have 3 playing strikers without one being unhappy. Nketiah would drop further down the pecking order, and a move away would be almost certain, Arsenal could also use him as a makeweight in the deal for Toney especially as Bryan Mbeumo who is Brentford’s other option is injured and set to miss as much as 12 weeks of action.

All that is sure is that Arsenal would be busy in this transfer window..and one of the players on this list might just end up wearing the famous red and white of North London at the end of January, which one do you think it will be?