The consensus among Arsenal fans and the football media seems to be that the Gunners have two key transfers to make in January in order to turn us from nearly men and from a top four club into a team which could actually mount a serious challenge on the Premier League and Champions League.
Arsene Wenger has already let it be known that he plans to sign another defender as well as revealing that he tried and failed to do so in the summer. But he has always remained tight lipped about the controversial and much discussed defensive midfield issue, even though many Arsenal transfer rumours have linked us with a host of central midfielders.
It seems to me, and Wenger’s use of Mikel Arteta supports this, that the Frenchman does not want to use a traditional DM, instead preferring the modern Pirlo-like position of deep lying playmaker. Which is why two of the most realistic players linked with Arsenal recently are Sami Khedira and Morgan Schneiderlin. And the latter has, in an ESPN report, spoken about moving to a bigger club, just as he did in the summer before knuckling down and helping Southampton to their fantastic EPL start.
Schneiderlin said, “”I’ve just turned 25, I have made a step up. A career goes quickly, and I want to play at a big club.
“Today I’m at Southampton, we’re second in the Premier League and it’s going well.
“We’ll see at the end of the season what happens, whether we’re still in the Champions League places, and I’ll make choices. I’ll see with my club.”
So assuming that the Saints cannot keep up their early form and do not qualify for the Champions League, it looks like the French midfielder will be looking to move on at the end of this season. I think he could be the perfect signing for us and he fits the Wenger type, but can we afford to wait until the summer or should we try to sign someone else in January.
We know that the Prof does not like the January window and often says that if the right player is not available then he won’t sign someone for the sake of it. What do you think Gooners?