What do Arsenal need in the January transfer window? by Vivek
After our poor run over the festive period, it is clear we need to do some business in this transfer window. If we are to have a chance of winning the Premier League, three quality signings are needed.
FFP could be an issue, so we should look to offload players like Eddie Nketiah and Jakub Kiwor. These players have proved they are not good enough for us as we want to win major trophies.
Firstly, and most importantly, a striker is needed. I have been saying we needed a striker even when Gabriel Jesus signed as written in an article in November 2022. We lack goals, Gabriel Martinelli and Martin Odegaard have not been flring like last season and Jesus and Nketiah are not good enough to win the title as our striker options. Although Bukayo Saka is putting up numbers, his performances have been poor this season. A big mistake was made in buying Kai Havertz over Mohammed Kudus would have been great competition for these players.
The obvious option is Ivan Toney from Brentford but it is unlikely they will sell unless it is 80 million or above. I would pay that, as he is a proven goal scorer in the league and a quality player, but I don’t see Arsenal paying that sort of money in January. Another option is Dominic Solanke, who is enjoying a great season at Bournemouth scoring 12 goals so far. He would be much cheaper and in my opinion, it is a punt worth taking. He is a different striker to Jesus which is what we should be looking for. Why not take a chance on him?
Secondly a defensive midfielder should be our next priority. We cannot rely on Thomas Partey to keep fit, although he is a quality player, he is unreliable. Declan Rice has been a great signing so far but has ran out of steam over the past couple of games. A quality defensive midfielder would allow Declan Rice to play a bit further forward and not solely being relied on as our only defensive player in the midfield. Martin Zubimendi has been linked from Real Sociedad, although I haven’t seen much of him, I have had a look at his stats and the Real Sociedad fan reaction to him, he seems a good player and worth buying.
And lastly, a centre back is also required in case William Saliba or Gabriel pick up an injury or loss in form. It is a hard to find the quality like these two but either one of the Crystal Palace duo of Joachim Andersen and Marc Guehi would be a great addition to our squad. Also, Kieran Tierney should be recalled, I don’t know why he was sent out on loan as he can defend, unlike Zinchenko who is a liability, which fans are now starting to realise.
Edu and Mikel Arteta must act this transfer window and bring in quality to bolster our chances of winning the title and going deep into the Champions League. Last January they failed in the window by only bringing only one quality player in Leandro Trossard, but then bringing in Kiwor and Jorginho who are not good enough. This window is make or break for Arsenal’s season and will determine how serious this club is at aiming to win the major honours this season.
Vivek Julka
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Nketia is average and Jesus isn’t a striker
Get rid
Kiwior hasn’t got enough games yet, so we shouldn’t ship him out
As for Solanke, he’ll be expensive because his contract will only expire in 2027 and he’s an in-form homegrown CF with years of EPL experience
It would make more sense if we try to loan Sesko
The criticism of Kwior is totally unjustified and suggests that the writer of the article has very little practical knowledge of what skills are required to make a good centre back.
“Make or Break”😂
Vivek, you’re seriously suggesting that we buy a striker, a defensive mid and a centre back, all in this transfer window, at a likely minimum cost of £150 mil. Even if FFP were not an issue, do you really expect KSE to cough up that sort of money?
On what football planet are you currently residing?
Our most viable option is for a loan deal or two, a la Raya, and some sales of our own to boost summer purchases.
Other than possible loan deals I really do not expect much incoming activity. 99% of the transfer news is purely click bait.
Let’s see what MA can do if anything
My hopes are not high but I’m not without hope
What we need and what is going to happen this January window are two different things. The chance of buying players in the 3 positions the author suggests are practically zero in this window. Clubs understandably don’t want to weaken their team halfway through a season so I don’t expect much to happen. I would have rather we integrated a few of our outstanding academy players a bit sooner then they might have been ready to step in.
We need a striker. We used to spread the goals, but now that Saka and Martinelli are being doubled up on we need a top striker.
Really, how could we compete with City to the finish line, of course, when we barely have an eleven, while they have at least 22 top class footballers…and when we say top We mean it doesn’t go any higher..we even the strong eleven looks like a ship that looks like waters. We can’t compete with the depth and dynamics of City, who again will take what championship The truth is that no team can, the gap is too wide…..Look, they will always be first and then they will never get out of there again…some circumstances brought us to the top for a while But we immediately got nauseous, just like Tottenham, Aston Villa, in a little while it will catch Liverpool as well, maybe Liverpool is stronger than us, but for God’s sake as long as this City exists Liverpool are mere mortals and it will show in a little while. All we can do is build carefully season by season….which is what we are doing…we have been very unlucky with a big new stone, the timber, but that’s life. With two transfers now, and two or three top players in the summer, maybe next year we’ll enter stronger. To me, that’s a realistic goal.
Sorry to need to say this Vivek, as I can see you are a keen and passionate fan, but what you suggest we do in the Jan window is never going to happen. Not a hope, even for a man like you, who to me seems to be devoid of alll football reality.
Kroenke is NOT Father Christmas and FFP will prevent ANY serious spending at all.
Most of us on JA are well aware of that. It seems, sadly, that you are unaware.
while I agree with you that FFP and big spending last summer means little scope this January for big moves
I am less convinced ‘most of us on JA are well aware of that’ as many many JA posters seem to continuously bang on about Ivan Toney in January who at £100m and not kicked a ball in 8 months is a massive financial risk Arsenal can plainly not afford
so does your statement shut done Ivan Toney in January nonsense?
Play Havertz or Trossard as CF or false nine’s. Give Saka and Martinelli a break and let the likes of ESR, Nelson and academy players see more game time.
Saka and Martinelli need the break to reinvent themselves since they have been found out and rendered ineffective most of the time.
Play G Jesus as a winger or as a #8. Play a back three of Gabriel Maghales, Saliba and Ben White. Convert Zinchenko to a defensive midfielder alongside Rice.
I believe these new changes would puzzle opposition and help Arsenal return to winning ways.