After missing out on bringing a midfielder to the Emirates Stadium on deadline day, a central star remains firmly at the top of Arsenal's transfer wish list. Amid injuries to Mohamed Elneny and Thomas Partey, the Gunners lodged numerous late bids for Aston Villa's Douglas Luiz, but a deal couldn't be completed.
While Arsenal's start to the season has been almost faultless in terms of results, there is a feeling among the Gunners fanbase that their side are light in midfield. Elneny is a long-term absentee, while Partey has already had a couple of different injury problems this season - leading to Jermaine Jenas saying that Mikel Arteta 'can't rely' on the Ghanaian.
The rumour mill is already turning ahead of the January transfer window, with Luiz, Youri Tielemans and Manuel Locatelli among those linked with a move to north London. Luiz has left than a year left on his deal, Tielemans is in the same contract situation at Leicester City, while Locatelli was a target for Arsenal before he even joined Juventus.
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However, despite reported interest in those three players, Edu has been told that he should sign two midfielders over any of them. Former Gunners midfielder Emmanuel Petit believes Arsenal should go in for Brighton duo Moises Caicedo and Alexis Mac Allister.
Caicedo has been linked with a move to Chelsea to re-unite with old boss Graham Potter, while Mac Allister has reinvented himself this season as a deep-lying midfield player. While he was Brighton manager, Potter was asked about reports that a club had made a bid of £42million for Caicedo, to which he replied "you'd probably get his boots for that", highlighting that the Sussex club won't let him go on the cheap.
"I have been hearing about Tielemans and Douglas Luiz. I would go after two Brighton players," Petit told Compare.bet.
"Moises Caicedo and Alexis Mac Allister, they are playing very well every week. I’m a huge fan of both of them. If I got the chance I would take them for Arsenal."
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