Welcome to The Arsenal Way daily round-up, where we take a look at some of the best Arsenal stories that you might have missed.
Arsenal and Edu are awaiting a final decision on Arthur Melo from Juventus, with Mikel Arteta keen to bolster his midfield options at the club.
Pablo Mari is nearing the exit door after a deal was agreed for him to head out on loan for the remainder of the season.
Meanwhile, out-of-favour striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is set to return from the Africa Cup of Nations early due to concerns over his health.
Let's take a look at the above stories in more detail...
Edu awaits Arthur outcome
Arsenal are 'waiting' for Juventus to make a decision on whether they will let Arthur join the Gunners on loan until the end of the season.
Arteta is reportedly keen to secure the services of the Brazilian who swapped Barcelona for Juve in a deal worth £66 million in 2020, as the club look to add some much-needed depth to their midfield.
However, the Serie A side are said to be reluctant to let the player leave without signing a replacement first, something that Italian transfer expert Fabrizio Romano describes as 'not easy'.
Romano adds that Juventus have been monitoring Denis Zakaria but have yet to make contact with Borussia Monchengladbach.
Our view: The window has been open for 18 days now and, having already allowed Ainsley Maitland-Niles to leave in addition to our AFCON absentees, I find it quite bizarre that we're taking this long to bring someone in.
With Granit Xhaka now suspended following his red card at Liverpool, it is absolutely vital that Edu gets a deal over the line in the coming days.
I'd ideally like to see a player brought in before the second leg of the Carabao Cup semi-final against Liverpool on Thursday, but that's looking increasingly unlikely.
Mari 'finalises' Udinese move
Mari to Udinese on loan is a 'done deal', according to another Romano report.
The Spaniard will fly to Italy to complete medical tests this week after Arsenal agreed to a loan move with the Serie A side, with no option to buy included in the deal.
Arteta made Mari one of his first signings as Arsenal manager after he joined the club on loan in 2020 before the move became permanent later that year.
However, the 28-year-old has been unable to secure a regular spot in the side and has made just 22 first-team appearances.
The Spanish defender reportedly turned down offers from South America due to his preference to stay in Europe.
Our view: It's no surprise to see Mari head out on loan. He isn't getting regular game time and so his desire to leave is understandable.
Arsenal are relatively well-stocked in the centre of defence with Ben White, Gabriel Magalhaes, Rob Holding, Takehiro Tomiyasu and Calum Chambers all options available to Arteta.
The question now is, will Arteta be keen to bring in another left-footed centre-back?
Auba to return to London
The Gabonese Football Federation have confirmed that Arsenal striker Aubameyang will return from the AFCON due to health concerns.
Aubameyang tested positive for Covid-19 earlier this month and medical examinations have since detected 'cardiac lesions'.
Former Southampton and Fulham midfielder Mario Lemina has also been withdrawn from his duties with Gabon after heart complications were also found on his scan results.
According to The Athletic, Arsenal believe there is 'no major cause for concern' after the club doctor made contact with Aubameyang.
Our view: This must be such a disappointment for Auba, who just can't catch a break at the moment.
I wish him a speedy recovery and I'm sure the Arsenal fanbase is very much behind him as he looks to return to full fitness.
The same goes for Lemina too, of course. Health comes first.
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