It’s safe to say that it has been a very quiet start to the January transfer window for the majority of clubs so far, but you still get the sense that a lot will happen between now and February 1st.
With the Gunners facing a run of crucial fixtures against the likes of Tottenham, Manchester United and Manchester City, the lack of activity at the Emirates Stadium is a slight concern for the Arsenal faithful, in particular.
The current shortage of attacking quality and depth was obvious during the 0-0 draw against Newcastle last week, with Mikel Arteta deciding against the introductions of Fabio Vieira, Marquinhos and academy forward Nathan Butler-Oyedeji from the bench as his team desperately searched for a breakthrough.
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Emile Smith Rowe is set to ease concerns as he eyes a return against Oxford in the FA Cup following a three-month spell on the sidelines, but with Gabriel Jesus and Reiss Nelson expected to be out for some time, the need for reinforcements remains a priority for sporting director Edu.
football.london understands talks have taken place with Shakhtar Donetsk over the signing of Mykhaylo Mudryk after an opening bid worth £55million including add ons was rejected. Various reports have also linked Atletico Madrid’s Joao Felix with a move to north London amid claims Arsenal want to sign both players this month.
However, if another forward was to be added to the squad in the coming weeks, it’s likely that space will be created for their arrival. A loan move for Marquinhos cannot be ruled out should Arteta strengthen his frontline, with the Brazilian unlikely to gain many minutes as a result.
The 19-year-old has only made 10 appearances since his move from Sao Paulo in the summer, five of which have come with the Arsenal Under-21s. After scoring five goals and registering three assists, the club will be wary of holding back Marquinhos’ development, making a loan departure a preferable solution.
Another name that is most likely to move on in the coming weeks is Cedric Soares. football.london understands the Portuguese defender has held talks with Fulham and Bayer Leverkusen over a possible move. Villarreal are also believed to be showing interest.
Ben White’s impressive performances at right-back have seen him become one of the first names on the team sheet this season, while Takehiro Tomiyasu has made 15 more appearances than Cedric despite his setbacks with injury. Arteta has stated that Arsenal will be cautious over who they let go though, with both Tomiyasu and Oleksandr Zinchenko often struggling for fitness.
"We know where we are in terms of the squad and the numbers that we have so we’re going to be extremely cautious about what we are going to do in this window," the Spaniard told reporters last month.
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