While manager Unai Emery has managed to take over the reign successfully from Arsene Wenger since his appointment in the summer, the Arsenal boss needs reinforcements if he is to make a Champions League spot. Multiple injuries to key stars over the course of the last six months has affected the Gunners, even prompting an end to their 22-game unbeaten streak.
Now that the January transfer window has opened, the question for Arsenal and company is who to buy and which area to strengthen. Given that their transfer budget won’t be as big as the other top five sides, Arsenal will have to spend smartly over the next few days and ensure they stay within their limits.
The last six months haven’t been the best for Arsenal, watching a lot of their players fall prey to injuries especially key stars like Danny Welbeck and Henrikh Mkhitaryan. That has left manager Unai Emery with a massive hole in his team-sheet and no first-team stars to fill it. While he has used Pierre Emerick-Aubameyang and Alex Iwobi, Arsenal miss bonafide wingers.
Losing both Welbeck and Mkhitaryan has also seen Arsenal change formation to a 3-4-3, which has helped reveal more defensive problems. This is something that needs to be addressed in the January transfer window and bringing in someone on loan makes the most sense.
While Arsenal have been linked with moves for Nicolas Pepe, Cengiz Under and even Ousmane Dembele, it’s an unrealistic expectation at the moment. The right target could be someone like Ademola Lookman, Steven Bergwijn and a few others with an option to buy if the star impresses.
Losing Aaron Ramsey in the January window will be a massive blow but losing him for free when his contract expires will be even worse. The Gunners are already short on key midfield stars and losing someone as valuable as Ramsey without a penny stepping into their war-chest will most certainly add to their problems.
However, replacing the Welshman will cost a lot, given the current transfer economy. With Arsenal chasing after Denis Suarez (via the Daily Mail), the Spaniard could prove to be their man. A versatile player, Suarez’s ability to play as either a central midfielder, right-midfielder or an attacking midfielder adds to his value.
For Arsenal, a team that needs someone that versatile, bringing him in would be a solution to replacing Aaron Ramsey but not the permanent answer. The Spaniard’s inconsistencies are one of the many reasons why he hasn’t done well at Barcelona and that could be a problem for Arsenal.
Something that has been said a million times before and will be said a million times – Arsenal need to fix their back-line. While they did bring in former Borussia Dortmund star Sokratis and former Juventus veteran Stephan Lichestiener, they need another leader in their back-line. Shkrodan Mustafi’s dip in form and concentration have only compounded their troubles.
Although Laurent Koscielny’s return has come at an auspicious time for Arsenal, the Frenchman isn’t getting any younger. At 33, his peak as a central-defender is over. The Gunners need to find a replacement and there are few players in the world who can do that. Not to mention, budget issues will play a big part in their next signing and with Juventus interested in Ramsey, maybe a swap deal could help out.
Arsenal have been linked with a move for Medhi Benatia (via the Mirror) and if Juventus are willing, the Gunners should try to orchestrate a swap for the Moroccan star. This again will be a temporary solution as at 31, Benatia himself isn’t getting any younger. But if his performances last season are anything to go by, it could be worth it.
