The January transfer window is fast approaching and there is a lot of focus on what Arsenal could do to strengthen their squad as they look to challenge Manchester City for the Premier League title.
Mikel Arteta has stated the Gunners hope to be “active” in the market and says they will do something should the right opportunity arise.
So who is being linked with a move to north London in Januarym and what are the chances they could arrive?
GOAL takes a look at some of the names doing the rounds…
Mykhailo Mudryk (Shakhtar Donetsk)
All the talk as January approaches is centred around Mykhailo Mudryk. Arsenal are long-term admirers of the Ukraine international and it appears that he could finally be on the move from Shakhtar Donetsk when the transfer window opens.
Shakhtar refused to let him leave last summer, despite interest from several clubs, and that has proved to be a smart move, with Mudryk’s performances in the Champions League seeing his value soar in recent months.
Arsenal want to bring in a winger in January and Mudryk fits the bill perfectly. At 21, he fits the age profile that the Gunners like to target and he has proven he can compete at the top level of world football. He has also publicly stated how keen he would be on a move to north London.
The big question is whether the Gunners could offer the sort of money that would tempt Shakhtar into doing business.
The Ukrainian club’s director of football, Darijo Srna, has already stated he believes the young attacker is worth around £90 million ($109m) and has pointed to the transfer fees commanded by the likes of Jack Grealish and Antony as proof.
Whether Arsenal would be willing to pay that sort of money for the winger feels unlikely, but their opening £55m offer is a start, and it will be interesting to see who, if anyone, is able to make a compromise to ensure the deal goes through.
Youri Tielemans (Leicester City)
The Tielemans saga rumbles on. Arsenal have been interested in the Leicester midfielder for some time now, but have yet to table a single offer for the Belgium international.
But with Tielemans now having just six months left on his contract at the King Power Stadium, there is an opportunity to land him on a cut-price deal in January.
Whether Arsenal will look to do that remains to be seen, and Leicester could decide to hold on to him anyway, given the relatively low transfer fee he would command.
But Tielemans would be an appealing option for Arsenal at a crucial stage of the season as they look at options to strengthen their midfield.
He is Premier League-ready, so would not need any time to adjust, and he would come with lots of experience.
And given his contract situation, he would not be overly expensive. This is one to keep an eye on.
Danilo (Palmeiras)
Arsenal tested the water for Danilo last summer, but were told in no uncertain terms by Palmeiras that he would not be moving. The Brazilian club were not interested in allowing their midfielder to move on while they were still in the Copa Libertadores.
Palmerias’ determination to keep hold of the 21-year-old is not believed to be so resolute ahead of January, however, with interested parties growing in belief that a deal could be done.
Arsenal have maintained contact with Danilo’s representatives and still hold an interest in him, but have not yet tabled an official offer.
There are other clubs interested in the young Brazilian, including Monaco, so the Gunners could face some stiff competition should they look to get a deal done.
Joao Felix (Atletico Madrid)
Atletico Madrid chief executive Gil Marin has admitted that Felix could be on his way out of the club due to differences with manager Diego Simeone, with there set to be quite the battle for his signature.
The Portugal international moved to the Spanish capital from Benfica for a huge £113m in 2019, but has never really been able to settle in Madrid.
Arsenal are one of the clubs to have been linked with the 23-year-old, with some reports in Spain saying they are leading the race.
As of yet, however, no official contact has been made and a January move feels unlikely, unless Atletico are open to letting Felix leave on loan for the remainder of the season.
There’s no doubt he could be beneficial for Arsenal, especially with Gabriel Jesus’ injury, but as it stands Mudryk appears to be the priority.
Cristiano Ronaldo (Free Agent)
It couldn’t happen, could it? Well, in short, no!
Piers Morgan may be dreaming of Cristiano Ronaldo at Arsenal, but football’s biggest free agent will certainly not be the man to fill the void left by Gabriel Jesus’ injury at Arsenal.
A move for Ronaldo would go against everything Arsenal now look for in the transfer market. It’s just a complete non-starter. Source: goal.com
