Arsenal fans are delighted to see their club returning to its best form in years. The Gunners have endured a challenging period, but under the guidance of Mikel Arteta, they have emerged as one of the top teams in England. Last season, they were contenders for the Premier League title but ultimately fell short to Manchester City.
However, they remain resolute and have shown even more improvement this season. After a 20-year wait, they are currently in second place in the Premier League and have a strong chance of winning the title this season. They are currently making preparations to add additional players to avoid a repeat of last season.
Arsenal’s top three transfer targets unveiled
Arsenal’s lack of roster depth cost them the championship last season. They had a solid team, but injuries and suspensions left them without backups. While they have spent a lot of money this summer on the likes of Kai Havertz and Declan Rice, they want to further strengthen the team in the upcoming January transfer window. The Athletic reports that Mikel Arteta has three targets that he wants to be signed this January, with a defender and midfielder as strong priorities.
With many injuries already taking place and taking into consideration that many African and Asian players will miss a month due to the upcoming CAF and AFC continental competitions, it is imperative for Arsenal to make transfers. The injuries of new signings Jurrien Timber and Takehiro Tomiyasu have already compounded the urgency for a new defender, with the manager himself expressing concern.
đŁď¸ @gunnerblog on Arsenal: âAt the moment, the top priority is the defence with possible consideration given to midfield. Itâs worth saying âat the momentâ because January windows are, by their nature, quite reactive. Even a few weeks ago, there might have been a different answer⌠pic.twitter.com/9cdEk0eUwd
— afcstuff (@afcstuff) December 27, 2023
One of their targets in this position is Jorrel Hato, who plays for Dutch club Ajax and is only 17 years old. He is very versatile, as he can play in both the left back and left center back positions. The North London club could ask Ajax for a loan deal for the teenager. Nico Schlotterbeck and Matthijs de Ligt are two options, but they will be very expensive.
Arsenal also want another midfielder, as with Declan Rice often carrying them, they could need a good backup for him. Martin Zubimendi is an option, but it is said that he is very loyal to Real Sociedad, where he is a very important player. He had previously rejected Barcelona in the summer transfer window. Another option is Douglas Luiz, but he also signed a new deal at Aston Villa, where he is key to their recent rise in form.
Arteta also wants to bring in a new winger to provide good backup to Gabriel Martinelli, who scored the winner against Manchester City, and Bukayo Saka. Wolverhampton Wolves’ Pedro Neto is being rumored, but it remains to be seen if it does happen.
Ex-Arsenal star points out the star that raises worry
While Arsenal are worried about who to bring in, they also have to take into account the players they have. Former Arsenal player Paul Merson believes that the team must be wary about one of the current stars, who may cost them games.
That player is left back Oleksandr Zinchenko, who is one of the most crucial players at the club. He is very versatile, which is a very important part of his talent. But he has one issue, and that is his apparent lack of defensive acumen.
Paul Merson on Zinchenko: "I think they need Zinchenko for games against bottom-half teams, where they can go and play and dominate the game, but when they play the big boys [they donât]" https://t.co/zkwdw06YHr
— Gunners (@Goonerplanet) December 26, 2023
Merson said to Sky Sports, “This could be their problem: The left-back. Thatâs poor defending against Liverpool.”
He further said Zinchenko is a good player against teams they could dominate against, but not against their rivals, “I think they need Zinchenko for games against bottom-half teams, where they can go and play and dominate the game, but when they play the big boys they donât.”
It remains to be seen what Arsenal decides to do in the transfer market, but for now they have to focus on beating West Ham on Friday which would secure their place as league leaders.
