Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta
Mikel Arteta and Arsenal are gearing up for the January transfer window
Arsenal are seemingly back on track ahead of the frenetic festive fixture schedule and the January transfer window.
The Gunners have aspirations of finally ending their 20-plus year wait for the Premier League title and, for once, Manchester City seem beatable. But they trail Arne Slot's Liverpool at the summit heading into the Christmas fixtures.
It remains to be seen if Mikel Arteta and co will be seeking any major reinforcements in January. They should, theoretically, have the funds required to land another striker after keeping their powder dry in the summer, but the Arsenal hierarchy could decide to wait until the end of the season given how notoriously difficult the January window is known to be.
With the transfer window now just weeks away, Mirror Football rounds up all the latest transfer news and gossip from The Emirates...
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Arteta beaten to wonderkid
Manchester United have beaten Arsenal to two transfer targets after striking deals for Emmanuel Ziro and Diego Lyon.
Ziro confirmed earlier this week that he had signed with United despite interest from Arsenal and Chelsea, as outlined by The Evening Standard.
And the Gunners are also said to have been interested in Lyon, who is poised to join United from Cerro Porteno. The left-back, 18, will join officially for a €8million (£6.3m) fee in the coming days.
Gunners target told to move
Xavi Simons
Xavi Simons has once again been linked with a move to Arsenal
Join the debate! What do Arsenal need to do in the January window? Let us know here
Glen Johnson reckons Arsenal transfer target Xavi Simons would flourish in the Premier League if he were to make the switch from Paris Saint-Germain.
"For his size, he’s quite physical and he’s very good technically, so I believe he’s the type of player that would thrive in the Premier League," Johnson told Betfred of Simons, who has been linked with Arsenal on numerous occasions.
"He’s playing at the top level, for a good team and we always say it’s risky signing a player that’s never played in the Premier League, but with a player like him, I don’t think it’s risky at all.
"£66 million’s not too bad for a player that’s going to be knocking on the door for a starting place in the team."
Arteta drops transfer hint
Mikel Arteta has left the door open for Arsenal to add to their squad in the upcoming transfer window.
The Gunners boss was quizzed about potential business in his pre-match press conference ahead of Arsenal's meeting with Everton this weekend.
And while he stressed that he wasn't expecting January to be particularly busy, he teased: "I never expect January to be super busy but some surprises always come. Hopefully the availability of the squad is going to be better in recent weeks."
Read what Arteta said in full here!
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