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Football Manager 2024 predicts how the January transfer window could play out for Arsenal.
Arsenal enjoyed a productive summer transfer window and one that Mikel Arteta will hope has laid the foundations for a successful season.
The Gunners went into the summer still hurting from missing out on a first Premier League title in two decades - but that disappointment was wiped away by some eye-catching additions. Firstly, a loan deal for Brentford goalkeeper David Raya was converted into a permanent switch after he established himself as Arteta’s first-choice stopper and he was joined by Real Sociedad midfielder Mikel Merino and Bologna defender Riccardo Calafiori.
Loan deals for Chelsea winger Raheem Sterling and Bournemouth goalkeeper Neto rounded off the incomings for the summer - but there is still work to be done as the Gunners challenge for silverware on a number of fronts.
Thoughts are now fully focused on the January transfer window as Arteta gets a chance to add to his squad and make some major decisions over some current Gunners stars. A striker seems to be high on the agenda for Arteta but there are several other positions within his squad that seem to be under consideration.
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That all got us wondering - just what business could be conducted in January? We fire up Football Manager 2024, edit the Arsenal squad to its present form and allow the world’s most popular managerial simulation to predict how the first month of the new year could play out at the Emirates Stadium.
January outgoings
There were four departures in total and two came within the opening week of the window as midfield duo Jorginho and Thomas Partey were both allowed to leave the Emirates Stadium with just six months left on their current deals.
Rather than lose the experienced duo, the Gunners opted to sell them and rake in a combined £17m as Partey joined Serie A club Napoli and Jorginho was snapped up by Paris Saint-Germain. After two weeks of inaction, the Gunners authorised two further sales in the final days of the window as Belgian winger Leandro Trossard joined Atletico Madrid in a £26m deal and Kieran Tierney was allowed to return to Celtic on loan for the remainder of the season. The Scottish Premiership giants also have an option to convert that move into a £7m permanent switch during the summer.
Jorginho left Arsenal to join PSGJorginho left Arsenal to join PSG
Jorginho left Arsenal to join PSG | Arsenal FC via Getty Images
January incomings
Rather than incomings, we will focus on who is staying at the Emirates Stadium first and foremost. Oleksandr Zinchenko and Takehiro Tomiyasu both put pen-to-paper on new three-year deals after entering into the final 18 months of their current contracts. Youngster Myles Lewis-Skelly also penned a new long-term deal.
However, the big news came in the final week of the window after Arteta’s squad was strengthened with two costly additions. Trossard’s departure to Atleti allowed the Gunners to move for PSV Eindhoven winger Johan Bakayoko in a £39m deal and he was joined by Bayern Munich star Joshua Kimmich after Arsenal agreed a £40m fee with the Bundesliga giants.
What happened next?
Quite simply, a lot! Unfortunately, a Premier League title bid fell well short as the Gunners ended the season 19 points behind champions Manchester City. In fact, the Gunners had to settle for fourth place as Chelsea finished the season as runners-up and Liverpool claimed third.
After seeing their Carabao Cup run come to an end before Christmas, domestic silverware was claimed with the FA Cup as Bakayoko, Bukayo Saka and Kai Havertz all netted in a 3-0 final win against Brighton and Hove Albion. After coming through the league phase of the Champions League, the Gunners went out of the competition in the first knockout stage after suffering a 3-2 aggregate defeat against Bayern Munich.
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