The busy festive season is upon us, with Arsenal back in action today (Wednesday) as they look to make it into the final four of the Carabao Cup.
The Gunners host fellow Premier League side Crystal Palace at the Emirates Stadium in the quarter-final of the competition with kick off at 7.30pm. Just days later Mikel Arteta’s side face the same opponents away from home in the Premier League, as they travel to Selhurst Park on Saturday evening (5.30pm kick-off).
As well as the busy fixture schedule, eyes will also be turning to the upcoming January transfer window. The window opens in two weeks, with Arsenal one of the teams who will be looking to do business.
It’s no surprise then that the transfer links have started. With that in mind, here’s a look at a couple of the stories over the last 24 hours.
Marcus Rashford outlines transfer stance
Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford has said that he is ready to move on from the club, amid speculation over his future.
The Gunners have been linked with an interest in the forward, with some reports even suggesting that he has met with Mikel Arteta. Rashford was left out of the United squad for the derby against Manchester City on Sunday.
He has now spoken about his future.
"If I know that a situation is already bad I'm not going to make it worse,” he said in an interview with journalist Henry Winter. “I've seen how other players have left in the past and I don't want to be that person.
"When I leave I'll make a statement and it will be from me.
"When I leave it's going to be 'no hard feelings'. You're not going to have any negative comments from me about Manchester United. That's me as a person.
"For me, personally, I think I'm ready for a new challenge and the next steps."
FL says : It remains to be seen if United would be willing to sell to a club they may see as one of their Premier League rivals, but if Arsenal do show an interest and are able to agree a deal, then it could be a clever piece of business.
The feeling I get around Rashford is that he needs a fresh start. He has previously shown what he can do in the Premier League for United, but has struggled for form over the last couple of years.
A change of club, may just help him rediscover his best form. That would be good news for both the club that signs him and the player.
Striker interest
Both Arsenal and Chelsea are showing an interest in Juventus striker Dusan Vlahovic, according to Gazzetta dello Sport . The forward has scored 11 goals in all competitions this season, with seven of those coming in Serie A.
He is out of contract in 2026, but negotiations over a new deal are said to have ‘not yet been unblocked’. That could give Arsenal a chance to make their move.
The report adds that Arsenal are looking for ‘a real striker’, but will face competition from Chelsea who are looking to ‘upgrade’ on Nicolas Jackson.
FL says: It seems that a natural goalscorer could just make the difference for Arsenal in taking that next step towards the title. That’s been highlighted by the last two Premier League games, where Arsenal have been left frustrated by both Fulham and Everton.
Arsenal’s main threat at the minute is coming from set pieces. While it’s a good thing that it’s such a dangerous part of their game, it does feel like bringing in a natural goalscorer could be a game changer for the second half of the season.