The January transfer window is opening in just over a week's time. It is a chance for clubs to get business done to strengthen their squads for the Premier League run-in.
With clubs thinking about Financial Fair Play and Profit and Sustainability Rules, like they were in the summer, it is not expected to be a window where huge sums of money are spent.
Arsenal may look at the market for a striker, to bolster their attacking options, but Mikel Arteta admitted he was not expecting it to be a busy winter window for the Gunners. He did, however, admit that "some surprises can happen", suggesting he will be looking out for any potential deals that may go under the radar.
The winter window is not just for signing players for the here and now, though. Premier League clubs can have talks with players in foreign leagues whose contracts are up in the summer, to come to a pre-contract agreement with them over a free transfer in the summer.
Here are five such players that may interest Arsenal in January...
Leroy Sane
Sane has been linked with a return to the Premier League, following a four-year spell in Germany with Bayern Munich. He spent four years at Manchester City, where he scored 25 goals in 90 appearances and has been linked with Arsenal in the past. With Raheem Sterling's loan move only for the season, Mikel Arteta may look for another wideman and Sane is one he has worked with before.
Joshua Kimmich
Another Bayern Munich player on the list - Kimmich is entering the twilight of his career, but has proven his quality time and again and with Thomas Partey and Jorginho in the final year of their contracts, defensive midfield is certainly an area Arteta will look at in the summer.
Jonathan David
Arsenal looked at a number of forward players in the summer transfer window and David's name was brought up for a potential Premier League move. Has continued to impress in Ligue Un for Lille and has 0.77 goals per 90 minutes so far this season.
Jonathan Tah
Arsenal are blessed in the central defence department with possibly the best pairing in the league with Gabriel Magalhaes and William Saliba. But beyond those two they could do with reinforcements, and Tah would be a stellar signing.
Olivier Boscagli
Perhaps the least-well known name on this list, but another potential centre-back signing for Arteta. Boscagli is only 26 and has been an almost ever-present for a PSV Eindhoven side who have conceded just nine goals in the Eredivisie this season, topping the table with only one defeat in 12 games.
Dani Olmo
And here's one that would be a major signing. Dani Olmo has been temporarily registered to Barcelona fo the first half of the season, having signed in the summer. Financial issues meant the deal could not be done in its entirety, with La Liga giving the Catalan club the chance to register him temporarily.
That temporary deal runs out on December 31 with no sign of it being extended at the moemnt and that could alert Premier League teams like Arsenal, as, according to reports, the failure to extend his league paperwork would mean he’d be free to leave his boyhood club for a second time.
He would be an incredible free signing who could actually join in January.
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Arsenal Manager Mikel Arteta, Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard and Gabriel Jesus with the Arsenal Therapy Dog Win during the Arsenal Men's team group shoot at London Colney on September 18, 2023
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