Arsenal face a crucial trip to Everton this weekend as Mikel Arteta is hoping to be top of the Premier League tree at Christmas with the January transfer window approaching
Mark Whiley Sports Reporter and Neil Docking
08:57, 19 Dec 2025
Mikel Arteta's Arsenal want to be top of the Premier League tree at Christmas
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Mikel Arteta's Arsenal want to be top of the Premier League tree at Christmas
Arsenal's increasingly fragile hold on top spot will face examination with Saturday night's journey to Everton.
With injuries starting to bite, the Gunners have faltered in recent weeks, falling at Aston Villa before scraping a home victory over struggling Wolves courtesy of a pair of own goals. Mikel Arteta's team now must triumph at the Toffees' new Hill Dickinson Stadium to guarantee they remain atop the Premier League table for Christmas.
Anything short of maximum points will provide an opening for Manchester City, who are just two points behind and welcome West Ham this weekend, meaning they could go top of the table before Arsenal play. Attention has also shifted to the January transfer window, when the Gunners could be busy as they seek to ensure the squad possesses the depth to compete across multiple competitions during the season's second half. Here's all the latest news from the Emirates.
Arsenal fans will be hoping Bukayo Saka signs on the dotted line
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Arsenal fans will be hoping Bukayo Saka signs on the dotted line(Image: Getty Images)
Saka contract breakthrough
Discussions between Arsenal and Bukayo Saka regarding a fresh contract have reportedly reached the home stretch.
The winger still has 18 months remaining on his existing agreement, but given his significance to the club, negotiations have been progressing for considerable time, reports the Mirror.
According to TeamTalk, talks have proceeded smoothly, with only minor details remaining to complete on a fresh deal that would secure him at the Emirates Stadium until 2031, on wages of approximately £300,000 per week.
A source revealed: "Things are going well, talks have gone smoothly and it is understood that Bukayo is ready to sign."
The development would represent the perfect early Christmas gift for Gunners.
Man Utd boss wanted Rice
BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 06: Declan Rice of Arsenal looks on during the Premier League match between Aston Villa and Arsenal at Villa Park on December 06, 2025 in Birmingham, England. (Photo by David Price/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)
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Declan Rice was once a Manchester United target(Image: David Price, Arsenal FC via Getty Images)
It has come to light that during his tenure at Manchester United, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer had his sights set on three big signings, including Declan Rice.
According to the Daily Mail, the other two targets were Erling Haaland, who was then at Molde in Norway, and Jude Bellingham, a Birmingham City player at the time.
Rice, who was with West Ham back then, would have brought some much-needed grit to a United team that, despite struggling to keep up with Manchester City, was still managing to qualify for the Champions League - a stark contrast to their current mid-table predicament.
Mikel Arteta
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Mikel Arteta has had to handle an injury crisis(Image: Rico Brouwer/Soccrates/Getty Images)
While Haaland and Bellingham ended up signing for Borussia Dortmund, Rice remained with the Hammers for a few more seasons, playing a pivotal role in their Europa Conference League triumph in 2023 before moving to Arsenal, where he has emerged as a key figure and leader.
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United, on the other hand, signed Donny van de Beek, who turned out to be a colossal disappointment, while Jadon Sancho joined and Cristiano Ronaldo returned for a second stint at Old Trafford that proved to be less than successful.
It's safe to say that what was United's loss turned out to be Arsenal's gain.