Real Madrid wonderkid Arda Gulerplaceholder image
Real Madrid wonderkid Arda Guler | AFP via Getty Images
Arsenal silenced the doubters against Aston Villa but it doesn’t look like Mikel Arteta is going to rest on his laurels.
Stick or twist. The decision that Mikel Arteta and Arsenal faces in the January transfer window as they sit top of the Premier League table into the new year.
An emphatic 4-1 win over Aston Villa, who had been the league’s form team, shows that The Gunners can live without Declan Rice. The manager won’t want to be without such an important player for too long though with Liverpool on the horizon in what will be another opportunity for Arsenal to demonstrate their title credentials.
Against Unai Emery, a manager known for his tactical nous, the second half became the sort of performance that could have seen even more goals scored and a real marker set.
Arsenal’s squad depth paying off
With hindsight, Arteta would have been content with his squad when the transfer window closed even if he has had to do without Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus until the second half of the season. They will add competition, experience and quality, Viktor Gyokeres is battering away, but he isn’t getting enough chances to score.
Whether this is due to his movement, the runs he is making, or those who are tasked with creating chances, the statistic is the same. Jesus has looked remarkably sharp after returning from being out of action for the best part of a year and he will soon be challenging to start.
There is no doubt that that the new signings like Martin Zubimendi and Non Madueke have made a difference.
Directly, Zubimendi has added composure and control, as well as giving more freedom to Rice and Martin Odegaard. Madueke maybe hasn’t quite made the same impact, but with five goals and four assists in 11 starts, Leandro Trossard has clearly upped his game.
The additions in the centre of defence have also been keey during periods of injury to William Saliba and Gabriel. On the face of it, there are no weaknesses in the squad and yet Arsenal have been linked with a host of possible targets.
Arsenal linked with eight new players
According to Caught Offside, no fewer than eight players have been linked from promising defenders to established midfielders and exciting attackers. Davide Bartesaghi, Honest Ahanor, Jérémy Jacquet are three players who have enjoyed breakthrough seasons and would be signed as backup options to start off with.
Ayyoub Bouaddi has a similar profile in terms of age and potential as is Aleksandar Stankovic. Both would cost around the £40m mark, but could add depth and quality. In Ruben Neves, a player who has been offered to Arsenal, Arteta would have the finished article, but a “concrete response” has yet to be made which suggests that he is being considered.
Kenan Yildiz and Arda Guler are also prodigious talents and would provide more creativity and more goals, whether or not they are targets for January, Arsenal fans will have to wait and see.
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