Arsenal are riding the crest of a wave in the Premier League this season, and are well-placed to win the title after winning back-to-back-to-back silver medals.
It's been a long time coming, and this envious position is a result of hard, meticulous work from Mikel Arteta and his team. Arsenal are rock-solid at the back, industrious in the middle and crafty up top, arguably boasting the most complete team in Europe.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta celebrates after the match
But with title rivals Manchester City closing in on Bournemouth's Antoine Semenyo ahead of the January transfer window, Arteta has made it clear that he's ready to plug any gaps in his squad, with a midfielder being eyed.
Arsenal consider winter midfield upgrade
Arsenal lack defensive depth, with a number of Gunners stars out injured. Technical director Andrea Berta also continues to search for a left-sided forward, but Arteta is also keen on bringing a centre-midfielder over to the club.
Mikel Merino, for example, flattered to deceive during Arsenal's recent win over Aston Villa, and with Declan Rice missing that one out due to injury, the Emirates side might want to pounce on one of their central targets.
Just after Christmas, it emerged that Arsenal have been keeping tabs on Napoli midfielder Scott McTominay, who has been a revelation in Italy but may be somewhat disgruntled in Naples.
Napoli's Scott McTominay during the warm up before the match
According to Caught Offside, the Gunners are ready to rival Manchester United, the 29-year-old's former employers, for his signature in 2026, and it is expected to cost them around £60m.
Why Scott McTominay would be a Merino upgrade
McTominay has bloomed into a remarkable, talismanic player since leaving Manchester United and joining Napoli, someone who could make more of an impact in the Premier League than Merino. That's no discredit to the Spanish star, rather, an illustration of the Scottish hero's quality.
Napoli's Scott McTominay during the warm up before the match-1
Arsenal gave Aston Villa a hiding before the New Year, but Merino did drift through that one, slightly incongruous beside the fluent Martins in the middle. Football.london saw it fit to hand the 29-year-old a match-low 5/10 rating.
That's not to say that Merino hasn't been indispensable at times since moving to the club from Real Sociedad in 2024, but in McTominay, Arteta would land a slight improvement who could have a significant impact in affecting the subtleties of a title race against one of Pep Guardiola's sides.
After all, the 2024/25 Serie A MVP has changed the narrative that dogged him during his Old Trafford days, hailed by content creator Adam Joseph as being a "true superstar of European and world football"
The two players are actually quite alike. Data-driven platform FBref liken Merino to McTominay, and it's clear to see why. It's also easy to read that McTominay has a more rounded game, more progressive on the ball and crisper in his distribution.
McTominay vs Merino (past 12 months)
Stats (per 90)
Goals scored
Assists
Touches
Shots taken
Shot-creating actions
Pass completion (%)
Progressive passes
Progressive carries
Successful take-ons
Ball recoveries
Tackles + interceptions
Aerials won
Data via FBref
Once described as a "physical monster" by ex-Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjær, McTominay has the grittiness to match the glamour, and it is for this season that he would be such an interesting addition to Arsenal's outfit, adding a different dimension. In Serie A this season, he has averaged 5.5 duels per game.
But perhaps most critically, McTominay has a big-game presence that could help tip the odds for Arsenal as they chase down football's biggest prizes.
It's important that Arteta uses any titles secured this season as a springboard for a sustained period of glittering success. Merino is a core part of this project, but Arsenal have reached a position from which they can be picky.
If it is deemed that a midfield upgrade is needed in the not-too-distant future, then McTominay would represent the subtle upgrade who can make all the difference for a side with greater ambitions than most.
Arsenal-Aston-Villa-Premier-League Related
Modern day Vieira: Arteta's 9/10 lieutenant is driving Arsenal to the title
Arsenal secured a title-defining victory over Aston Villa in the Premier League.