It's a new year, but Mikel Arteta will be hoping for a continuation of last year's form as Arsenal march toward the Premier League title, four points clear of second-place Manchester City at the season's midpoint.
Ending the annual year with an emphatic win over Aston Villa, Arsenal dispelled any fears (or rival hopes) that there had been an erosion of fluency and sharpness in recent weeks, with the Londoners labouring to some of their wins in recent weeks.
But they were wins, and that is a clear marker of a great side. Now, the Gunners have entered the January window with a spring in their step, eyes fixed on titles to crown an intense and exhilarating chapter under Arteta's wing.
With Manchester City closing in on Bournemouth forward Antoine Semenyo, Arsenal have changed their stance: they are ready to spend this month, with a wide forward on the agenda.
Arsenal plan to sign forward
Gabriel Magalhaes' goalscoring return against Villa has eased the concerns around defensive depth, with many Arsenal defenders out injured at the moment.
More important is the need for goals. Leandro Trossard is Arsenal's top scorer in the Premier League with five goals. Erling Haaland, by comparison, has 19.
Trossard-Arsenal
With this in mind, the Emirates side are ready to pounce on any opportunities that come their way, and while Semenyo will not ply his trade for his boyhood club, Arsenal's interest has been confirmed by The Athletic, thus suggesting that a wide forward may still be on the agenda.
This is further corroborated by emerging news concerning Real Madrid winger Rodrygo, who is unsettled at the Santiago Bernabeu, according to Friday's edition of Spanish paper Sport, via Sport Witness.
Real Madrid star Rodrygo
The 24-year-old has long been on the Londoners' radar, and now they are understood to be in pole position alongside Manchester City, both clubs in advanced talks.
With a base market value of £75m, Rodrygo wouldn't come cheap, but he would certainly be worth it, and with Semenyo creeping toward the Etihad, Arsenal might just spy an opening.
What Rodrygo would bring to Arsenal
Rodrygo has been a mainstay at Real Madrid for some time, but he's been dwarfed by Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Junior in recent years, and at Arsenal, he would find a golden chance to become a superstar on the left flank, especially given that Trossard has entered his thirties.
Rodrygo
Arsenal could do a lot worse than sign such a versatile forward, who has posted 70 goals and 55 assists for one of La Liga's pre-eminent superpowers.
He is, after all, something of a master when it comes to scoring on the biggest stages.
But given his struggles with Real Madrid over the past year, snapping a 32-game scoreless run in December, there's a sense that Rodrygo needs a change of scenery to remind everyone of his "world-class" ability, as has been stressed in the past by old teammate Luka Modric.
Arsenal have hit the jackpot when striking a similar deal with Los Blancos in the past. Indeed, Mesut Ozil was a special, special playmaker, a cut above his creative rivals in the Premier League when at his best in the Premier League.
The retired German star completed a club-record £42.5m move to the Emirates Stadium in 2013, and he played 254 matches for Arsenal, producing so many assists and winning the FA Cup four times.
Ozil was stylish and silky on the ball, a genius. He was also a strong and industrious player when on his A-game, hailed by Arsene Wenger as the "complete athlete", something shared with Rodrygo, whose skill as "probably the talented and most gifted player" in the Spanish capital, according to teammate Jude Bellingham, is supported by strength and a willingness to outwork those around and against him.
It is for this reason that Arsenal must sign the Brazilian. Arteta's side burst with quality, but they also work hard and selflessly. Rodrygo, who will play in any role designated for him and do so with staunch commitment, could be the perfect addition in this regard.
Rodrygo - Career Stats by Position
Position
Right winger
Left winger
Centre-forward
Attacking midfield
Data via Transfermarkt
For sure, this is a player who has fallen below his level for a while, but he is also one of the most exciting wingers in the world, instrumental in the latest trophy-laden spell in Real Madrid's long and successful history.
He has established this in Spain, but, as Ozil did, it might take a move to London to help him realise the full scale of his potential and become something talismanic for a team who can still compete for the biggest prizes each and every year.
Real Madrid's Rodrygo celebrates scoring their first goal
Given his potential as a 24-year-old, Rodrygo would be a punt worth taking, even at a staggering sum. He's proven, and he has so much more to give, as Ozil did when making the move way back when.
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