Andrea Berta could be inclined to splash the cash again this month as the Premier League title race builds a head of steam
11:29, 13 Jan 2026
Andrea Berta, Sporting Director of Arsenal, arrives at the stadium prior to the Premier League match between Everton and Arsenal at Hill Dickinson Stadium on December 20, 2025 in Liverpool, England
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Andrea Berta hasn't been afraid to splash the cash since taking the reins at Arsenal(Image: Photo by Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)
Andrea Berta is in a race against time to bolster Mikel Arteta's squad. The Arsenal sporting director only has a couple of weeks to welcome a new face or two to the Emirates Stadium and strengthen the Gunners' bid for the Premier League title.
Arsenal forked out nearly £300million on new players in the summer transfer window. Berta began by snapping up Kepa Arrizabalaga from Chelsea and Martin Zubimendi from Real Sociedad.
After parting ways with Jorginho and Thomas Partey, the north Londoners needed another new face in the middle of the park, so they signed Christian Norgaard from Brentford. While shopping in west London, the Arsenal chief paid the Blues another visit and secured the signature of Noni Madueke.
Cristhian Mosquera, Viktor Gyokeres, and Eberechi Eze followed the former Chelsea winger to the Emirates Stadium, taking the Gunners' total spend to about £190million. Then, at the eleventh hour, Berta signed Piero Hincapie from Bayer Leverkusen on loan, which includes an option to buy.
Despite having spent so much in the summer, there's always room for improvement. So, with help from BOYLE Sports, football.london has looked at nine players Arsenal could sign before the transfer window slams shut at 7pm on February 2.
Rodrigo Mendoza - 5/4
Mendoza has featured 16 times across all competitions for Elche this season, scoring two goals and providing one assist. The 20-year-old midfielder, whose contract at the Estadio Martínez Valero expires in June 2028, has helped his boyhood club climb into the top half of La Liga.
He burst onto the scene a couple of years ago, making his senior debut in the Spanish second division. Elche were promoted to the top-flight last term, with Mendoza a regular in the matchday squad.
Ayyoub Bouaddi - 2/1
Bouaddi has featured 22 times across all competitions for LOSC Lille this season, providing one assist. The 18-year-old midfielder, whose contract at Stade Pierre-Mauroy expires in June 2029, has helped Les Dogues mount a bid for UEFA Champions League qualification.
Lille have climbed to fourth in Ligue 1, with just goal difference separating them from Marseille in third. Bouaddi has been linked with numerous top clubs in Europe for a while now, so Arsenal would certainly face tough competition.
Marc Guehi - 9/2
Guehi has recently entered the final six months of his contract at Crystal Palace, making him available for a discounted fee this month. The 25-year-old defender almost joined Liverpool in the summer, but Steve Parish pulled the plug on a deal worth £35million, plus £5million in add-ons, at the eleventh hour on deadline day.
Kenan Yildiz - 5/1
Yildiz has enjoyed a meteoric rise to superstardom in Turin, becoming a marquee player for Juventus. The 20-year-old left-winger has featured 26 times across all competitions this season, scoring eight goals and providing eight assists.
Karim Adeyemi - 5/1
Adeyemi has been heavily linked with a move to the Premier League on numerous occasions in the past, but a deal has never materialised. The 23-year-old prides himself as one of the quickest forwards in Europe, but he's struggled to find the net at Borussia Dortmund.
He's featured 23 times across all competitions this season, scoring six goals and providing three assists. Adeyemi, whose contract at the Signal Iduna Park expires in June 2027, has helped the German outfit climb to second in the Bundesliga – yet they're 11 points adrift of Bayern Munich.
Ruben Neves - 10/1
Neves has recently entered the final year of his contract at Al-Hilal, making him an attractive option for lots of top European clubs this month. If the former Wolves midfielder doesn't pen an extension, the Saudi Pro League outfit will be forced to make a difficult decision.
Al Hilal will have to consider whether they'd rather risk losing Neves for free in the summer or cut their losses and cash in before the transfer window shuts. The 28-year-old has largely featured as a six, but he's also filled in at centre-half at times.
Rodrygo - 10/1
Rodrygo was heavily linked with a move to the Emirates Stadium in the summer, but a deal never materialised. The 25-year-old winger, whose contract at the Santiago Bernabeu expires in June 2028, stayed at Real Madrid in the hope that Xabi Alonso would give him more game time.
Like under Carlo Ancelotti, however, he rarely played. The former Liverpool midfielder has since stepped down as the Los Blancos head coach, casting fresh doubt over Rodrygo's future.
Vinicius Jr - 14/1
Vinicius Jr has featured 27 times across all competitions for Real Madrid this season, scoring six goals and providing eight assists. The 25-year-old winger, whose contract in the Spanish capital expires in June 2027, enjoyed a brilliant start to the campaign before going off the boil.
He's failed to score in each of his last 11 games in La Liga, with Kylian Mbappe often stealing the limelight. Álvaro Arbeloa has replaced Alonso in the dugout, and it remains to be seen whether Vinicius Jr will have a part to play.
Kobbie Mainoo - 33/1
Mainoo faced an incredibly uncertain future at Manchester United until Ruben Amorim was sacked. The 20-year-old midfielder will be hoping to establish himself as a regular in Michael Carrick's side and cement a place in the England squad ahead of the World Cup.
While Mainoo may be keen to stay at Old Trafford, his contract expires in 18 months so the Red Devils need to make a decision – and the later they leave it, the weaker their hand becomes in negotiations with both the player and potential suitors.
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