Fabrizio Romano next to the Arsenal badge - copyright F365
Fabrizio Romano next to the Arsenal badge.
Transfer insider Fabrizio Romano has revealed that Arsenal are looking to strengthen two positions ahead of the January transfer window.
The Gunners signed Illan Meslier (free, Leeds), Piero Hincapie (£34.5m, Bayer Leverkusen), Christos Tzolis (£34.12m, Club Brugge), Bruno Guimaraes (£75m, Newcastle) and Ezri Konsa (£51m, Aston Villa) in the summer transfer market.
Arsenal spent many weeks attempting to sign several marquee attacking targets but in the end they couldn’t get deals for Morgan Rogers, Vinicius Junior or Julian Alvarez over the line.
Tzolis was their main attacking addition to replace Leandro Trossard, who left to join Turkish side Besiktas, but they also allowed both Gabriel Jesus and Gabriel Martinelli to depart too.
And Arsenal have made a new big-name attacker their “next priority” ahead of the January transfer window, according to Romano.
Romano said on the Here We Go podcast: “Yeah, Arsenal are still looking at strikers. That’s the reality, they are considering options, looking at options.
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“Then I would not call that as something imminent or urgent because Arsenal are very happy with the strikers they have.
“Arsenal are scoring a lot of goals, so at the moment they are quite happy and relaxed I would say with the options they have at striker position.
“Then if you ask me for 2027, striker is an area they want to cover is an area where I expect Arsenal to do something.
“If it’s not going to be January it might be in the summer transfer window. The timing we will see, it’s too early now, it’s still September., but Arsenal are looking at a striker as the next priority for Arteta.”
On which strikers Arsenal are looking at, Romano added: “We said about Julian Alvarez. Let’s see what kind of striker is going to be available in 2027.
“For example, Kroupi at Bournemouth is another player who was in the list at Barcelona, at Arsenal, at Manchester City, at PSG. Several clubs wanted him.
“So, let’s see if Arsenal will go back in conversations for him or not. But there are several names that Arsenal are considering.
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“Arsenal will explore all the options because I expect a new striker, probably is most likely is in the summer transfer window.”
When asked what other positions Arsenal are looking at, Romano replied: “Look, I will keep an eye also right-back for example, because at that position probably Arsenal could consider new opportunities in probably the summer 2027 unless there is a big name available in January.
“Arsenal usually in January really don’t like to to make anything big happen, only if there is the right opportunity, otherwise they prefer to relax and wait for the summer transfer window to go for the player they really want.
“So this is going to be the view and the way once again for for Arsenal.
“So right -back is an area to keep an eye on. Striker is an area to keep an eye on. They are delighted with the strikers they have and with the right-backs they have. But I think an addition also in that position is something that could be likely.”