Arsenal have completed one signing this month so far, Cohen Bramall arriving from Hednesford Town. The highly-rated youngster will most likely be registered to the youth team and if that’s the case, Arsene Wenger is yet to bring in a new player that will improve the first team.
The Gunners are currently in fourth place as the top six are starting to pull away but Arsenal are in danger of losing their Champions League spot due to the increased competitiveness in the league this season.
Although in the past Wenger hasn’t spent much during the January transfer window, there is no better time than the present to reinforce as the Frenchman attempts to win his first Premier League title in 13 years.
Despite the general strength of the squad and quality available for the manager, here are the three key areas that still need addressing this January if Arsenal are to challenge for the title.
Debutant Cohen Bramall played 83 minutes as Arsenal U23s came from 1-0 down at half-time to beat Southampton 1-3 tonight. #afc pic.twitter.com/4PNVZY1XnE
— afcstuff (@afcstuff) January 16, 2017
FIRST-CHOICE LEFT-BACK
Current first-choice left-back Nacho Monreal has been very inconsistent compared to last season and has been regarded as the weakest link in the Arsenal back four. He has struggled to cope in the company of a winger with pace and many of the goals conceded by the Gunners have been from his side of the pitch.
With Kieran Gibbs suffering from injury problems, preventing him from getting a good run of games, Arsenal could really do with a younger left-back who isn’t prone to injury.
Hard-working, fast, intelligent full-backs don’t come cheap, but Arsenal have been linked with Valencia’s Jose Gaya. The fact that the La Liga side are in a mess on and off the pitch, could increase the chances of the transfer happening.
Arsenal may face a lot of difficulties should they fail to sign a quality left-back this month. The Gunners have been known for producing first-class players in that position over the years, with Ashley Cole and Gael Clichy among those illustrious alumni.
POTENTIAL SIGNINGS: Jose Gaya (Valencia, £25m) Dijbril Sidibe (Monaco, £30m)
RIGHT-BACK COVER
Arsenal saw Callum Chambers leave on loan to Middlesbrough over the summer and though Mathieu Debuchy returned to the club after a short spell at Bordeaux, Hector Bellerin has made the right-back role his own.
The Spaniard has rapidly become an integral part of the Arsenal team, a talented presence on both sides of the pitch. From recovering to defend with his unstoppable pace to offering another dimension in attack, Bellerin has been brilliant. And after apparently rejecting an offer from Manchester City and signing a new deal with the Gunners, it’s become clear that the 21-year-old wants to stay at the club.
The problem for Wenger’s side is that when Bellerin was out with an injury this problem, Debuchy deputised but only lasted for a short period as his injury problems returned – leading to centre-back Gabriel Paulista having to play out of position. Although the Brazilian did a good job defensively, he didn’t pose much of a threat going forward and is not a long-term solution.
As Carl Jenkinson is reportedly close to completing his permanent departure from Emirates Stadium to Crystal Palace, Wenger needs a reliable understudy to Bellerin. It could turn out to be a problem for the rest of the season, if they don’t act fast.
POTENTIAL SIGNINGS: Rick Karsdorp (Feyenoord, £15m) Hugo Mallo (Celta Vigo, £10m)
REPLACMENT FOR SANTI CAZORLA
The final piece of the jigsaw involves finding a replacement for the ageing Santi Cazorla, who appears to be getting more and more injury prone. In an interview last week, Wenger revealed that the Spaniard is far away from a return and could be out for longer than three months.
Cazorla has been heavily missed and the former Villarreal player simply makes Arsenal tick when he’s fit to play, though he doesn’t receive as much credit as the likes of Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez. From dictating play in the middle of the pitch to producing the goods in the final third, Cazorla has truly become the unsung hero at the club.
The 32-year-old has become a huge influence within the Arsenal squad over the years. Although Arsenal are lacking leaders in the squad and summer signing Granit Xhaka still needs a bit more time to adapt to English football, a replacement for Cazorla will not be easy to find this month.
Jack Wilshere is the closest player Arsenal have to Cazorla but with Wenger going against using a recall clause in his loan move to Bournemouth, fans will have to wait until next season to see the English international in an Arsenal kit again.
POTENTIAL SIGNINGS: Oliver Torres (Atletico Madrid, £20m) Youri Tielemans (Anderlecht, £25m)
