After a particularly successful 2022/2023 season, even if there was not this Premier League title at the end, the Gunners are back with great momentum for this 2023/2024 financial year. They could even take the lead in the championship in the event of a victory against West Ham this Thursday, and will play in the knockout stages of the Champions League next February. And to go all the way – or as far as possible – in these two competitions, Mikel Arteta is aware that he will need reinforcement…
And The Athletic takes a big look at what awaits the London team during the month of January. No doubt, Arsenal intends to strengthen, and there are two priority positions: first a central defender, then, if there are good opportunities, a midfielder. But above all, the media gives names of players targeted by the Gunners, and they are particularly interesting. If the club’s objective remains a loan with an option to buy, there are names that will please London fans.
Beautiful people
In central defense for example, Arsenal is thinking in particular of Nico Schlotterbeck, the German central defender from Borussia Dortmund. He is one of the players preferred by Mikel Arteta’s staff. There is also Matthijs de Ligt, who needs no introduction. Both would still be quite expensive avenues for a winter transfer window. Still in the axis of defense, there is the promising Jorrel Hato (17 years old), one of the rare satisfactions on the Ajax side this season, and who could in the future compose a nice duo with Jurriën Timber, who expected to return from his injury in 2024.
What about the environment then? The name of Douglas Luiz (Aston Villa) comes up very often in internal discussions. Not a surprise, since the Gunners had already tried to offer him in recent months. A transfer this winter promises to be just as complicated, as for Martin Zubimendi, the pillar of Real Sociedad. For the offensive sector, we are talking about Ivan Toney (Brentford) and Pedro Neto (Wolves), even if the outposts are not currently the priority sector for the Londoners. Case(s) to follow.
