Our Arsenal supporters here in the Football Transfer Tavern are actually rather glad that we’re currently in the middle of an international break with the inevitable injuries the Gunners are suffering right now starting to take their toll.
Prior to Kieran Gibbs’ leveller against Tottenham in the North London Derby last Sunday, Arsene Wenger would’ve looked at his bench devoid of any real game changers although it turned out Gibbs’ introduction was inspired in the end.
With Gunners youngsters Alex Iwobi and Jeff Reine-Adelaide being the only real attackers Arsenal have had on the bench in recent games against Bayern Munich and Tottenham, Wenger will hope that his starters come through international action unscathed while a few of his missing pros recover well in the interim.
Some of our Gooners by the bar are quite rightly claiming that Wenger should have foreseen the fact that Arsenal would suffer their umpteenth injury crisis.
With the stubborn Frenchman refusing to sign an outfield player in the summer, if the injury situation worsens, Arsenal could be lamenting their luck come the end of the season yet again.
While we all know that Wenger doesn’t like to spend as free and easy as other managers, the January transfer window could represent an ideal opportunity to bolster the squad while helping the Gunners to finally get over the line in the Premier League title race.
With that in mind, here’s five players that should be on Wenger’s wishlist come the New Year.
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Click on the image below to reveal the five players that should be on Arsene Wenger’s January wishlist.
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Ayoze Perez
According to today’s edition of The Telegraph who reference Spanish reports, Arsenal have thrown their hat into the ring regarding the potential signing of Ayoze Perez.
With the Newcastle United forward also admired by both Manchester United and Tottenham, you could see Ayoze easily fitting in at Emirates Stadium with the Spaniard capable of playing on the flanks or as a centre forward, much like Alexis Sanchez.
We saw in the summer that the Gunners pinned all their hopes on landing Karim Benzema to no avail and with top class options such as him being unavailable at the moment, perhaps a move for Ayoze as a project player would suit?
As we all know, Wenger has developed the careers of countless players in the past and with Perez on the rise in the Premier League after a steep learning curve at St James’ Park, perhaps Arsenal should test Steve McClaren’s resolve with a substantial bid.
Jorginho
Although talkSPORT reported on November 6th that Napoli’s Jorginho was to sit down with the club to discuss a new contract, prior to this came some coy claims from the player’s agent Joao Santos regarding his potential availability.
A player who is flourishing in Napoli’s midfield right now, Jorginho is a tough defensive midfielder by trade who Arsene Wenger has monitored closely, ever since his days breaking through at Hellas Verona.
Born in Brazil but still awaiting his first cap as a naturalised Italian like Thiago Motta before him, Jorginho will harbour hopes that he can appear for the Azzurri at Euro 2016 and a move to Arsenal would even further boost his profile.
Right now at Emirates Stadium, Arsenal are incredibly reliant on Francis Coquelin staying fit with Mikel Arteta and Mathieu Flamini both not trusted to complete as good a job in the young Frenchman’s absence so a move for a new top class defensive midfielder makes total sense.
With Napoli having played hardball with various suitors over the still prospective transfer of Gonzalo Higuain however, getting Jorginho out of Stadio San Paolo will prove a difficult task so Arsenal will have to be aggressive in this pursuit – something they’ve not been good at in the past.
Sergi Samper
Back on October 29th, the Daily Star reported that Manchester United are looking to beat Arsenal to the signature of Barcelona youngster Sergi Samper but we think Arsene Wenger should be fighting against this interest.
A long-term target of the Gunners, Samper is yet to truly make the breakthrough into Luis Enrique’s first team plans with even Rafinha and Gerard ahead of him in the pecking order right now.
With his first team prospects looking bleak despite being highly-rated in Catalonia, Samper’s buy-out clause still reportedly remains at just £8.5 which is an absolute bargain for a hot prospect such as Samper.
As we’ve seen with Cesc Fabregas, Hector Bellerin and Jon Toral who is currently on loan at Birmingham City, Arsenal have developed Barcelona talent well down the years and Samper’s prospects of first team football would surely prove more realistic at Emirates Stadium?
Benedikt Howedes
With the German international having already admitted in the summer that he turned down a transfer to Arsenal, Benedikt Howedes is back on the Gunners’ radar with Metro referencing German reports that claim another bid could be taking place.
With Per Mertesacker and Gabriel Paulista having looked shaky when Laurent Koscielny isn’t around to partner either of them, the signature of another centre back seems sensible to give the Gunners greater depth and what’s more, this could allow Wenger to send Calum Chambers out on loan.
Chambers’ form has tailed off since a bright start in North London and the signature of an experienced World Cup winner such as Howedes would initially strengthen the Gunners rearguard while allowing the England Under-21 international some value-adding first team experience elsewhere.
Karim Bellarabi
If you could name one position on the field which Arsene Wenger likes collecting new players in, it’s surely in the attacking midfield area, right?
With the Gunners arguably boasting the best collection of attacking midfielders in the Premier League with everybody fit, it’s the defence and striking areas that need the most strengthening but you shouldn’t rule out Wenger doing a Wenger and signing another attack-minded midfielder!
One man who fits that category is German international Karim Bellarabi of Bayer Leverkusen who Metro claim Arsenal are in talks to sign right now.
Also on the radar of Manchester United, Bellarabi is a speed merchant and how the Gunners would love to put somebody of his quality into the team right now in Theo Walcott and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain’s absences through injury.
Currently persevering with the rather raw Joel Campbell, a lot will depend on whether Wenger farms the Costa Rican out of the club in the New Year.
If Arsenal finally burn their bridges with Campbell, then and only then, there may be room for Bellarabi’s arrival with the German being an undoubted upgrade on the Gunners’ number 28.
What’s more, Bellarabi can also play as a centre forward.
