Tomorrow night right here in the Football Transfer Tavern, we’re expecting bumper crowds for the huge midweek match-up between both Liverpool and Arsenal at Anfield.
With our big screen projector being set up as we speak, the Gunners will be heading to Merseyside full of confidence after winning three straight games on the bounce after their sorry Boxing Day humbling away at Southampton.
Many Gooners are claiming that if they can get through the next two tough away games unscathed – Liverpool and Stoke City – then their title bid can be considered good enough as genuine, if it wasn’t already; it just depends on whether you’re an optimistic or pessimistic Arsenal fan I suppose!
The wait continues for the first January transfer window signing at Emirates Stadium with Mohamed Elneny’s impending switch from FC Basel still being held up by red tape to Arsenal fans’ continued frustration.
That said, the expectation is that the Egyptian international will be linking up sometime soon and it’s just a shame that Arsene Wenger couldn’t use the Sunderland game in the FA Cup to bed him in.
Talking of new arrivals, there could also be two more in North London if these reports are to be believed with the Gunners reportedly set to beat Bayern Munich to the capture of exciting Nigerian youth international duo Kelechi Nwakali and Samuel Chukwueze.
Although Arsenal fans want players for the here and now, the teenagers are amongst the hottest prospects in the world for their age group and would cost around a combined £3 million.
So say that duo are to arrive; who else could be joining them in North London this month? Lets look at five guys who might be set to follow.
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Click on the image below to reveal the five players who could follow Bayern Munich targets Kelechi Nwakali and Samuel Chukwueze to Arsenal this month.
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Adrien Rabiot
The Adrien Rabiot to Arsenal rumours are nothing new for Gunners supporters but the latest update as provided by The Independent claims Arsenal will ramp up their interest in the Frenchman now that the Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang chase is dead.
With the Borussia Dortmund forward having ruled himself out of a mega money move this month, the word is that Wenger is willing to put those funds into the double capture of Paris Saint-Germain’s Rabiot and Borussia Monchengladbach’s Granit Xhaka for a combined £52 million instead.
Now before you roll your eyes and claim ‘as if Wenger will spend £50 million in January’, the Gunners do need to source top quality replacements for Mikel Arteta, Mathieu Flamini and Tomas Rosicky who are all pretty much set to depart North London in the summer and with Rabiot being a future star in particular, the time to strike for his signature might be now.
As we all know, £15 million-rated Rabiot has been making noises about a departure for some time so perhaps news of a departyure for the Frenchman is actually more believable than it might appear upon first glance.
Nolito
Thought the Nolito to Arsenal rumours had disappeared?
Think again!
The Telegraph referenced Spanish reports earlier today that suggested Arsenal are set to pinch the Spanish international from under Barcelona’s noses.
All along, we’ve known that the former Barca man would prefer a return to the Camp Nou but with Arda Turan now registered to play following the club’s transfer ban, just where would Nolito fit in anyway?
Boasting a release clause worth only £13.4 million of course, apparently it is now Arsenal who will swoop for this relative bargain when you consider a former academy product in Benik Afobe was just sold to AFC Bournemouth for £10 million!
With the chase for Aubameyang now over, perhaps Nolito could help chip in with his fair share of goals in the second half of the season as an ideal attacking solution?
Giannelli Imbula
While there hasn’t been an update on the Giannelli Imbula to Arsenal rumours since January 3rd, it is a deal that could become more prominent as the month rolls on.
A former Arsenal target of course prior to signing for FC Porto in the summer, it hasn’t worked out for the uncapped French ace who hasn’t been playing as much as he was used to at Marseille where he was a key linchpin in their success.
Given this scenario, surely Imbula would have to be on any sort of defensive midfielder hitlist drawn up somewhere in the confines of Emirates Stadium right now given their need for reinforcements beyond Mohamed Elneny for next season.
Imbula would reportedly cost £18.5 million and while Francis Coquelin is tough and combative, Imbula boasts the physical and domineering edge to his game too that a lot of Arsenal fans have been left craving for after the days of Patrick Vieira.
Moussa Dembele
So we’re pretty sure that if Arsene Wenger is to sign a new striker this month, it could potentially be a project player to not disrupt the rhythm between Olivier Giroud and Theo Walcott now that the Aubameyang chase is over.
One man who could fit this category well is Fulham’s Moussa Dembele who is also interesting Tottenham, Liverpool, Manchester United and now Manchester City if you believe what you read in The Express.
With the Cottagers going nowhere fast, surely the young Frenchman sees his future elsewhere but we’ve heard time and again that the Craven Cottage outfit are determined to keep hold of their star man.
But if Fulham do end up giving in, the Cottagers reportedly want £12 million for Dembele’s services and we’ve seen Arsene Wenger spend big on young talent in Calum Chambers previously.
One to watch as the month rolls on.
Mohamed Elneny!!
Ok, this entry is a bit of a joke but given the slug-like rate at which the Mohamed Elneny deal seems to be trudging along to completion, we reckon the Nigerian duo of Kelechi Nwakali and Samuel Chukwueze could actually beat him to North London!
Despite work permit issues holding up this deal, our contingent of Gooners can’t seem to hide their frustration at just how slow their club is when it comes to completing most of their transfers.
We’ve seen Jonjo Shelvey linked with Newcastle United and set to sign on the dotted line almost even before Shelvey to the Magpies was even a rumour itself but when it comes to Arsenal, things seem to rumble on and on and on!
