Our Arsenal fans here in the Transfer Tavern are actually fairly happy with how things have gone recently.

There was every chance that the wheels were going to once again fall off this season with results over the last few weeks suggesting they weren’t up for a fight.

They’ve responded well over the last few games, though, as well as grinding out results when they haven’t played well to now leave themselves as the main challengers to Chelsea.

There’s a big eight point gap between the two London sides in the Premier League table, though, and so if the Gunners are to reel them in our landlord reckons some new signings need to be made by the deadline.

Even so, the Gunners could also do with some serious squad pruning over the coming days according to the main man behind the bar and so here are two players that should leave the club on loan in the coming days…

Carl Jenkinson

Hector Bellerin is easily the best right-back at the club and that means Jenkinson is never going to be a first-team starter.

Further to that, Arsene Wenger has preferred to play centre-half Gabriel Paulista in that area when the Spaniard has not been available and so that really suggests that Jenkinson’s time is up. He’s only got a few days left to get something done now, though, and so it remains to be seen what occurs.

Chuba Akpom

It’s a real surprise to everyone that Akpom is still at the club but here we are.

Even so, if he’s going to make anything of his career he surely needs to move on soon and perhaps a loan deal could spark a more permanent future away going into next season. He must have some talent to still be in the Gunners’ squad but he’s not good enough for them and really needs to move on as soon as possible.

Agree, Arsenal fans? Let us know below!