Arteta to make key signings in January
In his three years at the club, Arteta has sold virtually every player signed by Emery
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta is expected to target a January signing to boost title hopes and further his overhaul of the Arsenal side inherited from Unai Emery.
The Spaniard wants to add a winger to freshen his squad, and Shakhtar Donetsk’s £70 million-rated forward Mykhaylo Mudryk is on his radar. Orlando City winger Facundo Torres has also been monitored and the player’s agent, Edgardo Lasalvia, is expecting talks over a move away from the MLS.
Arteta would also look at a central midfielder, but Aston Villa’s Douglas Luiz is no longer available after bids were rejected in the summer and he signed a new contract at his club. Palmeiras’s Danilo has also been considered in the central role.
In his three years at the club, Arteta has sold virtually every player signed by Emery, including club-record buy Nicolas Pepe, along with high-profile arrivals Lucas Torreira, Bernd Leno, David Luiz and Matteo Guendouzi.
Kieran Tierney is the last man standing from Emery’s arrivals and it looks inevitable that the Scotland international will attract interest from clubs.
He is starting only in Europa League games, and Cedric Soares was brought on at left-back ahead of him against Nottingham Forest last weekend.
Emery also signed Gabriel Martinelli and William Saliba but neither were first-team regulars until the arrival of Arteta, who has been backed in the transfer market and allowed Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and £72 million signing Pepe to leave.
Drafting in a winger would ease the workload of England forward Bukayo Saka, who was forced off during Sunday’s 5-0 win over Nottingham Forest, lasting just 27 minutes after taking a kick to the ankle, just over three weeks until England open their World Cup campaign against Iran.
Saka trained at Arsenal’s London Colney base ahead of tonight’s clash with FC Zurich at the Emirates Stadium and Arteta revealed he could be in contention to feature.
Arteta explained Saka was trying to play through the pain before the decision was taken to replace him.
“Bukayo just missed one or two [training sessions] and he was fine today,” said Arteta.
“We’re using our brains and our common sense, but obviously he had a kick. He was uncomfortable with it, we made the decision to get him off and now he’s feeling fine.”
