Jak Netting

It’s often said that doing business during the January transfer window, especially good business, is difficult. That being said, Arsenal find themselves in a position where they simply can’t afford to get it wrong.

The Gunners have, somewhat surprisingly, emerged as the only viable challengers to Manchester City this season, and currently find themselves 7 points ahead of the reigning champions but know that the work is only just beginning – with 23 games still remaining in the season. Things haven’t been exactly plain sailing though, especially since news broke of Gabriel Jesus’ injury during the World Cup with Brazil – which will see him sidelined for around 3 months having had surgery on his knee. This has left Mikel Arteta in a tricky position. Eddie Nketiah has shown glimpses that he is very capable of scoring goals but has yet to suggest that he is capable of filling the huge void caused by Jesus’ absence. But buying a player to fill a gap for only 3 months is risky, especially if there is no guarantee that the player will have a long-term future at the club beyond that point. That being said, two main transfer targets have emerged for Arsenal, so let’s look at what they could offer the club:

Mykhailo Mudryk

Having first been linked with Mudryk last summer, rumours have persisted that the 21-year-old Ukrainian starlet could be London-bound and these rumours have only intensified in recent weeks. Fabrizio Romano last night confirmed reports that Arsenal have made an offer worth a total of €60M, someway short of the €100M that his club, Shakhtar Donetsk are said to be holding out for. The youngster has caught people’s attention this year having accumulated 13 goal involvements in 12 appearances in the Ukrainian Premier League and he also made waves in the Champions League where he got 5 goal involvements in 6 games – against Celtic and RB Leipzig. He has played predominantly on the left wing but has also shown himself to be perfectly capable of playing up front and can even fill in on the right-hand-side if necessary. This is good for any potential transfer because it means that he will be able to continue playing a significant role even once Gabriel Jesus returns to action – something which should go a way in justifying the outlay required to sign him. At only 21-years-old Mudryk’s potential is immeasurable and would be a tremendous fit for both the way Mikel Arteta wants his Arsenal side to play and also the transfer policy that he has instilled at the club over recent windows. It does, however, feel as though a deal for the forward in January will be difficult and it would be more likely to see an agreement reached in the summer, despite the player’s public eagerness to complete the move.

João Félix

Another young talent, though much more well known, João Félix has struggled since his staggering €127M move to Atlético Madrid from Benfica in the summer of 2019. He has amassed 37 goal involvements from 94 appearances in La Liga for the Madrid giants but struggled with injury last season, having missed 12 games due to 3 separate injuries as well as a further missed game having contracted COVID-19, meaning he struggled to find any real momentum. He’s had a mixed start to this season, contributing 3 goals and as many assists in the league despite averaging 43 minutes per game across 12 appearances – and often being used as a substitute. Both parties are open to a loan move, which would be ideal for Arsenal as a short-term Jesus replacement. That being said though, Atlético are said to be demanding a loan fee of around £8M as well as 100% coverage of his reported £5.3M net salary – and are thus far unwilling to include an option to buy in any potential deal, though they are said to want upwards of £85M in any potential permanent move. Because of these points, Arsenal likely view Mudryk as a better valued option – but that isn’t to say that Félix wouldn’t add real quality to the Gunners’ squad for the remainder of the season. He’s a player with the world at his feet and his frightening pace and clinical finishing means he’s capable of scoring goals against any defence. Ultimately the owners and transfer team at Arsenal must decide whether €100M plus wages for a permanent signing represents better value and quality than over €10M to sign Félix for just 6 months.

So those are the main targets linked to Arsenal – but why is this decision, and entire transfer window, so important this time?

Because Arsenal fans will no doubt be feeling a real sense of de ja vu ahead of this transfer window. This time last season, Arsenal were 4th, leading a battle against West Ham, Manchester United and North London rivals Tottenham for Champions League qualification. But rather than investing in their squad, Arsenal decided to stick, bringing in 0 players despite the ugly departure of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. Meanwhile Tottenham bought in real quality in Dejan Kulusevski and Rodrigo Bentancur from Juventus. Kulusevski hit the ground running, scoring 5 and assisting 8 from 18 appearances in the league, meanwhile Bentancur also solidified their midfield. Ultimately, the duo proved to be the difference at the end of the season as Tottenham finished 2 points ahead of Arsenal, beating them to a place in this season’s UEFA Champions League. While we will never know for sure, many have fairly drawn the conclusion that Arsenal’s failure to act in the January transfer window is what cost them top 4, and fans will be fearful of seeing a repeat of this.

“We don’t need a ‘body’, we need a player that makes the team better.”

Mikel Arteta

Arteta has made it clear that he won’t sign somebody for the sake of it, they have to be the right player and fit his system. We also know that Kroenke Sports & Entertainment don’t offer managers an open cheque book, and will only enter the market if the deal makes sense both on and off the pitch. For all of these reasons and the players that they have been linked with, I believe that Mudryk would be the best option for the Gunners. Not only do I feel like he could make the difference in their title fight, but he has both the ability and potential to leave his mark in the club’s history books for years to come. This isn’t to say that João Félix wouldn’t be a good signing, and isn’t me questioning his undoubted ability and potential, but an excess of £10M for at most 6 months feels a poor choice to make – especially when it means having to enter the market for a similar player in the summer anyway. If, however, Mudryk isn’t made available for a transfer January, then a loan move for Félix ahead of signing Mudryk at the end of the season would make sense, even if it proves expensive.

Ultimately this window will likely be the difference between eternal glory or bitter disappointment – but only time will tell which fate the club will face. One thing is clear though – Arsenal want to bring players in.

“We are going to be active (in the transfer window) and active means that we are looking to strengthen (the squad).”

Mikel Arteta

Which proposed signing would be best for the Gunners’ title hopes and who else should they look to sign? Let me know!