Arsenal are in search of a new midfielder in January to help bolster their chances of competing for the Premier League title this season. So far, it hasn’t worked out for new £65million signing Kai Havertz in the centre of the park while midfield stalwart Thomas Partey is reportedly considering his options and could leave in the winter window.
Douglas Luiz is understood to be at the top of Mikel Arteta’s shortlist but Aston Villa aren’t keen on the idea of selling him halfway through the season. Unless Luiz pushes for a move away it is unlikely he will be leaving Villa Park in January meaning Arsenal will have to look elsewhere. Here, Express Sport lists four potential fall-back options that the Gunners could sign in the New Year.
Martin Zubimendi
Arsenal have been linked with Real Sociedad’s Martin Zubimendi for a couple of years now and reportedly submitted a formal offer for him last January. According to Spanish publication AS, Arsenal met the £52.7m release clause in Zubimendi’s contract but the 24-year-old made it clear to technical director Edu that he had no intention of leaving the Basque side in the middle of the season due to their Champions League pursuits.
A similar issue may present itself once again this winter with Real Sociedad currently topping their continental group ahead of Inter Milan, Red Bull Salzburg and Benfica but with only eighteen months remaining on his contract, the La Liga outfit may be forced to cash in on their star player.
Andre Trindade
Andre Trindade is expected to leave Fluminese in January after helping his club secure their first Copa Libertadores crown last month. The 22-year-old was heavily linked with a move to Liverpool, however, a recent report in the Liverpool Echo suggests the Merseyside club aren’t looking to sign a new holding midfielder in January.
Andre supposedly has a “verbal agreement” in place with Fluminese club president Mario Bittencourt that he can leave the Brazilian Serie A side at the end of their Brazilian season, which is set to wrap up before Christmas. Arsenal are among a long list of clubs monitoring his situation.
Arthur Vermeeren
Barcelona view Royal Antwerp midfielder Arthur Vermeeren as a natural replacement for Oriol Romeu, who is tipped to leave the Nou Camp and return to Girona at the end of the season. However, according to SPORT, the Gunners are currently the frontrunners to acquire the teenager’s services. He would be a younger and slightly less experienced option for Arteta.
Amadou Onana
Arsenal were linked with Everton’s Amadou Onana over the summer but a switch never materialised. The Belgium international would surely jump at the opportunity of a move up the Premier League ladder but Everton would appear to be less keen on letting him go due to his importance to their bid for Premier League survival. Onana has also been linked with Chelsea.
