Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta is facing an incredibly hectic January transfer window, with a spate of exits and arrivals scheduled at the Emirates stadium if all goes to plan.
The Gunners are fiercely hunting down the Premier League title, and find themselves locked in a three-way battle for glory with rivals Liverpool and Manchester City.
Arteta’s men fell at the final hurdle last season, after leading the top flight for the majority of the campaign, only to be undone by a late, and somewhat predictable, surge from Pep Guardiola’s City.
With the January window now in motion Arsenal will set about their business early and will listen to offers for Mo Elneny, Cedric Soares and Nuno Tavares, as report the Daily Star.
Arteta and his Arsenal superiors in the board room are however determined to keep hold of Emile Smith Rowe, despite the playmaker falling down the pecking order in north London.
Elneny, Soares and Tavares have attracted attention from numerous clubs, and Arsenal now reportedly view the trio as easy solution to bring in additional funds.
Soares, who has six months left on his contract, has fielded interest from Turkish giants Besiktas and Trabzonspor and is understood to be willing to entertain the idea of a move overseas.
Likewise with Egypt star Elneny, who is also out of contract at the end of the season, interest is being registered which Arsenal believe could turn into a fruitful agreement.
Elneny has admirers in Saudi Arabia, and while the clubs in the Middle East will be unwilling to pay well over the odds for the 31-year-old, less haggling over a set price is expected in order to be able to take the player in mid-season.
The Gunners will also reportedly consider cutting Tavares’ loan at Nottingham Forest short if a suitable offer comes in, from which they can make a tidy return.
The full-back was signed by Arsenal from Benfica in July 2021, for a fee just shy of £10m.
Tavares’ time in north London has been nothing short of a disaster however, with the Portugal star failing to settle and turning in a host of error-strewn performances.
Despite a need for cash to aid a spending spree, Arsenal are not set to consider an exit for Smith Rowe, either via transfer or a loan agreement.
Arteta is understood to view the England star as a valuable asset in his plans, despite the likes of captain Martin Odegaard and record signing Declan Rice well ahead of him in the midfield ranks.
The Gunners are still hopeful of acquiring a top level striker in the coming weeks, with Brentford star Ivan Toney top of the wish-list.
