Arsenal transfer news: Arteta on Vlahovic swoop & a potential Wilshere return/Atletico eye defender
A series of updates surrounding the plans of Premier League giants Arsenal for the January transfer window have come to the fore on Friday evening.
‘Know what we need to do’
The first surrounds a potential Gunners swoop for Fiorentina sensation Dusan Vlahovic.
Serbian hitman Vlahovic, in the midst of a stellar campaign in Florence to date, has of course been hotly tipped to make the move to the Emirates this month.
This comes with now-former Arsenal captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang having been banished to the stands, and both Alexandre Lacazette and Eddie Nketiah due to see their contracts expire come the season’s end.
In turn, speaking during a press conference on Friday, Mikel Arteta was asked whether a swoop for a player of Vlahovic’s calibre could potentially be on the cards in north London over the weeks ahead.
TURIN, ITALY – NOVEMBER 06: Dusan Vlahovic of Fiorentina gives their team instructions during the Serie A match between Juventus FC and ACF Fiorentina at Allianz Stadium on November 06, 2021 in Turin, Italy. (Photo by Chris Ricco/Getty Images)
And the Spaniard, in response, went on to explain:
‘I think with the amount of things and the way that we want to evolve the squad we have to maximise every window in many different ways and we are alert.’
‘Edu and his team are working very hard as we know exactly what we need to do.’
‘Whether we can accomplish that in January or in the summer is a different question as it is related to other stuff.’
‘Again if it is the right player and we can afford it and we can do what we want to do we will discuss it and make the best possible decision.’
‘We are open.’
“We have to maximise every window. Edu and his team are working hard.”
Mikel Arteta says Arsenal ‘are open’ to making a big move in the transfer market this month if the opportunity presents itself.
Full quotes 👇https://t.co/zyQ3Wty8cB
— Charles Watts (@charles_watts) January 7, 2022
‘Very clear…’
Elsewhere in the same presser, Arteta was too questioned on the possibility of Jack Wilshere being afforded a short-term deal with the club.
Ex-Gunners standout Wilshere has spent the last couple of months training at London Colney, amid efforts to secure his coaching badges.
In turn, amid something of a midfield crisis owing to the departures of both Thomas Partey and Mohamed Elneny for the African Cup of Nations, it has been suggested that Wilshere could be handed a fresh chance to pull on the Arsenal red, over the 2nd-half of the term.
The club’s boss, however, was keen to bring a definitive end to such speculation on Friday, reiterating his stance that his one-time teammate is simply not an option to reinforce the capital outfit’s ranks in the middle of the park:
‘I think I was very clear with the situation with Jack and the role that he was going to have being around here and we continue the same way.’
Arteta quizzed about prospect of signing Jack Wilshere to ease midfield issues. Doesn’t sound like a goer.
— Simon Collings (@sr_collings) January 7, 2022
Cedric drawing interest
Last up when it comes to Arsenal transfer updates on Friday evening, meanwhile, comes rumours of a potential departure from Mikel Arteta’s squad.
The player tipped to move on? Cedric Soares.
As per a report from Sami Mokbel of the Daily Mail, La Liga champions Atletico Madrid are expressing a keen interest in the signature of Gunners right-back Cedric.
Diego Simeone and co. are understood to be eyeing up a loan swoop for the Portuguese international, taking advantage of his lack of game-time to this point in the campaign.
It is added, though, that Arsenal are unlikely to sanction such a deal, owing to the departure of Ainsley Maitland-Niles for AS Roma earlier today.
Bit of Arsenal transfer news: Atletico Madrid are interested in taking Cedric Soares on loan with a view to a permanent deal in the summer. But as it stands, Arsenal likely to be reluctant to let him go due to a lack over cover at RB having let AMN go. @MailSport
— Sami Mokbel (@SamiMokbel81_DM) January 7, 2022
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Premier League table
| # | Team | MP | D | P |
| 1 | Manchester City | 21 | 40 | 53 |
| 2 | Chelsea FC | 21 | 29 | 43 |
| 3 | Liverpool FC | 20 | 34 | 42 |
| 4 | Arsenal FC | 20 | 8 | 35 |
| 5 | West Ham United | 20 | 10 | 34 |
| 6 | Tottenham Hotspur | 18 | 3 | 33 |
| 7 | Manchester United | 19 | 3 | 31 |
| 8 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 19 | 0 | 28 |
| 9 | Brighton & Hove Albion | 19 | 0 | 27 |
| 10 | Leicester City | 18 | -2 | 25 |
| 11 | Crystal Palace | 20 | -1 | 23 |
| 12 | Brentford FC | 19 | -3 | 23 |
| 13 | Aston Villa | 19 | -5 | 22 |
| 14 | Southampton FC | 19 | -9 | 21 |
| 15 | Everton FC | 18 | -9 | 19 |
| 16 | Leeds United | 19 | -16 | 19 |
| 17 | Watford FC | 18 | -14 | 13 |
| 18 | Burnley FC | 17 | -11 | 11 |
| 19 | Newcastle United | 19 | -23 | 11 |
| 20 | Norwich City | 19 | -34 | 10 |
| Player | Team | Goals |
|---|---|---|
| Salah, Mohamed | Liverpool FC | 16 |
| Jota, Diogo | Liverpool FC | 10 |
| Vardy, Jamie | Leicester City | 9 |
| Dennis, Emmanuel | Watford FC | 8 |
| Antonio, Michail | West Ham United | 8 |
| Ronaldo, Cristiano | Manchester United | 8 |
| Son, Heung Min | Tottenham Hotspur | 8 |
| Smith-Rowe, Emile | Arsenal FC | 8 |
| Mane, Sadio | Liverpool FC | 8 |
| Raphinha | Leeds United | 8 |
| Mount, Mason | Chelsea FC | 7 |
| Sterling, Raheem | Manchester City | 7 |
| Maupay, Neal | Brighton & Hove Albion | 7 |
| Silva, Bernardo | Manchester City | 7 |
| Mahrez, Riyad | Manchester City | 6 |
| Saka, Bukayo | Arsenal FC | 6 |
| Gallagher, Conor | Crystal Palace | 6 |
| Jorginho | Chelsea FC | 6 |
| Wilson, Callum | Newcastle United | 6 |
| Cornet, Maxwel | Burnley FC | 6 |
| Player | Team | Red Cards | Yellow Cards |
|---|---|---|---|
| Salisu, Mohammed | Southampton FC | 0 | 6 |
| Dennis, Emmanuel | Watford FC | 0 | 6 |
| Tarkowski, James | Burnley FC | 0 | 6 |
| Laporte, Aymeric | Manchester City | 1 | 5 |
| Neves, Ruben | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 0 | 6 |
| Bissouma, Yves | Brighton & Hove Albion | 0 | 6 |
| Skipp, Oliver | Tottenham Hotspur | 0 | 6 |
| James, Reece | Chelsea FC | 1 | 4 |
| Fernandes, Bruno | Manchester United | 0 | 5 |
| Silva, Bernardo | Manchester City | 0 | 5 |
| Pogba, Paul | Manchester United | 1 | 4 |
| Cancelo, Joao | Manchester City | 0 | 5 |
| Robertson, Andy | Liverpool FC | 1 | 4 |
| McGinn, John | Aston Villa | 0 | 5 |
| Canos, Sergi | Brentford FC | 0 | 5 |
| Rice, Declan | West Ham United | 0 | 5 |
| Richarlison | Everton FC | 0 | 5 |
| Rodri | Manchester City | 0 | 5 |
| Ritchie, Matt | Newcastle United | 0 | 5 |
| Westwood, Ashley | Burnley FC | 0 | 5 |
| Player | Team | Assists |
|---|---|---|
| Alexander-Arnold, Trent | Liverpool FC | 9 |
| Salah, Mohamed | Liverpool FC | 8 |
| Bowen, Jarrod | West Ham United | 7 |
| Jesus, Gabriel | Manchester City | 7 |
| Pogba, Paul | Manchester United | 7 |
| Dennis, Emmanuel | Watford FC | 5 |
| Mount, Mason | Chelsea FC | 5 |
| James, Reece | Chelsea FC | 5 |
| Kovacic, Mateo | Chelsea FC | 5 |
| Cancelo, Joao | Manchester City | 5 |
| Robertson, Andy | Liverpool FC | 5 |
| Antonio, Michail | West Ham United | 4 |
| Mahrez, Riyad | Manchester City | 4 |
| Saka, Bukayo | Arsenal FC | 4 |
| Benrahma, Said | West Ham United | 4 |
| Doucoure, Abdoulaye | Everton FC | 4 |
| Rice, Declan | West Ham United | 4 |
| Redmond, Nathan | Southampton FC | 4 |
| Ronaldo, Cristiano | Manchester United | 3 |
| Son, Heung Min | Tottenham Hotspur | 3 |
