Mikel Arteta needs to make a third January signing amid considerations that skilled midfielder Mohamed Elneny might miss the rest of the season.
The burgeoning partnership between Granit Xhaka and Thomas Partey within the Arsenal engine room has offered a strong platform on which this season’s unlikely title problem has been constructed.
Luckily for Arteta, the pair have missed solely a handful of games between them, but an damage to both might expose the one obvious shortcoming in Arteta’s squad.
Albert Sambi Lokonga has struggled to make an influence since his move from Anderlecht 18 months in the past and although Arsenal have rejected a loan offer from Monaco, Arteta is hesitant to rely on the Belgium international ought to he be missing certainly one of his two senior midfielders for a protracted interval.
Mohamed Elneny, in the meantime, proved a succesful deputy for Partey on the end of last season however, in line with The Times, might miss the remainder of the season with a knee damage.
In consequence, Arsenal are hoping to sign another midfielder in what stays of the window having already spent nearly £50million on reinforcements this month within the shape of Leandro Trossard and Jakub Kiwior.
The Gunners have earmarked Declan Rice as their No.1 transfer target for the summer and are stated to be more and more confident of beating the likes of Chelsea to the signature of the West Ham captain.
Bringing that deal ahead, nevertheless, is out of the query given the finances involved and the Hammers’ precarious position in the Premier League table.
Arsenal have additionally been linked with Juventus’ America worldwide Weston McKennie and the participant’s agent is claimed to be in London in the present day, although it appears that Leeds are profitable the race to signal the 24-year-old.
Everton’s Amadou Onana and Brighton’s Moises Caicedo are additionally firmly on Arteta’s radar but time is quick operating out if Arsenal hope to conclude difficult deals for either participant.
Asked about Elneny’s fitness and attainable additional signings ahead of Friday’s FA Cup tie towards Manchester Metropolis, Arteta stated: ‘I don’t assume he can be (out there).
‘Obviously he had some difficulty in his knee that we're assessing in the mean time and I should see how he advanced in the subsequent couple of days. There are considerations as a result of Mo is a player that by no means complains about something but let’s see.
‘We'd like extra cowl in midfield ideally if we will however clearly on this market it is fairly difficult to try this.
‘As I all the time say crucial factor is that we get the performances and the time on the pitch at present with the players that we've which are already excellent. If there’s anything out there that can make us higher we’ll take a look at it.’
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