It is common knowledge that signing a big name player in January is extremely hard, but for the right price, and if approached early enough in the window, it can be done. Arsenal fans will know a big signing in January is not the most likely, with loan moves being touted for strikers including Fernando Llorente and more recently Alvaro Morata. Whether it’s now or in the summer, below I explain why and who I think Arsenal’s next three signings should be.
Have a look at Arsenal’s last few, senior signings over the last three transfer windows: Mesut Ozil, Nacho Monreal, Olivier Giroud, Santi Cazorla, Lukas Podolski. Arsene is clearly on the hunt for quality not quantity. It is worth being patient, in some cases, to secure the best signings for the club and therefore the most promising future.
Julian Draxler
Julian Draxler is the name on everyone’s lips right now. Whilst another attacking midfielder isn’t a priority for Arsenal, with Walcott out, Arsenal could really do with the naturally left sided Draxler arriving in January. He has improved each season since he debuted in the Bundesliga as a teenager, and his productivity always increasing. Draxler spoke about Arsenal in November, talking up the club, saying he had heard only good things: ‘I have always said English teams are very big clubs and Arsenal is of course one of them. I sometimes speak to Mesut or Per about the team and they always have good words and they tell me nice things.
It is thought that included in Draxler’s contract is a £40million release clause, a clause which many believe can only be triggered in the summer. It’s a figure which reflects Draxler’s current ability and potential, and one which many clubs around Europe are willing to meet. As well as Arsenal, Manchester City, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich have been heavily linked. Arsenal’s German ties with the player could be key, with Draxler already admitting talking to both Ozil and Mertesacker about the Premier League leaders. The dynamic midfielder is a clear fan of Arsenal as a club and Arsene Wenger, moving to Arsenal would be much safer and probably a better development move than if he were to choose Bayern Munich, Real Madrid or Manchester City.
Wayne Rooney / Diego Costa
It would be very hard to convince Man United to sell to us, but he will have just one year remaining on his contract at the end of the season. Manchester United could well be without Champions League football and if so, Rooney is unlikely to stay. It would be hard to beat the likes of Chelsea to his signature, but he would be the perfect addition. Capable of playing in midfield or up front, Rooney would be able to play alongside Giroud or by himself up top. He’s English, which would add to the growing British core of first team players which includes Gibbs, Jenkinson, Ramsey, Wilshere, Chamberlain and Walcott. He’s Premier League proven and a winner, not only of the Premier League but the Champions League. He’s also very good in big games, never hides and his work rate is second to none. Most importantly he’s a World Class footballer, and that’s what we need at the club at the moment, that’s all we need (apart from youngsters). He’d be a perfect fit, and I think Arsene is well aware of that.
Personally, for the reasons stated above, Rooney would be a better signing than pretty much any other striker on the planet right now, Suarez excluded. The possibility of signing Suarez is very low, as Liverpool proved last summer, they are extremely resilient to bids from fellow Premier League clubs. The alternative for me, to Rooney, is Diego Costa. Both players share several similar attributes, attributes I feel Arsenal are currently missing in the forward’s department. They are versatile, energetic and goal scorers. Add that to an ever improving Giroud and Arsenal have an fearsome strike force. Arsene Wenger has already declared his admiration for Diego Costa, with a £34million release clause, he’d probably be a much more realistic target than Wayne Rooney. This is not due to Rooney costing more, (he’d probably cost less), it’s due to the fact activating Costa’s clause immediately allows Arsenal to be able to agree a contract with the player. In the case of Rooney, Arsenal would require permission from Man Utd, and them accepting a bid, both unlikely scenarios.
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Alternatives
Stephan El Shaarawy / AC Milan / 21 years old / Est. Cost: £25million (summer only – injured)
Seamus Coleman / Everton / 25 years old / Est. Cost: £16million
Fabian Schar / FC Basel / 22 years old / Est. Cost: £6million
There is plenty of rumours about this transfer, but none have hit the headlines in this window, yet. According to French media outlet Le10Sport, Arsenal have been talking with El Shaarawy for months, hatching a ‘secret’ deal to sign the Italian for around £24million. Arsene Wenger is a big fan and the Frenchman told Eurosport in December 2012: ‘El Shaarawy is a very mobile, very technical young player. His philosophy fits perfectly with mine.’ It is not the first time he has discussed a possible move for the Milan forward. El Shaarawy can operate from the left or upfront, and with Theo Walcott ruled out until the end of the season, signing a forward who can play out wide would help boost Arsenal’s attacking options. However, despite taking the Serie A by storm last season, he has struggled to find form this campaign, as have Milan, who sit in the bottom half of the Serie A. With Milan in the position that they are, and having just signing Keisuke Honda, moving for Shaarawy in the summer could be a very clever move by Arsene Wenger. He would probably be available for not much more than £20million, with Milan likely to miss out on European football next season, Arsenal could pounce at the end of the season. He is currently injured until March, so no deal will happen in January. Coleman would be the perfect addition if Sagna does leave, even if he stays, I’d like to see Coleman arrive, with Sagna viewed as cover for centre-back and Jenkinson going out on loan to a Premier League club.
Paul Pogba or Illkay Gundogan / Est. Cost: £25million Arsene is a huge fan of both Gundogan and Pogba, but with his recent comments about Chamberlain’s future being in midfield and Ramsey and Wilshere’s form, I think he’ll wait before going big for a holding midfielder. The midfield is working just fine at the moment, but Flamini and Arteta are aging, and it might be an area he’ll want to address at some point over the next few years.
Wenger will be careful before signing any player on a permanent deal, having struggled to offload the likes of Bendtner, Chamakh and Arshavin, who were all earning high wages at the club. The likes of Diego Costa appear to be the main target, however a January move looks off the cards. This could be why Arsene may prefer to loan someone like Morata. This would allow the club to go all out for their number one target at the end of the season. There isn’t much, but there is some top quality available in January, and in order to win the title, Arsenal may be wise to go all out to secure Jackson Martinez right now.
What signings would you like to see arrive? Be as realistic as possible. Please comment in the section below this article with your suggestions.
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Photo by thesportreview