It’s been a rollercoaster ride of a season for Arsenal in the Premier League. The season started with great optimism with 3 wins out of the first 4 in the league, the contract extension of star striker Aubameyang and the signing of Thomas Partey on transfer deadline day. However, what followed was one of the worst runs in Arsenal’s 135-year history with the Gunners winning only 1 out of their next 10 Premier League outings, with their worst start to a league campaign in 45 years. Fortunately for the Gunners, they managed to break their winning drought just after Christmas thanks to the performances of their young superstars Bukayo Saka, Emile Smith Rowe and Gabriel Martinelli and are currently only 7 points behind the top 4. Arsenal will have to make additions in the January window if they are to challenge for the European spots, however.
Here are 3 players Arsenal should look to sign to help them return to the top 4 for the first time since 2016:
3. Max Aarons
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The first player Arsenal should target is a right-back such as Max Aarons of Norwich City to provide genuine competition to Hector Bellerin. The Arsenal academy product has performed admirably over the years at the Emirates but his form seems to have stagnated since his ACL injury in 2018. He has come under criticism this season for his lack of attacking output and poor defensive positioning which has left Arsenal exposed on many occasions. Aarons meanwhile is one of the most promising full-backs across the country and has reportedly attracted interest from top clubs such as Bayern Munich and Manchester United. Aarons was named to the Championship Team of the year in 2018/19 and has been one of Norwich’s standout players this season as they sit on top of the Championship. While he is still a little raw defensively, Aarons is blessed with blistering pace and has a lot to offer offensively as he averages 1.3 key passes and dribbles per game this season.
2. Yves Bissouma
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Despite signing Thomas Partey in the previous window, Arsenal is still light in terms of their midfield options. Dani Ceballos is destined to return to Real Madrid, Elneny is extremely one dimensional and Granit Xhaka lacks the athleticism and discipline to be an elite central midfielder. One suitable partner for Thomas Partey could be Brighton’s Yves Bissouma. Bissouma is an experienced Premier League player who has thrived under Graham Potter on the south coast and is primed for a move to a bigger club. Arsenal lacks a player who can connect the defence and attack and in Bissouma, Arsenal can sign a player who can carry the ball forward and feed it to the attackers. Bissouma is a press resistant, an all-action midfielder who is also extremely combative, as shown by the fact that he ranks 3rd in the league this season for tackles won, with 35. An all-African central midfield pairing of Partey and Bissouma can offer Arsenal the defensive solidity and dynamism they need to help challenge for the top 4 this season.
1. Julian Brandt
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Arsenal’s number one priority for this window is a creative player that can help solve Arsenal’s goal-scoring woes. The Gunners have scored a paltry 23 goals this season and rank 12th in the league for shots on target per 90. After a failed attempt to sign Houssem Aouar in the summer, Arsenal must look at other alternatives for this position and one man who would suit the side perfectly is Julian Brandt. The Borussia Dortmund midfielder has struggled for playing time this season but has impressed whenever called upon. Brandt has created the 4th most shot-creating actions per 90 minutes in the Bundesliga this season with 4.75 and is also averaging 2.37 key passes per 90. He is also a proficient dribbler, averaging 3.42 dribbles per 90 at a respectable success rate of 65%. Brandt can play in multiple positions in midfield and can be utilized in Mikel Arteta’s system on the wing, as a number 8 or as a number 10. A bid in the region of 25 million pounds may be enough to secure the German’s services and he would be a significant addition to this struggling Arsenal set up.
[Image Credit: Arsenal]
Suhail Chandhok
Vertical Head - Sports