Arsenal are still very much in the hunt for the Premier League title in the second half of the season, although it will not be easy from here, given that they will have to rely on Liverpool slipping up to bridge the gap while dealing with a plethora of injuries to star players.
As such, Mikel Arteta may be keen to re-shape his squad in January, which means a number of players could be on the move to make way for new arrivals. Here, we take a look at five players who could be on the move before the deadline.
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The emphasis may now be on Arsenal recruiting rather than selling, but with financial restrictions to comply with and the pressure of another Premier League title race, the Gunners may need every penny they can get in order to seal the deals to create a successful campaign.
1 Kieran Tierney Linked to: Celtic
If it wasn’t already clear that Kieran Tierney is not part of Arteta’s plans going forward, it was revealed the left-back’s contract will not be extended beyond the end of the season, when it is due to expire.
As such, the Douglas-born defender will be free to leave the Gunners permanently at the end of the season, though there are indications that a deal could be done even earlier.
Sky Sports reported that Celtic were looking to bring the 27-year-old back to Parkhead in January, exploring a pre-contract agreement and loan deal. It has since been claimed that a move back to Scotland for Tierney is close.
There are signs that the full-back is keen on a move back to Scotland given his comments about his former club when asked about a potential return on a podcast back in 2022, saying:
“I think when a player who loves the club leaves, there’s always that, ‘what if he comes back’, and you can’t rule anything out.
“I’m always going to love Celtic, I’m always going to support Celtic, so you never know in football.”
Tierney has enjoyed a brief run in the first team since recovering from injury, so he could be putting himself in the shop window ahead of a potential summer – or winter – move.
Arsenal’s recent injury woes even meant that the full-back was deployed at left-wing in the north London derby, so there may even be a small chance that Arteta finds value in keeping Tierney after all, though it does appear his Gunners days are running out.
2 Jakub Kiwior Linked to: Napoli
Speaking at the end of November, Sky Sports reporter Gianluca Di Marzio suggested the Gunners would be open to sanctioning Jakub Kiwior’s departure this winter amid the defender’s links to Napoli, saying:
“Napoli have asked about Kiwior’s situation and now Arsenal are open to loaning him.
“Antonio Conte is wondering if he is good enough to play for Napoli because he is not playing for Arsenal, but they will definitely ask and try to loan him. Now is the time for him to go back to Italy because he has to play.”
More recently, however, reports have suggested that Arteta is keen to keep the Poland international as he values his versatility. That said, with the 24-year-old’s adviser pushing for a move this winter, an exit is seemingly still a possibility, and a loan move appears to be the most likely scenario.
3 Takehiro Tomiyasu Linked to: Napoli, Inter, Juventus
Much like Tierney, Tomiyasu’s persistent injury problems mean he has been unable to force his way into contention for a regular starting spot at the Emirates Stadium.
This season, the Japan international has been sidelined with a knee problem, limiting him to just six minutes of action in the Premier League, while he is thought to have been unhappy with his place in the squad for a considerable period of time.
Back in September, it was reported that the 26-year-old was “ready to leave” the Gunners amid interest from a host of Serie A clubs, namely Napoli, Inter and Juventus.
At the time, a fee of around £16.7m would have been enough for Arteta to sanction the defender’s departure, although it remains to be seen how much the interested parties are willing to offer in January.
4 Oleksandr Zinchenko Linked to: Inter, Borussia Dortmund
Arsenal could be set for a number of departures in the full-back department this January, as Zinchenko’s future at the club also remains in doubt.
Although the Ukrainian has suffered from a few injuries this season, he has found game time hard to come by even when fully fit, only starting a handful of Premier League games having fallen down the pecking order at the Emirates Stadium.
Serie A clubs are keen on a number of Arsenal players, and Zinchenko is no different, with Inter said to be interested in signing the left-back. The Italian giants have set their sights on the 28-year-old due to his international experience and versatility, and there is a belief that a deal could be done for an accessible price due to his lack of prominence this season.
Reports in the January transfer window have since claimed that Zinchenko is now also wanted by Borussia Dortmund. The Bundesliga side have opened talks with the Arsenal player’s camp, with the Gunners open to a loan exit which includes an obligation to buy.
5 Jorginho Linked to Palmeiras, Flamengo
Jorginho arrived at the Emirates two years ago, but could be on his way out of the club in the January transfer window. The midfielder’s contract is set to expire at the end of the 2024/25 season, although the Gunners do have the option to extend that by a further 12 months, should they wish.
However, it appears as if a move to Brazil could be on the cards in 2025, with Palmeiras and Flamengo two clubs name-checked as potential destinations for Jorginho.
The 33-year-old’s agents have already held a meeting with Palmeiras, and have offered the Brasileirao side the chance to sign him, so that could be one to keep an eye on in 2025.
