JANUARY is fast approaching and Premier League clubs will already have started making their wish-lists for the winter transfer window.
Arsenal will be no different as Arsene Wenger looks to get the players that will help his side back into the top four and the Champions League.
Leon Goretzka has been heavily linked with a move to the Emirates, but with the Schalke winger out of contract in the summer, he is unlikely to join in January. Our friends at Football Whispers look at five of the top Arsenal transfer targets ahead of next month.
Steven N’Zonzi
Once at Blackburn Rovers and Stoke, Sevilla midfielder N’Zonzi already has plenty of Premier League experience. Last season, he was one of the best midfielders in Spain, and was subject of Arsenal, Manchester City and Chelsea transfer rumours in the summer. Gunners fans will have got a glimpse of what he can offer in the summer, when he impressed for Sevilla against Arsenal in the Emirates Cup. He scored against the Gunners and was arguably man of the match in the Spanish side’s 2-1 victory, showing Wenger what he could offer with a commanding performance in the middle of the pitch.
While he thrived at Sevilla last season under Jorge Sampaoli, N’Zonzi isn’t getting on as well with Eduardo Berizzo, who took over in the summer. The 28-year-old was hauled off at half-time during the Spanish side’s 3-3 draw with Liverpool and that’s led to him looking for a move away. N’Zonzi told France Football: “The coach pointed the finger at me [during the Liverpool game]. I will not repeat it, but his words affected me.
“Publicly, he said in future he would only select players who fit his vision for football. What does that mean?
“Whether in a 4-3-3, 3-5-2 or any other formation, a player must adapt to what his coach demands and I have always done it.
“The fact I was always professional despite the circumstances, that I always did my job, I found it unfair.
“My future is clearly away from Seville. The only thing that disappoints me is the way it has ended.”
Arda Turan
Turan needs a move away from Barcelona. His time there has been a disaster ever since they announced his arrival from Atletico Madrid in the summer of 2015. He couldn’t play until January 2016 due to Barca’s registration ban and the midfielder struggled to break into the first team and hold down a consistent starting place. Since the arrival of Ernesto Valverde in the summer, the Turkey international hasn’t played a single minute and it’s clear his future lies elsewhere. Arsenal are believed to be chasing the 30-year-old and that speculation only increased with a picture of himself in London on Instagram. He was linked with the Gunners in the summer and any move seems more likely now as Barcelona are willing to let him go to get him off the wage bill.
Jonny Evans
Speculation linking Evans with a transfer away from West Brom doesn’t stop.
The former Manchester United defender is one of the Baggies’ shining lights and arguably deserves to be playing for a club higher up the table.
He was a Manchester City transfer target in the summer, with Pep Guardiola’s side making a bid that was rejected, although speculation linking him with Arsenal won’t go away.
In September, Evans admitted there had previously been contact with the Gunners.
“After the Euros there was interest from Arsenal. You just deal with it as a footballer,” he said.
New West Brom boss Alan Pardew has made it one of his priorities since taking charge to speak to try to convince Evans to stay. But a move to a club in European competition would be hard for the 29-year-old to resist.
Riyad Mahrez
Wenger has had a long-standing interest in the Algerian, who’s had a resurgence at Leicester under new boss Claude Puel. But despite the Frenchman claiming he will try and seduce him, it appears the 2016 PFA Player of the Year still wants a move away from the King Power Stadium.
Arsenal clearly want a winger, and after being frustrated in their pursuit of Thomas Lemar, they could switch their interests back to Mahrez. They were put off by his asking price in the summer, but with the player desperate to leave, they’ve got leverage in negotiations. What’s more, his lack of European action means he would be eligible in the Europa League.
Dani Ceballos
Despite only joining Real Madrid from Real Betis in the summer, Ceballos could be available this summer.
Los Blancos have had a poor season in Spain and currently sit fourth in La Liga, but the midfielder can’t force his way into Zinedine Zidane’s plans.
The 21-year-old has played just 167 minutes in the league in 2017-18 and has reportedly given up on trying to convincing his boss that he deserves to play.
Arsenal were linked to the midfielder before he joined the European and Spanish champions and will surely make a move if he does become available.
Ceballos is also thought to be a Tottenham transfer target too and could spark a bidding war between the North London rivals.
From The Sun
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