Arsenal are prepared to invest where necessary in the January transfer window in order to aid their bid for a top four finish and potential title charge, sources have told 90min.
Mikel Arteta’s side are top of the Premier League and performing far above expectations so far, with one league fixture to play before the World Cup begins.
Arsenal are currently in talks with director of football Edu Gaspar over a new contract and also see Arteta as a crucial part of their long-term planning, having renewed his contract earlier this year until the 2024/25 season.
The Gunners hope their business in January will help prove their ongoing commitment to Arteta and help the team kick on, while it may also help fend off any interest in the Spaniard from former clubs Barcelona and Manchester City.
Arteta has been mentioned as a potential successor to Xavi should his Barcelona project fail and doubts remain over the long-term future of Pep Guardiola at City, who Arteta is a former assistant manager to, with his contract up at the end of this season. Arsenal know such links will arise given his performance with the current Gunners squad.
90min understands that Arteta will be backed in January in the areas he wishes to strengthen. As it stands midfield is considered a potential area of weakness beneath first team options, whilst an additional forward or winger is something they have desired since the summer.
Arsenal are looking around Europe for attacking options and 90min understands that the Gunners were one of a host of Premier League clubs who attended the Ajax vs PSV Eindhoven game at the weekend. Sources believe that Cody Gakpo – a long-term Manchester United target – was one of the players that they were watching.
They do have a number of alternative options they are considering, and one they have followed closely in recent months is Mykhailo Mudryk. The Shakthar Donetsk star has emerged as one of Europe’s most in-demand wingers, but Arsenal may hold an advantage in their pursuit given their openness to doing a deal in January.
Mudryk’s nternational team-mate Oleksandr Zinchenko has given a glowing reference of the 21-year-old to his Arsenal bosses.
Source: 90min.com