Arsenal to announce first January signing in next few hours

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31-01-2019

It is safe to say that the Gunners fans are waiting for some action or the other to be done during this transfer window.

The good news is that those prayers are going to be answered soon. There is going to be at least one incoming happening at the Emirates today.

Sky reporter Geraint Hughes reports via the Express that Denis Suarez will be the signing that the Gunners are going to be confirming soon.

This is what Hughes had to say about the Suarez deal:

“Denis Suarez has much been talked about, especially over the last 24 hours when it appeared to be confirmed at the Barcelona end yesterday evening.

But I think what’s happening now is the paperwork is being completed on that deal. I really expect that one to be confirmed officially via Arsenal I would say in the next few hours, lunchtime, early afternoon.”

This is a player that the Gunners have wanted for some time now and the fact that a deal has been completed is great news for the fans and the club.

The deadline day of the transfer window is one that has always been exciting and the fact that a player might be coming makes it all the more exciting.

As for any other deals happening, the Express reports that a move for either Yannick Carrasco or Ivan Perisic is unlikely at the moment. Both of these players have been heavily linked with the club and it would certainly be beneficial to the club if any one of them does join.

Arsenal have suffered some injury problems especially in the defensive department and fans would have thought that the club would be interesting in buying for that kind of role.

But the signing of Suarez shows that the club is interested in doing more with the attacking side of things. Manager Unai Emery likes to have a midfielder who is capable of linking the midfield and defense and the Spaniard certainly fits that bill.

Injured Arsenal defender begins work out, posts picture with teammate

By

Nithyanand

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31-01-2019

As far as injuries are concerned, they are quite common for Arsenal and fans have become used to it by this point.

It is in the defensive department that the Gunners are struggling as a majority of the back line is out with an injury.

One of them is Rob Holding who until his injury was arguably the best defender in the Arsenal team. He suffered a season-ending injury against Manchester United and has been on the recovery road ever since.

He took to social media to offer an update on how he has been getting on by posting a photo on Instagram of him alongside Danny Welbeck working out on a cycle. This is what he said:

Staying positive with dat guy….. One day closer

https://www.instagram.com/p/BtONjU6jZ2O/

The defender suffered an injury to his ligament and as we know that something like that will take a lot of time to heal. The diagnosis is that he could out of action for as long as eight months. However, his post shows that he is well and truly on the road to recovery.

Welbeck also suffered a gruesome injury in the month of November against Sporting Lisbon and the indications are that he will be out for the season as well. It seems unlikely that Holding will play again this season and that will be a real blow for the club. He is the exact type of defender that manager Unai Emery likes to use.

He is confident on the ball, has good recovery speed and is an excellent reader of the game. Now, the team has no choice but to find a solution to deal with this problem.

As for Welbeck, his contract is going to be ending in the summer and if he is going to prove that he is worth another deal, he is going to have to play.

But the chances of that happening are slim as well, so it will be interesting to see what happens to the Englishman’s future. Arsenal are facing a tough fight to get back into the Champions League and having players such as Holding and Welbeck will only be beneficial to the squad.

Many Arsenal fans are convinced that this player has played his last game for the club

By

Nithyanand

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30-01-2019

Arsenal got back to winning ways against Cardiff City in the Premier League on Tuesday. It was a much-needed win after a disappointing loss to Manchester United in the FA Cup.

But fans were quick to pick up on something that happened during the match. Mesut Ozil who started and captained the team was substituted during the game.

What he did later had the Arsenal fans worried that he was waving the fans goodbye before leaving the club. With the Gunners trying to pull off few loan deals before the deadline, a lot of them feel that this is the last time they will be seeing the German play.

Here are some of the best reactions:

Ozil gets 75mins on his premier league return and waves to the crowd when leaving the pitch. Could he be part of any Arsenal transfers happening within the next 2 days

— Matthew Stanley (@MattStanley91) January 29, 2019

https://twitter.com/zunny23/status/1090367940816498689

Ozil was sublime today..did he just wave goodbye?

— jay madan (@jaymadan) January 29, 2019

https://twitter.com/AFC_Rob91/status/1090358662432989186

Goodbye wave from Ozil??

— 🇿🇼🇸🇿 (@KwaziMoyo96) January 29, 2019

Did… did anyone else feel like Ozil was waving goodbye there?

— AFCBeef (@AFCBeef) January 29, 2019

There were earlier suggestions from Star Sport(via Daily Star) that for Arsenal to sign Perisic, Inter Milan would want Ozil to complete the deal. If this is really going to happen, then it would mean that the German was indeed saying goodbye to the fans.

What could make this situation even more interesting is that as per Telegraph, Arsenal are looking at Carrasco who is playing in China at the moment. The Belgian currently is on the books of Dalian Yifang and was already touted to be a target for the Gunners but the emergence of the Perisic rumors put a new spin on this deal happening.

Ozil could be used as a makeweight in either deal but there is no indication as to whether this is actually going to happen or not. There is not much time left in the transfer window so we will be getting an answer sooner rather than later.

Whatever the situation may be, the truth is that the German playmaker is an integral part of the team at the moment. If Ozil was to leave the Gunners, it will leave quite an impact on the fight to get back into the Champions League.

Lacazette and Ozil to start: 4-2-3-1 Arsenal predicted lineup against Cardiff City

By

Nithyanand

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29-01-2019

It was a disappointing end to the FA Cup campaign for Arsenal as they lost 3-1 to Manchester United. Now, they have a chance to bounce back in the Premier League against Cardiff City.

But to make this even more complicated, the Gunners are going to be without their first choice center backs in Sokratis and Laurent Koscielny. The Arsenal medical team have confirmed this on Arsenal’s official website.

So, this means manager Unai Emery will have to find some solutions to deal with the Injury problems in the squad. Let us see how the North London club might line-up for this fixture.

Formation (4-2-3-1)

Goalkeeper:

Bernd Leno will come back into the team in place of Petr Cech as the German has been the first choice keeper for Arsenal in the Premier League.

Defense:

This is where most of the problems exist and we can expect some shuffling from Unia Emery. Ainsley Maitland-Niles will retain his place on the right-hand hand side of defense. As for the middle, the most likely pairing will be Shkodran Mustafi and Granit Xhaka.

Though Emery has other options in Dinos Mavropanos and Nacho Monreal, he has already used Xhaka in that role and is more likely to continue with it. Sead Kolasinac is expected to start on the left.

Midfield:

If Xhaka is moved to center back, the midfield will have to be adjusted. The most likely candidate to fill that role would be Matteo Guendouzi who will be paired alongside Lucas Torreira.

In front of them, it should be a start for Mesut Ozil who has been out of favor with Emery in the recent past. On the flanks, it will most likely be Alex Iwobi paired alongside Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

The striker has played on the wings before and will be looking to drift inside to link up with the forward.

Striker:

If Aubameyang is on the wings, then Alexandre Lacazette will lead the Gunners upfront. The Frenchman has been in great form this season as he has shown with his all-around game. He is also an incredibly clinical finisher who has already scored against Cardiff earlier in the season.

The Gunners will be hoping to get the job done against a team who are struggling to stay afloat in the Premier League.

The youngsters who can make Arsenal great again

By

Nithyanand

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28-01-2019

There are very few days left in the transfer window and as far as the Gunners are concerned, there hasn’t been any activity so far. Manager Unai Emery has spoken about the state of the club’s finances and fans should understand that no big transfers are going to be happening any time soon.

So, one way to get around this is to look at the youngsters who can make the club great again.

Ainsley Maitland-Niles:

He is already a bit of a regular for the club and since the season-ending injury suffered by Hector Bellerin, he is sure to get more chances as the season goes on. A versatile player capable of playing in the midfield as well as defense, he is set to have a bright career with the Gunners.

Emile Smith Rowe:

Another player who has used the Europa League to put his stamp on the team, Smith Rowe is easily among the best talents that the Gunners have at the moment. He has scored three goals this season and proven that he can be a thorn in the opposition’s defense.

Lately, he has been through some injury troubles but when he comes back, he is sure to make his way into the plans of Unai Emery.

Jordi Osei-Tutu:

Another youngster who has been very impressive in the youth teams, he is bound to make an appearance for the first team sooner rather than later. He normally plays as a right back and given the problems that Arsenal have been facing with that position, his time is going to come in the near future.

Eddie Nketiah:

A player with a phenomenal scoring record all throughout his career, he has not truly broken into the first team yet. The big reason for that not happening is that the Gunners already have two world-class strikers in Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette. But with the injury suffered by Danny Welbeck, he will find more chances and if history is anything to go by, he is going to take make full use of those chances.

Bukayo Saka:

This year, Saka became the first player to play for the Gunners who was born this millennium. It is clear that there are big things expected of the young winger. In the glimpses that we have seen of him so far, he has shown that he is quite skillful. He also has an explosive turn of pace and that will help a lot out on the wings. Though the Gunners do not really play with traditional wingers, Saka is too good to be kept off the team.

One factor that will bring a smile to the faces of Gunners fans is the depth of young talent that is present at the club. If even one of these players fulfills the potential they have, it is going to be very helpful to the club.

How can Arsenal solve their center back crisis?

By

Nithyanand

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28-01-2019

Getting knocked out of a cup is quite a damaging thing for any club and especially one of the stature of Arsenal. But to make matters worse, the Gunners suffered two injury blows that will have a big impact on the season going forward.

Now, it is essential to find a solution to this defensive crisis. Speaking to the official website of the club, the Arsenal medical team confirmed that Sokratis is going to be out until the end of February.

This is a massive blow for the club as the Greek has been a hugely impressive member of the team so far. As for the injury suffered by club captain Laurent Koscielny, this is what Arsenal’s official website, had to say:

“Bruising and soft tissue swelling to face and jaw. Being reviewed on a daily basis.”

The good news here is that the injury is not a major one and that is certainly a relief for the club and the defender. He has already undergone a lot of injury trouble and this is the last thing that he would want.

Coming to what can be done to solve this defensive crisis. As things stand, the only two fit center backs are Shkodran Mustafi and Dinos Mavropanos. Rob Holding is out for the season and he was arguably the best defender for the Gunners.

The other option that Emery can make use of is to recall Krystian Bielik from his loan spell at Charlton Athletic. He can play in the center of defense as well and has shown that he is quite comfortable on the ball and this is something that Emery likes.

A lot of people would say that Arsenal should dip into the transfer market to find a solution. The only way a deal that suits the Gunners would happen is if it were a loan deal.

And Emery has already mentioned that only loan deals are possible at this moment for the club. So, finding a player that would fit this profile is going to prove to be difficult. As for internal solutions, Arsenal could always make use of Nacho Monreal who has experience of playing in the heart of the defense.

This seems like the most likely solution that Emery is going to make use of as it is convenient and won’t cost the club any money. Now, the Gunners have to focus on only two competitions and juggling the squad is going to show just how good a manager Emery is.

If Arsenal can get through this tricky period with the center back crisis going on, it will be quite an impressive achievement.

‘He’s not that good’, Paul Merson urges Arsenal to replace Torreira with this player

By

Nithyanand

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27-01-2019

The transfer window is open and that means that Arsenal are looking to sign players and this has seen a lot of them being linked to the club. The player suggestions come from different places including the fans and former players.

In the same way, former Arsenal player Paul Merson had a lot to say about the transfer target that the North London club should be looking at.

Speaking to Sky Sports, the pundit slammed summer signing Torreira while also suggesting an alternative. He said:

“Everyone was raving about Lucas Torreira, but he’s not that good, if you put him up for sale tomorrow, then none of the top five clubs in the Premier League would be interested.

They should sign Abdoulaye Doucoure at Watford – he’d walk into the team. I’d take him tomorrow morning. He’s a much better player than Torreira and he scores goals. He’s one of the most under-rated players in the Premier League.”

Doucoure has been highly impressive for Watford ever since he joined them in the summer of 2016. He was their player of the season for the 2017/18 season.

The Frenchman is a midfielder who combines power and skill to good effect. He has been consistently able to trouble the Premier League defenders and he would make a good addition to the Gunners squad.

Torreira has been one of the best players for the Gunners this season as he has gone on to establish himself as a key part of manager Unai Emery’s plans. When he first joined the club, he was not playing too much as he was slowly getting used to the Premier League’s style of play.

But once he started to play on a more regular basis, he has shown why Arsenal decided to spend the cash on him. Paul Merson is known for some of his more outlandish statements, so his view may not be taken very seriously by many.

It is clear that many Arsenal fans have taken a real liking to the way Torreira has been playing. But it must be said that getting a player of the caliber of Doucoure would benefit the club a lot.

Manchester United boss reacts to Arsenal’s interest in Eric Bailly

By

Sri Aswin

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25-01-2019

Manchester United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has said that he is not surprised by the ongoing speculation linking defender Eric Bailly with a move to the Emirates Stadium.

Arsenal boss Unai Emery is on the search for a central defensive reinforcement during the ongoing transfer window and of late, as per Daily Mail, the club are said to have made a loan approach for Bailly without any success.

Amidst this, Ole has been asked regarding the Gunners’ interest in the player and the Norwegian has admitted that the news does not come as a surprise to him. According to Daily Mail, he said:

“I’m not surprised if they do, to put it that way but that’s just one of those things there’s always speculation. It’s not a big surprise.”

The central defence has already been hampered by the season-ending injury to Rob Holding and he has recently been joined by right-back Hector Bellerin, who has likewise been sidelined for the campaign after a knee injury of his own.

Despite this, the club are not in the position to make permanent signings in the window and their attempt to pursue loan moves has provided no success to date.

Prior to Bailly, the Gunners had been linked with a probable move for Juventus’ Medhi Benatia but a deal never materialised with the Bianconeri unwilling to discuss a mid-season transfer.

Arsenal are scheduled to face Manchester United in the FA Cup fourth round on Friday night and the match should provide an exciting contest with both teams in good scoring form of late.

Arsenal make official announcement as 26-year-old Argentine ace leaves on loan

By

Nithyanand

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24-01-2019

A lot of the focus on Arsenal this transfer window has been on those coming in. This has resulted in not much being said about those leaving the club.

But there is a change in that with goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez who has joined the championship club Reading on a loan basis.

As per the Express, the management agency that Martinez has employed posted on Instagram a photo of the keeper driving on the motorway with the caption reading “news soon”.

This fueled speculation that the Argentine was set to leave the club. As this talk grew, the Gunners put a stop to that with an announcement about the deal on their official website.

The club had this message for the outgoing keeper:

“We wish Emi well for remainder of the season with the Royals.”

Martinez who is 26, is third in the pecking order behind both Bernd Leno and Petr Cech. So, he has not been able to play many games this season.

With Cech set to retire at the end of this season, there is a strong possibility that he will become the second choice for the Gunners from the beginning of the next season.

A loan move such as this is good for the player as it gives Martinez the option to get some matches under his belt. This experience will do him a world of good.

This will be the sixth loan spell that Martinez has had since joining the Gunners’ youth team in 2010. Most of his loan deals have been in the Championship with a stint in the Spanish League with Getafe thrown in as well.

Despite never really breaking through the Arsenal first team, he has shown more than enough to suggest that he is a keeper worth keeping at the club.

In the limited number of matches that Martinez has played for the Gunners, his command over his area has been particularly impressive. Arsenal will be hoping that he comes back as a better player with some games under his belt. Then, he will be ready to take on the mantle of Petr Cech.

Denis Suarez to Arsenal: Barcelona drop major transfer hint over midfielder’s future

By

Nithyanand

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24-01-2019

The world of the transfer window is one that is changing all the time. A deal that looked unlikely yesterday suddenly becomes a certainty the next day.

This is also the case with Denis Suarez who appears to be closer than ever to joining the Gunners.

The Express reports that Barcelona, who have just signed Kevin Prince Boateng, had this to say about the squad decisions for their latest game. They posted a tweet that said the following:

“Following confirmation of the transfer of Boateng, there are 18 players in the squad list to face Sevilla FC. Denis Suarez is the player who misses out.”

Given the links that have been present between Denis Suarez and the Gunners, this seems like a suggestion that the player is going to be signed by the London club.

The one factor that is holding up the deal is the way in which the loan is being structured. Barcelona want to protect the value of Suarez and that is scuppering the deal at the moment.

The Spanish giants want the loan deal to include an obligation to buy instead of an option to buy. This has resulted in the Gunners being a little reluctant to go ahead with the transfer.

Suarez is into the final eighteen months of his contract and it makes sense that Barcelona want his value to be protected. If he ends up having a disappointing season at Arsenal, his value is sure to drop.

If that were to happen, Barca would not be able to get much for the midfielder when they finally sell him. It appears that Gunners manager Unai Emery really wants to sign Suarez and that may push the deal through in the end.

But for any sort of resolution to be found, we are going to have to wait a while. There is still some time left in the transfer window so, a positive outcome for both clubs is very much on the cards. Suarez is a talented player and is sure to fit in the Arsenal system.