With the Winter Window now open, Arsenal sit at the top of the table with a two-point lead off second place Leicester City. The North London club has been stretched up to the hairline with their customary and lengthy injury list mid-season.
Long term injuries to Tomas Rosicky, Danny Welbeck, and fellow Englishman Jack Wilshere haven’t seen them kick a ball this season. Also, Chilean Alexis Sanchez suffered a hamstring strain in early December and is tipped to be in the team for the FA Cup tie.
In addition to this, the midfield duo of Francis Coquelin and Santi Cazorla that beautifully dovetailed in the first half of this season will not be available at least until the beginning of March.
Amidst these miseries, Arsene Wenger has stepped up to sign 23-year-old Mohamed Elneny from FC Basel with The Independent, Guardian, and Metro all reporting that the Egyptian Midfielder has passed the medical and that the club is awaiting a work permit.
It further seems that the Egyptian’s move will be completed in time for him to feature in the Gunners FA Cup game against Sunderland, according to reports in Metro.
The complication with the work permit is that, a player who played 50% of his country’s internationals, is eligible for the transfer. This particular rule now applies for top 50 nations which were for top 70 earlier. Egypt’s ranking of 57 means he misses the line by a margin.
In the Arsenal dressing room, Mathieu Debuchy has grown into frustration due to his lack of game time and has claimed openly, more than once about this; during a press meeting and a radio show. The right back saw himself fall behind the pecking order to 20-year-old Hector Bellerin.
The France International has played just 7 times this season and is hoping for a move-out, either short term or long term with hopes of getting himself into the selected lot for Euro 2016. Metro earlier today reported that Debuchy is on the verge of a move to Premier League side West Brom.
If that is to be believed, he will be joining young Gunner Serge Gnabry. According to reports, Roma and Lyon are also keen to make a move for the Frenchman. In that case, Calum Chambers will be expected to play second fiddle to Spaniard Bellerin for the time being.
COYG!
Will Arsenal sign any other players in this transfer window?
