With a five-point advantage at the top of the Premier League, Arsenal are hopeful that they can convert an excellent first half of the season into a title triumph.
A young, talented squad have found consistency and confidence, but entered January in need of targeted investment as they try to hold off Manchester City.
While Mikel Arteta missed out on two principal targets in Moises Caicedo and Mykhailo Mudryk, Arsenal moved quickly to source alternatives, with Jorginho and Leandro Trossard set to add depth to the Spaniard’s squad.
Here’s all of Arsenal’s January transfer window business:
Bought
Jorginho
Captured on deadline day, midfield controller Jorginho was signed for a reported fee of £12 million. The Italy international was out of contract at Chelsea in the summer and is a proven Premier League performer with trophy-winning nous to complement Thomas Partey and Granit Xhaka in midfield.
Leandro Trossard
The Belgian forward agreed a long-term deal at Arsenal after a falling out with Brighton left the club willing to part with Trossard. Described by Arteta as a “versatile player with high technical ability, intelligence and a great deal of experience”, the 28-year-old made his full debut against Manchester City in the FA Cup.
Jakub Kiwior
Polish centre-half Jakub Kiwior was bought from Italian club Spezia. A member of Poland’s squad at the World Cup in Qatar, Kiwior is a left-sided defender and will offer competition for Gabriel in Arteta’s defence.
Sold
Cedric Soares
The Portuguese right-back departed Arsenal on deadline day, with a loan to Fulham agreed until the end of the season. The experienced defender joined the club from Southampton in 2020 but has featured only a handful of times this season with Ben White and Takehiro Tomiyasu most often utilised on the right of Arsenal’s back four.
Albert Sambi Lokonga
Another player to have left Arsenal on loan to a London club, the Belgian midfielder has joined Crystal Palace. With Jorginho perhaps displacing him from the first team picture at the Emirates Stadium, Sambi Lokonga will instead seek consistent football under Arsenal great Patrick Vieira.
Also departing on loan (new club): Brooke Norton-Cuffy (Coventry), Miguel Azeez (Wigan), Marquinhos (Norwich), Omar Rekik (Wigan), Tom Smith (Colchester), Nathan Butler-Oyedeji (Accrington Stanley), Taylor Foran (Hartlepool)
Permanent departure: Harry Clarke (Ipswich)
Linked with
Moises Caicedo
Arsenal’s preferred midfield target in January appeared to be Moises Caicedo, who made clear his desire to leave Brighton after an excellent start to the season and World Cup attracted the interest of many of a number of the Premier League’s top clubs. Brighton, however, held firm, rejecting at least two bids from Arsenal and ultimately holding on to the Ecuadorian.
Mykhaylo Mudryk
Mudryk had seemed on the verge of completing a move to Arsenal in mid-January before Chelsea agreed their own deal with Shakhtar Donetsk to lure the Ukrainian away from their London rivals. The forward made a promising Premier League debut off the bench against Liverpool.
Ivan Fresneda
Real Valladolid youngster Ivan Fresneda attracted interest from a number of Europe’s biggest clubs, but the 18-year-old full back will be remaining in Spain for the time being. Fresneda missed training last week but told Valladolid supporters that he would be staying at the club amid links with both Arsenal and Borussia Dortmund. A move could happen in the summer.
