Time is running out for Arsenal to make any signings in the January transfer window.
It has been an extremely quiet month for the Gunners when it comes to signing players, with the club failing in their pursuits of Serbian centre-forward Dusan Vlahovic and Juventus midfielder Arthur Melo.
Mikel Arteta was keen to bolster his forward line and find a long-term replacement for Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and out-of-contract strikers Alexandre Lacazette and Eddie Nketiah, with Vlahovic his preferred target.
However, as football.london reported earlier this month, the 21-year-old wanted to stay in Serie A before completing a move to Italian giants Juventus on Friday evening, leaving technical director Edu to scour for alternatives.
Real Sociedad frontman Alexander Isak has been heavily linked with a move to the Emirates Stadium, although reports from Spain have suggested that any potential suitor would need to pay Sociedad his full release clause - which stands at a whopping £75.4million.
Still, transfer chief Edu has previously made a deadline day swoop to bring in a top-quality player from La Liga, activating Thomas Partey's Atletico Madrid release clause late on deadline day back in September 2020.
A statement from Atletico at the time read: "La Liga informed Atletico de Madrid at 11.28pm on Monday that Arsenal representatives have paid Thomas Partey's release clause at the sports association's headquarters.
"The player has therefore unilaterally terminated his contract with our club, which ran until June 30, 2023."
The transfer clock is ticking down and a move does seem unlikely, although the Gunners' move for Partey just over 16 months ago shows that last-minute deals are certainly still possible.
