After a difficult month on the pitch which has seen them fail to win a game, Arsenal now have the chance to focus on transfers for the last few days of the January transfer window.
It has been a relatively quiet window at the Emirates Stadium so far, with the exits of Pablo Mari, Ainsley Maitland-Niles, Karl Hein, Flo Balogun and Sead Kolasinac being the only real moves of note.
Despite copious amounts of links and speculation, at time of writing there are still yet to be any incomings, despite the fact that the Mikel Arteta's side are pushing to qualify for Champions League football for the first time in half a decade.
The current group will spend the next few days in Dubai doing some warm weather training and recuperating after a tough fixture list, but it's expected during that time, that Edu will be very busy.
Arteta has already stated that players will only be brought in if they "raise the level" on what's already within the Arsenal squad, so some high calibre moves could be made.
Here football.london analyses five deals that the Gunners need to get done before the window slams shut at 11pm on January 31st.
Bernd Leno exit
Having seen himself well and truly usurped as the first choice goalkeeper at Arsenal by Aaron Ramsdale, it seems that Bernd Leno is set to secure an exit from the Emirates this month.
The German has designs on being involved in his country's squad for the World Cup in Qatar at the end of this year, and as a result is keen to secure as much game time as possible.
With no more cup competitions for Arsenal, he is unlikely to get that in North London and therefore will look to move.
football.london understands that Newcastle are interested in taking the 29-year-old on loan for the remainder of the season as they seek to secure their Premier League survival.
Matt Turner
With Leno likely to leave it's clear that the Gunners will need a back up to come in for Aaron Ramsdale.
Karl Hein has been the Under-23s keeper for much of this season, but joined Reading on loan until the end of the season, while fellow Hale Ender Arthur Okonkwo is not ready to be a second choice just yet.
As a result it seems a move for New England Revolution stopper Matt Turner could get wrapped up before the window closes.
The American has not had the most traditional of routes to the professional game in the MLS, but having been crowned his club's MVP last season, he would represent decent competition for Ramsdale.
Central Midfielder
One area that Arsenal have really struggled in throughout January is central midfield.
Ainsley Maitland-Niles was allowed to leave early in the window to join Roma on loan, meaning that numbers were already short while Thomas Partey and Mohamed Elneny's absences at the Africa Cup of Nations lessened them further.
Granit Xhaka's red card against Liverpool, and Partey's dismissal upon his premature return from Cameroon, meant that for much of this month Albert Sambi Lokonga has been the only recognised senior option in the middle of the park.
Once all these players are back and available for Arsenal's Premier League return against Wolves next month, it could feasibly be argued that the Gunners could get by until the end of the season with what they've got.
But if they want to avoid a repeat of the squad depth issues that have plagued them this summer, then securing a deal will be essential. football.london understands Edu is still hopeful of bringing Arthur Melo on loan till the end of the season, although Juve's desire to find a replacement for the Brazilian first could scupper the move.
Aubameyang exit
Just over a month ago Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was the Arsenal captain and about as close to a guaranteed starter as you can get, but things change quickly in football.
After being stripped of the club captaincy following repeated disciplinary breaches, the 32-year-old now looks to be moving closer to the exit door at the Emirates Stadium.
The Gunners are keen to move him on and have another club take on his high salary, which it seems Saudi sides Al-Hilal and Al-Nassr are reportedly willing to do.
However, the player himself is keen to keep playing in Europe and would prefer a move to a club on the continent with PSG among those said to be interested.
While, Edu will certainly have a preference in terms of deals, it is ultimately down to the player to decide where he goes if he ends up leaving North London.
New striker
With Aubameyang potentially on his way out, Flo Balogun having joined Middlesbrough and Gabriel Martinelli at his best on the wing, it seems that signing a centre forward will be top of the agenda for Arsenal in these closing days of the window.
Alexandre Lacazette and Eddie Nketiah are currently their only options, but neither possess the consistent quality required to fire the Gunners into the top four, and both are likely to leave in the summer when their contracts expire, regardless of where Arsenal finish.
Dusan Vlahovic of Fiorentina is the top target to solve this issue, but football.london understands that the Serbian is keen on staying in Italy amid interest from Juventus.
Real Sociedad's Alexander Isak and Jonathan David of Lille are also being explored as options, but both would be costly and the lack of time left in the window could make the moves costly.
Meanwhile Raul De Tomas has emerged as late contender for a move according to some reports, but he is unlikely to fit the age brief that has been applied to Edu and Josh Kroenke's transfer policy in recent seasons.
