It was a weekend filled with mixed emotions for Arsenal fans, who witnessed their side triumph in the North London Derby twenty-four hours after Chelsea hijacked a deal to sign priority target Mykhailo Mudryk.
For weeks the Gunners had been in talks with Shakhtar Donetsk as they looked to strike a deal for the Ukrainian winger, but just as things started to progress, Chelsea blew them out of the water with a €100million (£88.6million) bid. Just like that, Arsenal’s hopes had faded and before you knew it, Mudryk was being presented to the Stamford Bridge crowd, signalling the end of a dramatic and fascinating transfer saga.
Speaking after the 2-0 win at Tottenham on Sunday, Mikel Arteta was asked about the deal but refused to show any signs of disappointment, supporting the players that he has already and reiterating the importance of sticking to the club’s strategy.
READ MORE: What Oleksandr Zinchenko did to Mykhaylo Mudryk after Chelsea hijack Arsenal £88m transfer
“I am happy with the players we have,” Arteta said. “We always try to improve the squad. We have to be consistent with the targets we want. The club is the first one that is trying, but I think as well we have to have some discipline. The window is open and we try to improve the team.”
So with Arteta remaining keen on strengthening his squad this month, football.london has decided to pick out three of the more left-field Mudryk alternatives that are yet to be linked but fit the right player profile.
Bryan Mbeumo
Premier League proven, young, pacey and dangerous in front of goal, part of me is surprised Bryan Mbeumo’s name hasn’t been mentioned as a possible option yet.
The 23-year-old Cameroon international has played a crucial role in Brentford’s successful return to the English top flight, scoring eight goals and providing eight assists in 54 appearances. Being left-footed, he would also be the perfect fit to provide competition and support for Bukayo Saka on the right-hand side.
Mbeumo’s work rate and attitude are also faultless, although it could prove difficult to lure him away from the Gtech Community Stadium halfway through the season. The forward is one of Brentford’s most prized assets and a hefty fee will likely be demanded. In addition, Mbeumo is one of the first names on Thomas Frank's team sheet; that would not be the case under Arteta at Arsenal.
Jota
No, not that one! This particular Jota has established himself as one of the best - and most - exciting talents in Scotland over the past year. After joining Celtic on loan from Benfica last season, the 23-year-old helped his side pip Rangers to the SPL title, bagging 13 goals and 14 assists along the way.
Having enjoyed a successful loan spell, Jota completed a permanent move in the summer and has continued where he’d left off. 24 games in, the Portugal Under-21 international has eight goals to his name, two of which were scored against Real Madrid and RB Leipzig in the Champions League.
In a review of Jota’s 2021/22 season, The Celtic Star described him as a winger ‘with a bit of everything.’ Adding that he ‘provided not only a hefty amount of goals and assists,’ but also ‘dazzled the Celtic faithful at times with speed, trickery and flair.’ Predominantly a left winger, Jota can comfortably play on the right due to being strong with both feet.
The sticking point with this deal, however, would be the fact that Jota only joined six months ago. The prospect of joining Arsenal and playing in the Premier League could turn his head of course, though again, Celtic are in a very strong position. Despite this, we have seen the Bhoys reluctantly sell before, with Kieran Tierney making the switch to north London in 2019 for £25million.
Arnaut Danjuma
Considering the player is reportedly in London as he looks for a new challenge, Arnaut Danjuma is perhaps the easiest to sign on this list. Saying that, there is yet to be any direct link to Arsenal.
The Athletic reported last week that the 25-year-old forward flew to England in order to hold more talks over a loan move away from Villarreal this month, with a number of clubs showing interest. Bournemouth, who Danjuma spent two seasons with, along with Aston Villa are said to be two of the current favourites to win the race.
However, after missing out on Mudryk, maybe Arsenal could see this as an opportunity to throw themselves into the ring. Despite being relegated with Bournemouth in 2020, Danjuma’s talent was obvious and a strong season in the Sky Bet Championship saw him join Villarreal for £21.3million.
His time in Spain started off well, scoring 16 goals and setting up a further four. However, the Dutchman has only started six of the twelve league games so far this season and has been an unused substitute twice, making a loan move preferable for all parties. Centre forward and left wing are the two positions that have often been taken up by Danjuma in recent months, yet he does have experience of playing on the right flank.
Rank some of Arsenal's other January targets in our widget below
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