Arsenal’s lack of firepower this season and need for reliable striker who can provide goals has been highlighted countless times, and Mikel Arteta will be hoping the club back him in January to boost their titles hopes
Arsenal have two weeks to go until they can start signing players again and Mikel Arteta will be eyeing a few deals that will get his team fighting closer to Liverpool and Chelsea for the Premier League title.
The Gunners have dropped valuable points in the title race after back-to-back draws in the league against Fulham and Everton and they are now six points adrift of league leaders Liverpool, who have a game in hand.
Arsenal’s lack of firepower this season and need for reliable striker who can provide goals has been highlighted countless times and Arteta will be hoping the club back him in the market.
As we approach the end of 2024 and the Christmas period, Mirror Football has taken a look at the biggest Arsenal transfer stories doing the rounds.
Sagna urges Arteta to sign Rashford
With Marcus Rashford seemingly up for grabs in January, there looks likely to be a tug of war for his signature should Manchester United agree to let him go.
Rashford dropped a bombshell in an interview with Henry Winter, claiming he wanted to leave United to embark on a new challenge and now speculation will start ramping up over which new club he could join.
Arsenal have been one of the club’s mooted to bid for Rashford and Bacary Sagna believes he would be a good fit for the Emirates.
The ex-Arsenal right back said: “I would love to see Marcus Rashford at Arsenal. I think if you added Rashford to Arsenal’s attack, with the pace that he has, Arsenal would destroy the opposition. Adding Rashford to an extremely talented squad would be a frightening prospect for Arsenal’s rivals. Rashford is so quick.
“I think Arsenal having Rashford would enable Arsenal to have more variety in attack and I would love to see Gabriel Jesus and Marcus Rashford in the same team, pressing with so much intensity. Rashford joining Arsenal would be a wonderful signing for the club and a real statement of ambition.
“He hasn’t been at his best, but when that happens you need support and a good environment to bring you back to your best level. You need your teammates and your manager to lift you up. You need people to believe in you.”
Gunners monitoring Randal Kolo Muani
Rashford is not the only forward player being linked with Arsenal in January. According to reports from Spanish outlet Fichajes, the Gunners are chasing a move for PSG forward Randal Kolo Muani.
The French international striker has great pedigree and boasts 27 caps for France, with eight goals for the team. However, he’s not been able to show the best of his abilities since joining PSG from Eintracht Frankfurt for a reported fee of £76.4million.
Muani has only managed 11 goals in 54 games so far. This season he has just two goals and he has been forced to settle for a place as a bench option in recent weeks under manager Luis Enrique – who appears to prefer Goncalo Ramos up front.
Despite his recent woes, Arsenal could be willing to give him a shot at the Emirates amid his lack of game time. The report claims PSG could be open to a loan move with an option to buy, which would suit the Gunners.
With Arsenal’s goalscoring burden split between Kai Havertz and Bukayo Saka, who both have five each, the club need a recognised out-and-out forward and Muani could be the man to shake up Arteta’s attack, it goes on to say.
Wright tips Arsenal to sign forward duo
If Arsenal need further attacking options to target in January they might want to take some advice from club legend Ian Wright – who believes he has identified two forward who could give the team a boost.
Wright thinks Frankfurt forward Omar Marmoush or Atalanta star Ademola Lookman could both be great signings for the Gunners.
“There are two players I would probably go for,” he said on his Wrighty’s House podcast when he asked which signings could kickstart Arsenal’s season. I would like people to have a look at Omar Marmoush and Ademola Lookman at Atalanta.”
Marmoush is having a superb season in the Bundesliga with 18 goals in all competitions, already suprassing a terrific year in 2023-24 that saw him net 17 times.
Lookman, meanwhile, formerly of Everton, Fulham and Leicester, continues to go from strength to strength with Serie A Atalanta.
He’s got 11 goals from the wing this season, meaning the forward has a total of 43 strikes from 96 appearances so far.
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