Mikel Arteta will know just how important January will be for Arsenal – it can make the difference between winning or losing the Premier League title.
The Gunners are once again genuine title contenders, but it is going to be a tall order to knock Manchester City off their perch.
City are already top of the table and still have Kevin De Bruyne to come back into the team.
Arsenal need to do some January business to push them towards a first title in two decades.
It is a notoriously tough time to get good signings through the door who can make an impact.
But the Gunners have done it before – just look at the impact Leandro Trossard made last season with one goal and ten assists in 20 games.
Arteta and technical director Edu will likely be going to Stan and Josh Kroenke asking for funds to go out and give them the tools to win a title.
And the Kroenkes are not averse to going out and spending to win now.
Their Los Angeles Rams won the Super Bowl in 2022 after trading away first round draft picks for star players to get them over the line.
Here talkSPORT.com takes a look at what Arsenal MUST do in January in their quest to win a first Premier League title since 2004.
How Arsenal’s stats compare to Man City this seasonSign a World class striker
Signing a top striker is a non-negotiable for the Gunners in January.
Gabriel Jesus and Eddie Nketiah are unlikely to fire you to a league championship.
Jesus’ injury problems are a huge concern, while Nketiah tends to go missing in big games.
The regular front three of Nketiah, Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli have ten Premier League goals between them this season, while Jesus has just one to his name.
For context, Erling Haaland already has 13.
There is one name that keeps cropping up when the conversation of Arsenal and striker happens… that’s £80million-rated Ivan Toney.
A number of Gunners fans see Toney as the solutionGetty
The Brentford Man is currently serving a betting ban, but will return to first team action in the New Year.
Huge Arsenal fan Piers Morgan told talkSPORT: “I like Gabriel Jesus, I like Eddie Nketiah, but we are absolutely screaming out for a proper striker.
“I think we’ve got to go in January and get Ivan Toney and stick him up front, because we’ve got great service but no one is finishing it.”
Peterborough owner Darragh MacAnthony, who sold him to Brentford in 2020, told talkSPORT: “If Arsenal are top of the league in January by a couple of points and they sign Ivan Toney, and he’s fit, guaranteed they win the title.”
Arsenal’s top Premier League scorers so far this seasonResolve goalkeeper situation
It was always going to be trouble signing David Raya on loan from Brentford in the summer.
Mikel Arteta insists he has two number ones, but it is seemingly clear he favours Raya over Aaron Ramsdale.
However, this situation has created plenty of headlines and pressure for everyone involved.
Raya’s every move, save, and slight error is scrutinised – and the cameras always cut to Ramsdale on the bench.
Former Premier League striker Darren Bent told talkSPORT: “He didn’t need to bring David Raya in, but at some point Arteta is going to have to come out and say who his number one is.
“I think the only way this gets resolved at some point, and it’s horrible to say, is that one of them I think will have to leave.
“They are two very good goalkeepers and could easily be number one at most of the clubs in the league.”
Removing this distraction will be key for Arteta moving forward.
How Ramsdale and Raya’s stats stack up this seasonSell Partey, sign another
Reports in recent days suggest that Thomas Partey has asked to leave the club in January.
Since the signing of Declan Rice in the summer, who has arguably been their best player this season, Partey has seen his role diminished, though this is largely down to fitness issues.
Juventus are said to be keen on the Ghana international and this could be the perfect time to offload him.
In the last three years, he has suffered nine different injuries and missed a combined 50 matches.
Getting rid of Partey would either help bring in funds for Toney or make room for another midfielder.
Brazilian Andre has been linked, but they would face competition from Liverpool.
If they wanted a Premier League ready midfielder, then Kalvin Phillips is likely to be available, but it remains to be seen if City would be willing to strengthen a title rival.
Meanwhile there has been speculation that Arsenal could reignite their interest in Aston Villa’s Douglas Luiz having had three deadline day bids rejected for his services in September 2022.
