Home Sports How Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal squad could look after transfer deadline day

How Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal squad could look after transfer deadline day

by editor

Arsenal could be busy tying up some more are incomings and outgoings on transfer deadline day.

Mikel Arteta and Edu’s plan for the January window was to trim down the numbers in Arsenal‘s first-team squad, and the aforementioned duo have successfully managed that with no less than five departures.

And there is expected to be more to follow.

Furthermore, Arteta has assured Arsenal fans that work is going on behind the scenes at the Emirates Stadium in an attempt to secure some late business.

“The last day of the window is always unpredictable, things can happen. It might happen, it might not happen,” he told a press conference. “We are on it.”

Having added two new faces to the first-team squad, the Gunners continue to be linked with one final signing, but the likelihood is that Arteta pretty much knows how his squad will look for the second half of the season.

Here is how Arsenal’s squad will likely look after transfer deadline day.

Goalkeepers

There’s one major alteration to the Arsenal goalkeeping department with Mat Ryan joining on loan from Brighton & Hove Albion until the end of the season.

The Australian international replaces Matt Macey in the squad and is likely to be the second-choice option behind Bernd Leno.

There was talk of Alex Runarsson leaving on loan, but it would appear that he will be staying put as the third-choice keeper.

Defenders

Shkodran Mustafi is the latest high-profile departure from the Gunners’ defence.

The centre-back would have been out of contract in the summer, and is expected to tie up a deal to be reunited with Sead Kolasinac at Schalke in Germany.

That will open up a space in Arsenal’s 25-man Premier League squad and there is a massive clue as to who will fill the void.

ST ALBANS, ENGLAND - JANUARY 01: Shkodran Mustafi of Arsenal during a training session at London Colney on January 01, 2021 in St Albans, England. (Photo by Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)
Mustafi looks set to miss out on a move to Liverpool (Image: Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)

Even with William Saliba and Sokratis’ exits, the centre-backs will be GabrielRob HoldingCalum ChambersPablo Mari, and David Luiz.

Hector BellerinCedric Soares, and Kieran Tierney are Arteta’s options at full-back, but the Gunners manager has said he wants to sign a left-back as cover for the latter.

Any arrival would almost certainly have to be a homegrown player hence links to the likes of Ryan Bertrand and Patrick van Aanholt.

Midfielders

The big departure in the midfield has been that of Mesut Ozil – but, just like Sokratis, the former Germany international wasn’t named in the squad back in October, so his exit doesn’t affect much.

In fact, it is pretty much as you were in terms of Arteta’s options in the engine room barring the arrival of Martin Odegaard who will likely take Mustafi’s place as the non-homegrown player in the 25-man squad.

He will add to the creative midfield options that also includes fellow Real Madrid loanee Dani Ceballos.

Mikel Arteta speaks with Dani Ceballos and Martin Odegaard after an Arsenal training session. (Image: Arsenal Media/YouTube)

Thomas ParteyMohamed Elneny, and Granit Xhaka provide the defensive midfield options, while Bukayo Saka and Emile Smith Rowe don’t have to be registered.

Ainsley Maitland-Niles and Joe Willock are being tipped to join West Brom and Newcastle United respectively.

If both deals go through only one homegrown space in the squad will become available as the latter doesn’t need to be registered due to being a U21 player.

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And with the January transfer window now open there’s plenty of content to get your

teeth into.

Forwards

It is as you were in terms of forwards, with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Alexandre Lacazette, Willian, and Nicolas Pepe all, as expected, staying put.

Eddie Nketiah and Gabriel Martinelli don’t have to be registered as they’re under 21.

The same applies to Reiss Nelson who looks set to stay in north London despite talk of a loan move to Villarreal where he would have been reunited with Unai Emery.

Source: https://www.football.london/arsenal-fc/news/arsenal-transfer-deadline-squa

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