The weekend loss at Swansea leaves Arsenal in a tricky position. The Gunners are among a pack of top four chasing clubs that have all faltered early in the campaign, which is sure to make for a fascinating battle, but one which will heap the pressure on the perennial European qualifiers..
Liverpool are blunt up top and shaky at the back, Spurs cannot cope with Europa League and domestic commitments, Manchester United are so top heavy it’s ridiculous, while West Ham and Southampton are unlikely to be able to maintain the momentum they’ve shown so far.
Money is set to be splashed in January – with Brendan Rodgers and Louis van Gaal likely to be big spenders – but reports suggest that Arsene Wenger will be given just £20m. It may seem a big sum, but in modern football it’s unlikely that many top class players will be within the Gunners’ price bracket. However there are some, and here are SIX cost-effective options for the Londoners…
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CLICK ON VIRGIL VAN DIJK TO GET THE BALL ROLLING
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Fabian Schar
Wenger has already revealed that a centre-back will be his major target in January, with the reliance on Per Mertesacker and Laurent Koscielny having been ruthlessly exposed by injuries already this term. Mats Hummels is the dream sighing, yet his abilities will command a massive fee, leaving Schar as an alternative.
The classy Swiss defender’s contract expires at the end of the season, so Basel may be receptive to a cut-price offer with the player himself thought to be eyeing a switch to one of Europe’s bigger leagues. At 22, Schar has bags of ability and potential, as he showed at the World Cup over the summer.
Virgil van Dijk
Scottish football may no longer be the breeding ground for top talent it once was, but Van Dijk has flourished with Celtic. The Dutchman has been in Glasgow since 2013 after relocating from his homeland, and is widely being described as ‘too good’ to be plying his trade north of the border – even though the Hoops are struggling this term.
Celtic want between £10m-£15m for their man, who is open to joining Arsenal:
“Arsenal are an amazing club,” he told Sky Sports.
“It’s a big club with a great history. I’m happy here just now and I want to play well and we’ll see what happens in the future.
“Until there are bids I can’t say thing. There is no rush to leave but you never know in the future.”
Sami Khedira
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A World Cup and Champions League winner in 2014, it seems odd that Khedira could be leaving Real Madrid for as little as £8m in January. But with his contract due to expire at the end of the season and Los Blancos resigned to losing the 27-year-old, a switch to the Emirates Stadium at a reduced rate is a possibility.
Khedira himself is thought to be open to relocating to north London to link up with international colleagues such as Lukas Podolski, Mertesacker and Mesut Ozil, with reports over the summer having claimed that a contract was all but agreed. Top class cover in the middle of the pitch for a minimal fee? Not even Wenger can pass on this one, surely?
Romulo
A somewhat left-field target, Romulo has been linked with Arsenal in recent weeks. The Brazilian enforcer has impressed in Russia with Spartak Moscow despite a range of injuries in recent seasons, and has been aligned with a few top clubs.
Wenger is reportedly considering a £9.5m offer, plus Yaya Sanogo on loan, for the 24-year-old enforcer, who could add the steel missing in the Gunners’ midfield.
Stephan Lichtsteiner
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Yet another play whose contract expires at the end of the season – seeing a theme here? – Lichtsteiner is a genuine option for Wenger. The experienced 30-year-old Swiss defender may not be of the age range the Frenchman usually pursues, but for a minimal fee his versatility could be a major draw.
The Juventus man is able to play on either side at the back, which has been a problem for the Gunners in recent weeks given the never-ending bout of injuries being suffered at the Emirates Stadium. Short-term fixes aren’t Wenger’s style, but this one could tempt him.
Winston Reid
Keeping his options open as his contract runs down, Reid is likely to be available for a reduced fee in January, The New Zealander is said to be aware that his stock is at an all-time high following West Ham’s successful start to the campaign, which is thought to be luring interest from the Gunners.
A leader at the back, the Hammers ace could slot in nicely alongside either Koscielny or Mertesacker and provide the cover missing since the sale of Thomas Vermaelen.
