As the January transfer window approaches, Arsenal’s defense predicament is likely to be the most intriguing aspect of the team. Only Liverpool have conceded fewer goals than Arsenal this season, but Mikel Arteta may still want to add reinforcements next month.
Arsenal started the season with eight orthodox veteran defenders, but injuries have reduced that number. Jurrien Timber has been sidelined with an anterior cruciate ligament injury since the start of the season, and Takehiro Tomiyasu has been out with a calf problem since early December. The fact that Thomas Partey, who was utilized at right back early in the season, has only made five appearances due to a string of muscular injuries has only made matters worse.
Meanwhile, Oleksandr Zinchenko was plagued by calf ailments at the start of the season. This season, Gabriel Magalhaes had a muscle problem, and William Saliba had to deal with a slight toe ailment ahead to the triumph over Manchester City.
As a result, Arteta used Arsenal’s last Champions League group stage match against PSV to test the notion of sliding Declan Rice into the centre back spot.We are really short in the back, and I really wanted to try how we’re going to overcome that scenario if something happened,’ the Spaniard stated after the game in Holland. “He’s been there before. We must attempt, as if we were in an emergency, to comprehend and be certain that we can fill that gap in the proper manner.”However, due to a lack of numbers, there may be room for a transfer on the backline. Ousmane Diomande and Goncalo Ignacio of Sporting Lisbon have both been highly linked. These transactions are especially intriguing given Arsenal’s concerns about profit and sustainability rules. Given their summer splurge, the Gunners are unlikely to have much money to spend in January, so loan agreements with a buy option may be better. Sporting demonstrated a readiness to do so in the past by securing Pedro Porro’s transfer to Tottenham last season.
