Arsenal are poised to hold talks with a marquee forward about joining Mikel Arteta’s side as the Gunners plan to be active in the January window, according to a new report.
Arsenal squad depth attracts praise after busy summer
Arsenal’s current campaign is increasingly defined by their excellent squad depth, arguably the best in the Premier League.
Despite consistent injuries in key areas, Arteta’s side have shown an ability not just to cope, but to thrive.
The summer’s heavy investment in new faces is already paying dividends, with Arsenal five points clear at the top of the table and on an unprecedented 18-game unbeaten run in all competitions.
Arsenal 3-0 Nottingham Forest
Athletic Bilbao 0-2 Arsenal
Arsenal 1-1 Man City
Port Vale 0-2 Arsenal
Newcastle 1-2 Arsenal
Arsenal 2-0 Olympiacos
Arsenal 2-0 West Ham
Fulham 0-1 Arsenal
Arsenal 4-0 Atlético Madrid
Arsenal 1-0 Crystal Palace
Arsenal 2-0 Brighton
Burnley 0-2 Arsenal
Slavia Prague 0-3 Arsenal
Sunderland 2-2 Arsenal
Arsenal 4-1 Tottenham
Arsenal 3-1 Bayern Munich
Chelsea 1-1 Arsenal
Arsenal 2-0 Brentford
Arsenal sealed a 2–0 win over Brentford on Wednesday, tightening their grip on the title race.
The routine win came courtesy of an early header from makeshift number nine Mikel Merino, who scored his 21st goal this calendar year, and a late strike from Bukayo Saka — despite Arteta enforcing an array of personnel changes.
What stands out is how Arsenal have seamlessly filled the gaps when injuries arise.
Arteta noted this week that this is one of the club’s “worst” injury spells in recent memory — and yet, the squad’s backup options have all stepped up to do their jobs.
Key defenders and attackers are still sidelined, and further absences could stretch the squad.
Gabriel Magalhaes is still weeks away from returning, and Arteta is waiting to discover the true extent of Cristhian Mosquera’s injury after he was hauled off against Brentford.
Kai Havertz also won’t be back for weeks after suffering a setback in his recovery from a knee problem.
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That being said, Arsenal look better equipped than ever before to handle a long, demanding season — and, crucially, to maintain their push towards a first league title in 22 years.
Arsenal to 'directly contact' Juventus star Kenan Yildiz about joining
Despite their plethora of options right now, a report from Turkish Football now claims that Berta and Arteta are planning for the January window, and one man attracting their serious attention is Juventus sensation Kenan Yildiz.
The Serie A rising star is currently Juve’s top performer, bagging four goals and three assists in the Italian top flight already this season after finishing last campaign as their standout attacker as well (WhoScored).
The 20-year-old is a wanted man in the Premier League, with Fabrizio Romano stating that Chelsea are big fans of Yildiz.
However, a lot of reports centre around Arsenal’s interest.
Corriere dello Sport stated earlier this week that Arsenal have held ‘new’ talks with Yildiz’s entourage, and this is backed up by Turkish Football.
The Gunners have already made their interest known to the player’s agents, but it is now believed that Arsenal will also ‘directly contact’ Yildiz about joining them after speaking to his representatives.
Yildiz’s ability to perform on the wing or almost anywhere across the front line — combined with his recent performances for club and country — make him an attractive target, with Juve still unwilling to meet his contract demands.
The impetus for the approach appears twofold.
On one hand, Yildiz’s contract renewal talks at Juventus have stalled, opening the door for Berta. On the other, Arsenal’s management seems determined to boost attacking depth — even after a major summer recruitment drive — perhaps aiming to add more youthful creativity and unpredictability to their forward line.
Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard are also out of contract in under two years, and Yildiz would be a stellar option to replace them.
The Old Lady are poised to demand an eye-watering fee, though, reportedly around £88 million for their prized asset who ex-Juve boss Massimiliano Allegri called a ‘special talent’.
Juve may not find a club willing to shell out that much on Yildiz, but what’s crystal clear is that English sides are taking note of his exploits.