The January transfer window is only four days away as every team will be looking to strengthen their ranks for the second half of the season. Some will have lofty ambitions of winning titles, others may have Europe in their sights while the threatening possibility of relegation will force some into making moves.
For Arsenal, they will be hopeful of taking their project to the next level, having shown they can be competitive but without the titles to show for it. The Gunners are firmly in the race at the top of the Premier League as well as making the knockout rounds of the Champions League, with Liverpool their competition in the FA Cup third round.
There have been some impressive performers within the ranks for Mikel Arteta, but one thing he may be missing is a striker that can add a clinical edge to their play. The likes of Ivan Toney and Victor Osimhen have been on the radar for January, but they aren’t the only team in the market.
Only down the road are rivals Chelsea also lurking and searching for a forward of their own that could take their project to the next level. The Blues are in mid-table, with the new ownership’s current project yet to click, despite a huge transfer spend and churn of managers.
Their inability to score on a regular basis has been costly at times, leaving them looking upwards at European football, with a slim chance of making it. Making a move for a striker in January could put all the pieces of the puzzle together though, making for a strong end.
With the winter market being an awkward time to make a big-money signing, there could be some opportunities to bolster in the loan market. For both teams, one option may be former Liverpool hero Roberto Firmino, just months after he’s made the switch to Saudi Arabia.
According to a report from TalkSPORT, the Al Ahli striker could be set to depart in the next month on a loan, with interest from both England and Turkey. The Brazilian has shown his quality during an era of relative dominance with the Reds, often playing as a link up striker.
Whether that playing style would be something that suits either team remains to be seen though, given their need for more of a goal scoring forward.
