Three players could leave Arsenal in the January transfer window. Next month, Andrea Berta will be looking to refine the squad as the Gunners gear up for the business end of the season.
Since replacing Unai Emery six years ago, Mikel Arteta has only won one major trophy. Shortly after taking the reins at the Emirates Stadium in December 2019, Pep Guardiola’s former assistant led Arsenal to FA Cup glory.
With his predecessor’s squad, Arteta led the north Londoners to a behind-closed-doors victory against Chelsea at Wembley Stadium. He hasn’t got his hands on a trophy since, and he’s yet to lift a piece of silverware in front of the club’s supporters.
In the years that have followed, the Spaniard has only managed to win a couple of Community Shields and a few Premier League runners’ up medals. Arteta will be desperate to finally break his duck, so Berta must be ready to attack the January transfer window.
Ethan Nwaneri
Nwaneri hasn’t featured nearly as much as he would’ve thought when he signed a new long-term contract in the summer. The 18-year-old midfielder has been an unused substitute more often than not in the Premier League, which has naturally raised questions about his future in north London.
Nwaneri has been so desperate for game time that he asked Arteta to take part in a behind-closed-door friendly. Unless the Spaniard can sway the teenager by guaranteeing minutes in the FA Cup, potential suitors will begin to circle in the January transfer window.
Myles Lewis-Skelly
Lewis-Skelly is another Hale End graduate who’s been brushed to the side by Arteta this season. While the 19-year-old defender has enjoyed plenty of opportunities in the Champions League, he hasn’t had a sniff in the Premier League.
With the World Cup in the summer, Lewis-Skelly will want to be well-positioned to secure a place in Thomas Tuchel’s camp. In November, the England boss explicitly cited the teenager’s lack of game time as a reason for being left out of the squad.
Gabriel Jesus
Berta will have to work hard to keep Jesus at the Emirates Stadium next month. Despite having only recently returned to action following a lengthy spell on the sidelines, the 28-year-old striker has looked as sharp as ever.
He’s already given Viktor Gyokeres a run for his money. Jesus only has 18 months or so left on his contract, so Arsenal have a difficult decision to make in January: stick or twist.
