MADRID, SPAIN – OCTOBER 19: Thomas Partey of Atletico de Madrid looks on during the Liga match between Club Atletico de Madrid and Valencia CF at Wanda Metropolitano on October 19, 2019 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by TF-Images/Getty Images)
The Arsenal board need to invest more than ever…
November is now well underway and before we know it, the festivities will commence. For Premier League teams, this is a gruelling time, however, the fans are always excited for the amount of activity surrounding the Christmas period.
It also means that the January transfer window is looming. While many sides in the English top-flight are in full gear already, there are a few that need this transfer window to hurry up. *Coughs*, Arsenal.
The Gunners sit in sixth place at the time of writing this. While they are used to finishing in such a position, they should really be challenging for the top four and right now they find themselves falling further and further adrift of their rivals.
Unai Emery is at the forefront of the blame and rightly so, however, there’s no denying that the players on the pitch aren’t fighting hard enough. So with that being said, here are five players that the Gunners should consider to save their season in January…
1. Thomas Partey – Atletico Madrid
The first dilemma that Arsenal need to address is the situation of Granit Xhaka. Things are pretty heated with the former captain right now so he should be sold before things spiral out of control.
In terms of replacements for the Swiss international, there are plenty. The pick of the bunch is Thomas Partey, in my opinion. He answers all of the problems that Arsenal have in midfield and Unai Emery wouldn’t need to adjust his system too much.
Thomas Partey has been in fine form this season and is proving to be one of Atletico Madrid’s main players. The 26-year-old is a powerhouse in the midfield and has the defensive prowess necessary to protect a backline.
The good thing about Partey is his versatility. Not only is he able to prevent attacks but he is also able to start them. This is why I think he would make the perfect partner for Lucas Torreira since the Uruguayan lacks the latter.
Partey will be an expensive option since he is entering the prime stages of his career and in the best form of his life. However, Arsenal need to invest the money into these types of players if they are serious about future progression.
Thomas Partey</a> of Atletico de Madrid looks on during the Liga match between Club Atletico de Madrid and Valencia CF at Wanda Metropolitano on October 19, 2019 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by TF-Images/Getty Images)</p>
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<h2>The Arsenal board need to invest more than ever…</h2>
<p>November is now well underway and before we know it, the festivities will commence. For Premier League teams, this is a gruelling time, however, the fans are always excited for the amount of activity surrounding the Christmas period.</p>
<p>It also means that the January transfer window is looming. While many sides in the English top-flight are in full gear already, there are a few that need this transfer window to hurry up. *Coughs*, Arsenal.</p>
<p>The Gunners sit in sixth place at the time of writing this. While they are used to finishing in such a position, they should really be challenging for the top four and right now they find themselves falling further and further adrift of their rivals.</p>
<p>Unai Emery is at the forefront of the blame and rightly so, however, there’s no denying that the players on the pitch aren’t fighting hard enough. So with that being said, here are five players that the Gunners should consider to save their season in January…</p>
<h3>1. Thomas Partey – Atletico Madrid</h3>
<p>The first dilemma that Arsenal need to address is the situation of <a rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank" href=https://playingfor90.com/2019/11/10/arsenal-five-january-signings-save-gunners-season/"https://fbref.com/en/players/e61b8aee/Granit-Xhaka?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-%22>Granit Xhaka</a>. Things are pretty heated with the former captain right now so he should be sold before things spiral out of control.</p>
<p>In terms of replacements for the Swiss international, there are plenty. The pick of the bunch is Thomas Partey, in my opinion. He answers all of the problems that Arsenal have in midfield and Unai Emery wouldn’t need to adjust his system too much.</p>
<p>Thomas Partey has been in fine form this season and is proving to be one of Atletico Madrid’s main players. The 26-year-old is a powerhouse in the midfield and has the defensive prowess necessary to protect a backline.</p>
<p>The good thing about Partey is his versatility. Not only is he able to prevent attacks but he is also able to start them. This is why I think he would make the perfect partner for <a rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank" href=https://playingfor90.com/2019/11/10/arsenal-five-january-signings-save-gunners-season/"https://fbref.com/en/players/52611641/Lucas-Torreira?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-%22>Lucas Torreira</a> since the Uruguayan lacks the latter.</p>
<p>Partey will be an expensive option since he is entering the prime stages of his career and in the best form of his life. However, Arsenal need to invest the money into these types of players if they are serious about future progression.</p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background: #0" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://playingfor90.com/2019/11/10/arsenal-five-january-signings-save-gunners-season/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> 2. Samuel Umtiti - Barcelona </a>
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<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-large wp-image-475389" src=https://playingfor90.com/2019/11/10/arsenal-five-january-signings-save-gunners-season/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_389,w_590/https%3A%2F%2Fplayingfor90.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2016%2F04%2F1166076930-850x560.jpeg" alt="" width="590" height="389"><div class="fs-center-img">
<p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:590px;">BARCELONA, SPAIN – AUGUST 04: <a rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank" href=https://playingfor90.com/2019/11/10/arsenal-five-january-signings-save-gunners-season/"https://fbref.com/en/players/3eed9821/Samuel-Umtiti?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-%22>Samuel Umtiti</a> of FC Barcelona competes for the ball with Ozil of Arsenal during the Joan Gamper Trophy match between FC Barcelona and Arsenal at Nou Camp on August 04, 2019 in Barcelona, Spain. (Photo by Quality Sport Images/Getty Images)</p>
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<h3>2. Samuel Umtiti – Barcelona</h3>
<p>Three things are inevitable in this lifetime; death, taxes and Arsenal needing a centre back. They bought <a rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank" href=https://playingfor90.com/2019/11/10/arsenal-five-january-signings-save-gunners-season/"https://fbref.com/en/players/972aeb2a/William-Saliba?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-%22>William Saliba</a> and <a rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank" href=https://playingfor90.com/2019/11/10/arsenal-five-january-signings-save-gunners-season/"https://fbref.com/en/players/c0e27d1a/David-Luiz?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-%22>David Luiz</a> in the summer but the former won’t arrive until next season and it doesn’t look like the latter will ever truly arrive.</p>
<p>Don’t get me wrong, Luiz hasn’t been the worst Arsenal defender this season but he definitely hasn’t done anything to benefit the backline. <a rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank" href=https://playingfor90.com/2019/11/10/arsenal-five-january-signings-save-gunners-season/"https://fbref.com/en/players/3f2d59fe/Shkodran-Mustafi?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-%22>Shkodran Mustafi</a>, <a rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank" href=https://playingfor90.com/2019/11/10/arsenal-five-january-signings-save-gunners-season/"https://fbref.com/en/players/b682dcf6/Sokratis-Papastathopoulos?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-%22>Sokratis Papastathopoulos</a> and Luiz have not used their experience well enough in this Arsenal XI.</p>
<p><a rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank" href=https://playingfor90.com/2019/11/10/arsenal-five-january-signings-save-gunners-season/"https://fbref.com/en/players/d79a8c87/Rob-Holding?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-%22>Rob Holding</a> has been making his comeback from injury and <a rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank" href=https://playingfor90.com/2019/11/10/arsenal-five-january-signings-save-gunners-season/"https://fbref.com/en/players/dc6f5bdd/Calum-Chambers?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-%22>Calum Chambers</a> has impressed. It’s ironic that the two younger centre backs are the two showing the most grit. Long story short, the centre back position needs fixing (again).</p>
<p>Good news for Arsenal is that Umtiti will probably be available in January. Talk of the town is the Frenchman is treading on thin ice at Camp Nou and it’s likely that Ernesto Valverde will ship him out this winter. Barcelona signed the younger <a rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank" href=https://playingfor90.com/2019/11/10/arsenal-five-january-signings-save-gunners-season/"https://fbref.com/en/players/4f28a6ff/Clement-Lenglet?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-%22>Clement Lenglet</a> in the summer and he has pretty much solidified himself a place in the XI.</p>
<p>The one bad thing about Umtiti is that he is plagued with injuries. He seems to struggle with consistent playing time due to it. However, if he can work on his fitness then he is definitely a man for Arsenal to consider.</p>
<p>Umtiti has become accustomed to playing the ball out from the back which could be of great use to Emery. Sloppy passes at the back have been the root to some of Arsenal’s problems this season so bringing in a specialist at the trade could knock the other defenders into gear.</p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background: #0" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://playingfor90.com/2019/11/10/arsenal-five-january-signings-save-gunners-season/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> 3. Emre Can - Juventus </a>
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<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-large wp-image-475390" src=https://playingfor90.com/2019/11/10/arsenal-five-january-signings-save-gunners-season/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_389,w_590/https%3A%2F%2Fplayingfor90.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2016%2F04%2F1150368953-850x560.jpeg" alt="" width="590" height="389"><div class="fs-center-img">
<p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:590px;">TURIN, ITALY – MAY 19: <a target="_blank" href=https://playingfor90.com/2019/11/10/arsenal-five-january-signings-save-gunners-season/"https://fbref.com/en/players/a65ce836/Emre-Can?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-%22>Emre Can</a> of Juventus celebrates during the awards ceremony after winning the Serie A Championship during the Serie A match between Juventus and Atalanta BC on May 19, 2019 in Turin, Italy. (Photo by Tullio M. Puglia/Getty Images)</p>
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<h3>3. Emre Can – Juventus</h3>
<p>Another option for Unai Emery to consider is Emre Can. The Juventus midfielder has been struggling for game time this season, only making one start in Serie A since the start of the season.</p>
<p>This is largely due to the arrival of <a rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank" href=https://playingfor90.com/2019/11/10/arsenal-five-january-signings-save-gunners-season/"https://fbref.com/en/players/ef619b0b/Aaron-Ramsey?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-%22>Aaron Ramsey</a> and the emergence of <a rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank" href=https://playingfor90.com/2019/11/10/arsenal-five-january-signings-save-gunners-season/"https://fbref.com/en/players/3b8674e6/Rodrigo-Bentancur?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-%22>Rodrigo Bentancur</a>. Either way, the Old Lady have a surplus of midfielders so Massimiliano Allegri will have established a pecking order. It doesn’t take a genius to conclude that Can is at the bottom of that order so if Juventus have a clear out in January, the Germany international would be the first to leave.</p>
<p>However, this is not indicative of his ability. Arsenal fans will know from his time with Liverpool just how valuable he can be to a starting eleven.</p>
<p>In fact, his involvement is similar to Granit Xhaka, just without the recklessness. Can is a physical player but he knows when to use this and doesn’t draw in half as many fouls as Xhaka does. He is also an adequate passer of the ball and has the ability to score the spectacular from outside the box.</p>
<p>Can could be available for cheaper than his value this January. His current contract doesn’t run out until 2022 but if things carry on the way they’re going, I wouldn’t put it past him to push for a move away.</p>
<p>It also helps that Can already has a friend at Arsenal in <a rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank" href=https://playingfor90.com/2019/11/10/arsenal-five-january-signings-save-gunners-season/"https://fbref.com/en/players/16380240/Mesut-Ozil?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-%22>Mesut Ozil</a> so a move could bring out the best in both players.</p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background: #0" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://playingfor90.com/2019/11/10/arsenal-five-january-signings-save-gunners-season/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> 4. Robert Arboleda - Sao Paulo </a>
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<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-large wp-image-475393" src=https://playingfor90.com/2019/11/10/arsenal-five-january-signings-save-gunners-season/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_389,w_590/https%3A%2F%2Fplayingfor90.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2016%2F04%2F1084015900-850x560.jpeg" alt="" width="590" height="389"><div class="fs-center-img">
<p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:590px;"><a rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank" href=https://playingfor90.com/2019/11/10/arsenal-five-january-signings-save-gunners-season/"https://fbref.com/en/players/269dbfc6/Robert-Arboleda?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-%22>Robert Arboleda</a> of Sao Paolo FC during the Florida Cup 2019 match between Ajax Amsterdam v Sao Paulo FC at Orlando City Stadium on January 12, 2019 in Orlando, United States(Photo by VI Images via Getty Images)</p>
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<h3>4. Robert Arboleda – Sao Paulo</h3>
<p>There will be plenty of options for Arsenal in the centre back department should they wish to prioritise this position. Robert Arboleda would offer a new dynamic to the Gunners’ back line.</p>
<p>By ‘new dynamic’, I mean the ability to actually defend. The 28-year-old has been the most important player to Sao Paulo in the Brazilian Serie A, racking up an incredible 23 appearances for the side. In that time, he has been consistently solid and rarely had a bad game.</p>
<p>He keeps his head in the game and doesn’t let the confidence of missing a tackle or two affect the rest of the match. This is something that could be of great benefit to Unai Emery since he needs a confident player to protect <a rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank" href=https://playingfor90.com/2019/11/10/arsenal-five-january-signings-save-gunners-season/"https://fbref.com/en/players/2628fd2b/Bernd-Leno?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-%22>Bernd Leno</a>.</p>
<p>Arboleda has brute force and he uses this to his advantage. He is one of the best I’ve seen at getting above his opponent in aerial duels and protecting the ball at all costs. He will stop at nothing to prevent his opponent from getting in behind.</p>
<p>He is a no-nonsense defender so if Emery was to continue with the playing out from the back system, Arboleda would not be his guy. This is what the fans are calling though, a player who can just clear the ball when necessary. His playing style won’t win him awards but it could be exactly what Arsenal need right now.</p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background: #0" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://playingfor90.com/2019/11/10/arsenal-five-january-signings-save-gunners-season/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> 5. Hwang Hee-chan - Red Bull Salzburg </a>
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<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-large wp-image-475394" src=https://playingfor90.com/2019/11/10/arsenal-five-january-signings-save-gunners-season/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_389,w_590/https%3A%2F%2Fplayingfor90.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2016%2F04%2F1178612097-850x560.jpeg" alt="" width="590" height="389"><div class="fs-center-img">
<p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:590px;">LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND – OCTOBER 02: <a rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank" href=https://playingfor90.com/2019/11/10/arsenal-five-january-signings-save-gunners-season/"https://fbref.com/en/players/7a11550b/Joe-Gomez?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-%22>Joe Gomez</a> of Liverpool and <a rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank" href=https://playingfor90.com/2019/11/10/arsenal-five-january-signings-save-gunners-season/"https://fbref.com/en/players/169fd162/Hwang-Hee-chan?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-%22>Hwang Hee-chan</a> of Red Bull Salzburg during the UEFA Champions League group E match between Liverpool FC and RB Salzburg at Anfield on October 02, 2019 in Liverpool, United Kingdom. (Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images)</p>
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<h3>5. Hwang Hee-chan – Red Bull Salzburg</h3>
<p>One player who is slowly emerging into the mainstream is Hwang Hee-chan of Salzburg. The 23-year-old is maturing into a great player and it’s starting to get noticed on the European stage.</p><div class="widget fs_ads"> <div class="fs_ad_widget-ad" style="margin:0 auto; width: 300px;"> <div class="fs-ll-ad" data-ad-type="minutemedia_slideshow_inline_300x250__desktop__tablet" data-vendor="minutemedia">
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<p>This is largely due to his impressive performances in the Champions League this season, most notably against Liverpool. In the match which finished 4-3 to the champions, Hwang Hee-chan provided an assist while also getting on the scoresheet himself. He has scored seven goals and provided three assists across all competitions this season.</p>
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<p>The thing which strikes me most about the South Korea international is his ability with the ball at his feet. He has immense composure on the ball and he likes to run at his opposition. This is similar to <a rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank" href=https://playingfor90.com/2019/11/10/arsenal-five-january-signings-save-gunners-season/"https://fbref.com/en/players/57e3f0c7/Nicolas-Pepe?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-%22>Nicolas Pepe</a>.</p>
<p>This could be crucial to Arsenal because it makes up for an asset which <a rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank" href=https://playingfor90.com/2019/11/10/arsenal-five-january-signings-save-gunners-season/"https://fbref.com/en/players/d5dd5f1f/Pierre-Emerick-Aubameyang?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-%22>Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang</a> is not so good at. Auba will still be the main guy up front but the Gabon international will favour a move for Hee-chan since it means he won’t need to play out wide anymore.</p>
<p>To conclude, a large majority of the players in this list are defenders or defensive midfielders but that is indicative of Arsenal’s needs in the January transfer window. They need to tighten things up at the back and in midfield if they are to stand any chance for the remainder of the season.</p>
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<p>Who do you think Arsenal should sign in the January transfer window?</p><!—pageview_candidate—></p>">