Arsenal aren't expected to splash the cash in the January transfer window, but there is still plenty of life in the rumour mill. 


The Gunners have been heavily linked with lots of marquee names this month including the likes of Karim Benzema, Ivan Toney and Amadou Onana.

 

But if Mikel Arteta wants some new faces around the Emirates Stadium then he may need to offload some players first to balance the books. 

So, with that being said, football.london have taken a look at a handful of the biggest Arsenal transfer stories on Friday, January 19

Onana warning

Arsenal have been told three reasons not to sign Amadou Onana this month. The 22-year-old has been heavily linked with a move to the Emirates Stadium recently as Arteta hopes to further bolster his midfield during the January transfer window.

 

Speaking to bettingexpert.com, former Arsenal and Manchester United defender Mikael Silvestre said: "He’s (Onana) improved a lot. I’m not sure he’s at the level to improve the current squad. If you’re chasing the Premier League title with City and with Liverpool, I don’t think he’s fully ready to improve the midfield.

"He still has some work to do. Number one would be concentration. Sometimes he loses the ball too easily and his decision making is not 100% there yet. It’s a bit too early for him to be a contender in midfield for Arsenal."

Arsenal face FFP roadblock to Benzema deal

If Arsenal did indeed win the league or the UEFA Champions League, a Benzema loan move would effectively pay for itself in some regard and the risk mitigated.

 

However, with Mikel Arteta’s side five points off the top of the table and the Spaniard’s European record perhaps not inspiring confidence in ousting FC Porto before potential challenges like Bayern Munich, Real Madrid and Manchester City come along that risk would be significant.

Benzema’s current wage packet at Al Ittihad stands at €100million (£85.84million) per season according to Marca. Therefore, if Arsenal were to sign the Frenchman on loan today on the same terms through until June 30 – the date at which loan spells are due to end – it would cost the club approximately £38.9million if they took on the full pay package.

 

This does not take into account any potential loan fee Al Ittihad would ask for, nor the €20million bonus that Benzema reportedly received to become an ambassador for the 2030 World Cup. Many might say this is a price worth paying to improve the club’s chances of winning a title.

Havertz slammed

Speaking to Gambling Zone, William Gallas slammed Arsenal's decision to sign Kai Havertz in the summer. The former Gunners defender said: "Arsenal need a striker but they needed one starting from the beginning of the season and a striker with a different profile.

 

"Gabriel Jesus is very strong and can run and dribble in tight spaces and stretch defences and provide opportunities for wingers to cut inside. Sometimes you need a striker who is stronger and taller and can change the way the team plays, playing more direct with long balls. That’s the type of player Arsenal has to look for.

 

"We are in January and maybe they’re realising they need another striker. That’s why they should have signed a striker at the start of the season. They had the opportunity to buy a striker but they bought Kai Havertz. I still believe they made a mistake. How many goals is Havertz going to score? Not many."

Source: Arsenal - Football.London