Arsenal: January signings a necessity

Arsenal are on the verge of squeezing back into the top four. But with some key injuries and questions, January signings are a necessity.

As we move into the winter and closer to the January transfer window, injuries and a loss of form are starting to bite for Arsenal. And with them still being in potentially four competitions come the turn of the year, it is definitely worth considering the possibility of bolstering the squad.

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Typically, Arsene Wenger hated the January transfer window. Despite how Arsenal’s current form was, the lack of squad depth, and the annual crisis, he always stated that it was an unnecessary distraction and always hard to blend players into the first team squad midseason. But sometimes, the window can be invaluable. And this season is looking like one of those times.

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With Arsenal’s our top-four hopes once again looking like a reality, now would be the time to address the key needs of the team: left-back and centre-forward depth. At left-back, Nacho Monreal and Saed Kolasniac’s inability to stay fit for more than a couple of games means that Unai Emery is consistently having to rely on experimental options, including Carl Jenkinson and Granit Xhaka. Meanwhile, with Danny Welbeck suffering a serious ankle injury that is likely to keep him out of the rest of the season, options in attacking areas aren’t exactly growing on trees either.

Now, Arsenal aren’t going to get another Pierre Emerick-Aubemeyang in January. But they can find serviceable, experienced first-team contributors that still bring value to the team. Nicholas Tagliafico is the name mentioned more consistently among the media. He would be a more likely addition considering his cheaper transfer fee. Might he be considered a panic buy? Most likely, yes. But I think the January transfer windows are more for panic buying than long-term team building, and, at 26, Tagliafic would provide a perfectly capable, although not sensational, solution.

It may, however, be more difficult to find a replacement for Welbeck. Nicolas Pepe or Ousmane Dembele will not be sold in January, even if the cash was available. Malcolm? Maybe, but unlikely. and if it happens, it would only on a loan deal. So who does that leave in terms of a replacement? The options are threadbare and Emery is unlikely to spend big, especially as one of the positions on the wing should be held in trust for the returning Reiss Nelson next season and should be his

But that does not mean that there are no excuses. If Arsenal want to be serious about getting into the top four, as they protest to be, then they need to invest in a squad that is just one or two key players away, especially if more injuries were to come between now and the close of the window.

These signings are not likely long-term answers to riddling problems that have not been solved for years. They may not be expensive or flashy or high-profile. But that does not make them insignificant. Reserve players and stop-gap solutions have great value.

If the top four is indeed within sight, January signings are a necessity at the Emirates.