Arsenal’s John Stones Request

Arsenal have targets on their mind heading into the January window.

With an already bloated squad, there will need to be some trimming in certain departments, although as we saw over the summer, the biggest problem Arsenal face is getting players out, not in.

Four key earners will be off the books next summer in Shkodran Mustafi, Mesut Ozil, Sokratis and David Luiz, but Arsenal must act in the winter window to secure a creative midfielder in an effort to absolve them of their blunt, tiresome attacking football.

Despite a wealth of central defenders on the club’s books, the issue of quality springs to mind. Along with the aforementioned trio, there is also Rob Holding, William Saliba and Calum Chambers who operate on the right side of central defence. Still, Mikel Arteta has still set his sights on another addition to that position in the coming window.

Given the players whose contracts are expiring and the lack of a suitable, top level partner for Gabriel Magalhaes, it’s an area that need bolstering even with Saliba and Holding the two most likely to stay going into next season.

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Is John Stones the answer?

As per Eurosport – but picked up across the media for nearly a year – Arsenal have requested that Manchester City inform them should the Englishman become available. Arteta, who worked with Stones throughout his time with City, has faith in the unfavoured centre-back and believes he can resurrect his career in north London.