Arsenal linked with 2 La Liga transfers in January window

What’s new in the world of transfer rumours? There is always something speculative cooking and more often than not when it involves Arsenal it’s worth bearing in mind that the club is an easy target.

Each international window tends to cough up something new, and even now when Arsenal are preparing for an EFL Cup tie with Leeds and in the midst of Premier League football there is still time for talk to surface.

In terms of what it is that Mikel Arteta needs to acquire in the coming winter window, the standout positions are central midfield and striker. While they’re on the agenda, securing them mid-season, especially since they’re key acquisitions that won’t come cheap, is a tall order.

Someone may have turned the clocks back five years as the rumours emerging from Spain are linking the Gunners with two players whom may have been targets well before the current manager even arrived.

Arsenal linked with 2 La Liga transfers in January window as rumours list Barcelona’s Sergi Roberto and Real Betis’ William Carvalho

Fichajes list Barcelona’s Sergi Roberto as an ‘interesting option’ in the Emirates halls, primarily as he’s capable of slotting into midfield as well as playing right-back. That, and his apparent comfort playing the brand of football Arteta wants to instill makes him a potential target.

All of which ignores that he’s now 29 years old and a far cry from the age profile of player the club have clearly been recruiting in recent windows. Out of contract at the end of the season and among the plethora of players Barça are looking to move, it would amount to Arsenal doing the Spanish side a favour more than anything else.

It isn’t going to happen.

From the same source another name has arisen, that of William Carvalho at Real Betis. Someone who has been linked with a move to the Premier League countless times over the past 5-8 years, clearly the rumours are running thin and the bottom of the barrel is being scraped for supposed ‘targets’.

Citing Thomas Partey’s injury issues and his involvement with Ghana at AFCON, why Arsenal would move for an out of form 29-year-old who Arsene Wenger was keen on four years ago can only be answered by this source. In other words: they won’t be.

They may have ‘looked at’ Carvalho, but the outlet is also probably looking at the wrong year in their calendar.

Arsenal don’t need 29-year-old players from La Liga and they certainly don’t need those two.