Arsenal handed £29m avoidable midfield transfer invitation

If it wasn’t already known prior to the 1-0 defeat against Nottingham Forest, then it is now. Arsenal need to sign a midfielders this January transfer window.

Albert Sambi Lokonga and Charlie Patino failed to impose themselves against their Championship opponents. They were soft. One of them had played nine minutes over the past seven Premier League matches and the other was making his first senior start.

To some degree it was to be expected.

But after them, there is nothing. Heading into Thursday’s Carabao Cup semi-final first leg, it once again may be just those two to choose from. Just as Mikel Arteta has allowed Ainsley Maitland-Niles to leave on loan, Granit Xhaka has tested positive for Covid.

Arsenal handed £29m midfield transfer invitation with Arthur Melo loan deal discussed – but Mikel Arteta’s side should steer clear

The transfer market suddenly looks even more alluring than before. Centre-forward is also massively important this window with Arsenal keeping tabs on the trio of Dusan Vlahovic, Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Alexander Isak, but there are at least already numbers in that department.

One name that has been floated about over recent weeks is Juventus’ Arthur Melo. Formerly of Barcelona, the Brazilian was once likened to Xavi by none other than Lionel Messi. While that might have once been applicable, it isn’t now.

Arthur has been deemed surplus to requirements by Maximiliano Allegri, with Fabrizio Romano confirming that the midfielder has been mentioned in Arsenal quarters with the possibility of a loan deal, although no contacts with Juventus have taken place.

Said to be valued at around £29m, it appears a break in ties is desired by all parties and plenty of European sides have been linked. Juventus would be keen to sell but as much as rumours have emerged to offer the Gunners a midfield transfer lifeline, this is one they should avoid.

Signing Arthur in this window wouldn’t be fast forwarding plans from the summer. Bruno Guimaraes has been mentioned, for example, as someone Arsenal are watching and would, in normal circumstances, have wanted to sign at the end of the season. If they were to move for him this window it would be speeding matters up.

As for Arthur, he is a deep-lying playmaker with box-to-box qualities who, well, isn’t playing. He’s had multiple injuries over recent seasons, even having surgery earlier in this campaign, and can’t get into a midfield ahead of Adrien Rabiot. That should say enough.

His name has been mentioned plenty, but it’s a poor fit. It’s asking a lot of the player to come into this situation cold and to expect results from that is risky. If he was playing regularly at peak fitness then perhaps. That just isn’t the case.

Just being available for transfer doesn’t make you an option. Whether a loan or otherwise, Arsenal need to be doing their summer business now. If they are to act temporarily, which feels like an increasingly plausible outcome, then it will require more meticulous work than someone Juventus are actively trying to flog.