Arsenal’s first January transfer all but complete

Arsenal have been leaving fans concerned this window with their hopes of securing a midfielder and a striker drifting away with each passing day.

Deals to sign Alexander Isak or Dominic Calvert-Lewin appear no closer to being completed this month, while they have been put off by the signing of Arthur from Juventus.

The Italian side were asking for an 18-month loan deal, one the club hierarchy opposed, and it appears as if attentions will be turned elsewhere in the midfield department.

One name to crop up recently has been Aston Villa’s Douglas Luiz, who is out of contract at Villa Park in under 18 months and has a big fan in Mikel Arteta, who used to work with him at Manchester City.

Arsenal’s first January transfer all but complete with Matt Turner expected to join before deadline day but link with Arteta’s squad in the summer

Reports have emerged addressing the Gunners’ own concerns over additions this month, with the only deal looking close to being tied up one for goalkeeper Matt Turner.

Further information has come out from that deal, with New England Revolution head coach Bruce Arena saying the transfer is near completion.

"Speaking on local 98.5 radio, Arena said: “If things work out the right way we’ll probably lose him [Turner] in the summer and he’ll be with us for the first half of the season.“We’re in negotiations now with Arsenal to discuss whether we can complete the transfer, but the likelihood of that happening is pretty strong.”"

The interesting point is that Turner won’t be joining Arsenal until the summer. While there may be an agreement in place this window, it could also be that he is either sent out back on loan for six months or that there will be a verbal agreement to complete the deal at a later date.

What it does do, however, is appear to dispel the chances of Bernd Leno leaving this month. He is currently at the squad’s training camp in Dubai.

Interest had arisen in the German from Newcastle, as well as Bundesliga outfits RB Leipzig and Borussia Dortmund, but this now suggests that he will remain as No. 2 until the end of the campaign

That will do him little favour of keeping his place in the national squad for the upcoming World Cup, although at this stage the chances of Arsenal allowing him to leave without a senior backup are slim.