Forget signing Kroupi, Arsenal should make a brave outgoing transfer decision in January

Football fans are understandably obsessed with transfers, and thus, Arsenal supporters are unsurprisingly already looking ahead to the January window, wondering what their club might do to strengthen Mikel Arteta's squad.

The Gunners arguably left themselves short on star attacking quality over the summer. Andrea Berta sanctioned the departures of Leandro Trossard, Gabriel Martinelli and Gabriel Jesus, whilst only recruiting Christos Tzolis.

While Arteta's men are likely to be in the mix for the Premier League title and the Champions League once again without any January reinforcements, bolstering their attack could make them undeniable favourites for both competitions. Junior Kroupi is the name on many fans' lips, although the Bournemouth striker's current injury situation will complicate that prospective deal.

Julian Alvarez will no doubt be an option again, while the likes of Nico Williams and Kenan Yildiz remain candidates for the left wing role at the Emirates.

However, perhaps the most important decision Arsenal will make this January is around a potential outgoing.

Arsenal should loan Max Dowman in January

Arsenal fans clamouring for a superstar attacker is understandable. That said, they may already have a superstar developing in their academy, and it's imperative that they carefully manage his development to make sure he fulfils his potential.

That player is, of course, Max Dowman. The 16-year-old is on the periphery of Arteta's squad at the moment, playing mostly in cup competitions, alongside the odd cameo in the league and Champions League.

This level of involvement for a team competing for football's greatest prizes feels right for Dowman's development. However, the teenager's progression could be fast-tracked somewhat by regular football elsewhere, at a slightly lower level with fewer demands.

Dowman is not permitted to go on loan yet, but this won't be an issue come January. He turns 17 on December 31st, meaning he'll be eligible for a temporary stint away from North London when the winter window rolls around.

There have been multiple reports suggesting a whole host of clubs are looking to pry Dowman away from N5 for the second portion of this season, which is hardly surprising given the prestigious nature of his talent. If Arteta and Berta sanction a loan for the Hale End graduate, it won't go down particularly well amongst the Arsenal faithful, who are desperate to see more of him in a red and white shirt right now.

However, those making the decisions at the club need to think of the bigger picture. They need to think of what's best for Dowman's long-term development.

He's too good to play under-21s football at this stage, but arguably not quite physically ready to play regular minutes for the Arsenal first team. Sparse cup minutes also aren't going to be hugely beneficial for his development.

He needs to go away and play regularly at a good level, but probably away from the Premier League. Frequent minutes in men's football could accelerate his progression and prepare him to contribute more consistently for Arsenal from the start of the 2027/28 season.

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