%20rotate(-8.06)%22%2F%3E%0A%20%20%3Cpolygon%20class%3D%22cls-1%22%20points%3D%22336.19%20136.81%20330.16%2094.25%20326.06%2071.19%20326.44%2071.13%20335.22%2093.54%20352.29%20134.52%20373.95%20131.46%20362.7%2052.01%20350.02%2053.8%20356.05%2096.36%20360.15%20119.42%20359.77%20119.48%20350.99%2097.08%20333.91%2056.09%20312.25%2059.15%20323.51%20138.6%20336.19%20136.81%22%2F%3E%0A%20%20%3Cpolygon%20class%3D%22cls-1%22%20points%3D%22402.91%2059.3%20412.36%20126.02%20427.17%20123.92%20417.72%2057.21%20431.59%2055.24%20429.79%2042.51%20387.23%2048.53%20389.04%2061.27%20402.91%2059.3%22%2F%3E%0A%20%20%3Cpolygon%20class%3D%22cls-1%22%20points%3D%22463.51%20118.77%20458.69%2084.71%20474.68%2082.44%20479.51%20116.5%20494.36%20114.4%20483.11%2034.95%20468.26%2037.06%20472.96%2070.25%20456.96%2072.52%20452.26%2039.32%20437.4%2041.43%20448.65%20120.88%20463.51%20118.77%22%2F%3E%0A%20%20%3Cpolygon%20class%3D%22cls-1%22%20points%3D%22540.5%20107.87%20538.77%2095.68%20518.91%2098.49%20515.77%2076.29%20535.63%2073.47%20533.93%2061.5%20514.07%2064.32%20511.11%2043.42%20530.98%2040.61%20529.25%2028.42%20494.53%2033.34%20505.78%20112.78%20540.5%20107.87%22%2F%3E%0A%20%20%3Cpolygon%20class%3D%22cls-1%22%20points%3D%22299.03%20155.17%20301.29%20171.58%20542.78%20138.39%20540.5%20121.97%20299.03%20155.17%22%2F%3E%0A%3C%2Fsvg%3E)
How big a blow will this prove to be for Arsenal? At the weekend, the club confirmed that Mikel Merino suffered a broken bone in his foot during the recent 3-2 defeat against Manchester United. As a result, he will "be out of action for an extended period", hopeful the Spaniard will be able to resume training before the end of the season, with no guarantee that he will be available again to Mikel Arteta.
It was thereby reported by David Ornstein of the Athletic on deadline day that Arsenal were "surveying the market for a potential loan as short-term cover", but no such move came to pass. Well, unless you include the arrival of Evan Mooney from St Mirren, but he is more of an academy addition.
However, Arsenal were reportedly interested in a rather more high-profile target before the window slammed shut at 7pm (GMT) on Monday. So, was there anything concrete in these rumours, and how close did this shock move come to actually happening?
Arsenal remain interested in Sandro Tonali
As was widely-reported on deadline day, Arsenal were offered the chance to sign midfielder Sandro Tonali of Newcastle United by his agent Giuseppe Riso.
Well, later in the day, Riso denied this, stating "we never spoke with Arsenal about this opportunity", but this may have been him attempting to extinguish any fires he may have caused. Speaking on Sky Sports News, Ornstein asserted that there was "never any chance" of Tonali leaving Newcastle in January, but that does not mean the deal is dead forever.
Ornstein added that "Arsenal have had an admiration of Tonali for a long time, dating back years", so could this be a deal Andrea Berta revisits in the summer? Well, Craig Hope of the Daily Mail certainly suggests that this could be the case.
He believes that links between Tonali and Arsenal may be an early indicator of what is to come, adding that information such as this rarely emerges unintentionally. The Italian international moved to Tyneside from AC Milan for €70 million in the summer of 2023, only to serve a ten-month ban for breaching Italian betting regulations soon after.
Nevertheless, since returning in August 2024, he has established himself as a key figure alongside Bruno Guimarães and Joelinton. As recently as October, Tonali signed a new contract at Newcastle, keeping him in the North East until 2029, with an option for a further year.
Thus, getting him out of Newcastle, for Arsenal or anyone else, would not be easy or indeed cheap. Nevertheless, with Eddie Howe's team currently 11th in the Premier League table, thereby outside the European positions, should they remain there, the Magpies could lose a key asset or two. One thing is for certain, despite the window being closed, this story appears unlikely to be over.