Arsenal to invest in January transfer window to strengthen Premier League title challenge – Paper Round

Gunners given green light to invest in winter window

Arsenal are ready to back Mikel Arteta in the January transfer window in order to keep the club’s Premier League title challenge alive. The Sun state that Arteta is keen to add at least two more players to his squad and Arsenal owner Stan Kroenke is willing to hand him around £50 million to spend in the winter. Arteta is looking to add a wide forward and a central midfielder to ease the workload on Bukayo Saka and Granit Xhaka. The club have reportedly added Palmeiras midfielder Danilo to their transfer shortlist, while Shakhtar Donetsk’s Mykhaylo Mudryk and Villarreal’s Yeremy Pino are being targeted to improve their attacking options. The trio are all reportedly valued at around £25 million each.

Paper Round’s view: Arsenal have enjoyed a scintillating start to the Premier League season. The Gunners sit at the top of the table after 11 matches and have won all but two of their fixtures so far. The question is: how long can they keep it up? This is probably what is worrying Arteta too. The Spaniard will want to bring fresh faces in during the January transfer window to make sure that his squad don’t let up. New competition within the squad and adding depth will be key in the Gunners’ attempts to keep their Premier League title ambitions alive. Saka and Xhaka have been heavily-relied upon this season so it will allow more rotation too.

Chelsea chase Guimaraes

Chelsea are ready to launch a January bid for Newcastle United’s highly-rated midfielder Bruno Guimaraes, according to Goal. The Blues are keen on strengthening their options in the middle of the park and have placed Guimaraes on the top of their transfer wishlist ahead of the winter window. Goal report that Newcastle are desperate to hold onto the Brazilian and are willing to respond to Chelsea’s interest by offering Guimaraes a club-record contract in order to keep him on Tyneside. The Magpies are open to paying the 24-year-old a salary of around £200,000 per week.

Paper Round’s view: Rewind (less than) a year and people were questioning why no other top clubs were interested in signing Guimaraes when he left Lyon to join Newcastle. You’d expect those clubs are now regretting their decisions. It was clear that the Brazil international was a huge talent and he’s proven this (and more) at St James’ Park. He’s been linked with Real Madrid and Chelsea in recent weeks and the only way that the rumours will go away is if he signs an improved contract at Newcastle. The Premier League club will have to cough up a “club-record” contract and they will be delighted if Guimaraes decides to stay.

Liverpool no longer leading battle to sign Bellingham

Jude Bellingham is set to be the centre of a transfer window tug-of-war next summer, according to the Telegraph. The 19-year-old has enjoyed a successful start to the season at Borussia Dortmund, but it is widely expected that he will leave the German club at the end of the current campaign. It is reported that Liverpool, Manchester City and Real Madrid are interested in signing Bellingham. However, the Telegraph reveal that Jurgen Klopp’s side were initially the “front-runners” but are now “losing ground”. Real Madrid are said to have outlined their plan to Bellingham’s representatives and are in a strong position to win the race to sign the teenager.

Paper Round’s view: It would be easy for Bellingham to return to England and play in the Premier League, but it would be sensational to see a young Englishman back himself to move to Real Madrid. The former Birmingham City wonderkid previously rejected an approach from Manchester United in favour of moving to a new country at such a young age. He is not scared of taking risks – and look how that has worked out for him. He is frequently wearing the armband at Borussia Dortmund at the age of 19 and is linked with a big-money move to the biggest clubs in world football. Wherever he goes, Bellingham will be a success.

A new deal for Edu

Arsenal are ready to negotiate a new contract for the club’s technical director Edu Gaspar. The Brazilian has been vital in the Gunners’ decisions around recruitment since 2019 and has been lauded for his influence around the rebuild in north London. Arsenal are hoping to tie Edu down to a long-term deal due to “concrete interest” from “at least two European clubs”. The 44-year-old is reported to be happy with his current role at the club where he enjoyed four years as a player, and the Mail report that he is expected to sign the extension.

Paper Round’s view: This decision would be a positive move for Arsenal. The Gunners are looking stable and that is down to the rebuild – which was largely orchestrated by Edu and Mikel Arteta. It would be a disaster if Edu has his head turned and contemplates leaving. Right now, the Premier League club need to keep working at their long-term plans and continue ‘trusting the process’.