Arsenal are considering a move for a striker in January, with Mikel Arteta’s side ready to jump ahead of rivals to secure his signature as injury problems mount
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta will be mulling over a very promising start to the season and their Premier League title hopes as the final international break gets underway.
However, there was a touch of disappointment at the weekend when the Gunners were held to a 2-2 draw by Sunderland. Manchester City capitalised on this minor stumble by thrashing Liverpool 3-0, reducing the gap at the top to just four points. Nevertheless, Arsenal would have happily accepted such a lead after 11 games at the beginning of the season.
The main problem plaguing the Gunners this season has been injuries. Consequently, Arteta will be hoping that his international stars return from duty unharmed, especially with the north London derby against Tottenham looming on November 23. And the spate of injuries may force the club back into the transfer market in January.
Here’s all the latest news from the Emirates.
Arteta’s wish has been granted following injury concerns
Arteta must have breathed a sigh of relief when Italy decided to leave Riccardo Calafiori out of their squad for Thursday’s World Cup qualifier against Moldova. The Arsenal boss had been worried after the defender sustained a hip injury, reports the Mirror.
Despite the injury, Calafiori still joined Rino Gattuso’s squad but has been training separately on a personalised programme. The Gunners have been keeping a close eye on the situation and, according to Italian reports, wanted Calafiori to sit out both the Moldova match and Sunday’s game against Norway, even though the player himself was eager to join the squad.
It was confirmed on Thursday that he would watch the Moldova game from the stands. While there is a chance he could still figure against Norway at the San Siro, Arteta will be pleased that Italy haven’t taken any risks so far.
If he doesn’t make the Norway game, the 23-year-old will return to the club earlier than planned.
Gunners ready to jump queue for striker
Arsenal are considering a January swoop for Levente striker Etta Eyong, according to reports in Spain.
That is despite the fact he wouldn’t be able to play for the Gunners until next season, having already turned out for Villarreal before joining Levante at the end of the transfer window.
According to FIFA rules, players are not permitted to play for more than two clubs in a single season. To steal a march on their rivals for the Cameroonian’s signature, the Gunners could sign Eyong in January and then loan him back to Levente for the rest of the season.
Barcelona and Real Madrid are also said to be admirers of Eyong, but it is Arsenal who are showing ‘most interest’, reports Spanish outlet Sport. Barca may also struggle to afford Eyong despite his relatively modest buyout clause of around £35million.
While CSKA Moscow have also been linked, Eyong is said to have no interest in playing in Russia. Instead, he is eyeing a move to one of the La Liga big guns or the Premier League.
Speaking to GiveMeSport recently, he expressed: “I believe I have the necessary quality to succeed in the Premier League and that my style is well-suited to English football.”
When asked about being linked with the El Clásico duo, he responded: “It means a lot because it shows that my hard work is paying off. But now I have to focus on Levante and we’ll see what happens in the future.”
#Arsenal #news #Mikel #Arteta #eyes #transfer #boss
