With the January window open, Arsenal are gearing up to strengthen their squad, as the team looks to keep pushing for a first league title since 2004. The January arrivals last year — Jorginho, Jakob Kiwior, and Leandro Trossard made significant contributions as the Gunners made their first genuine title charge in years. Manager Mikel Arteta along with director of football Edu, will be scouring the market for players that can push Arsenal over the hump. The Gunners currently sit fourth in the standings, 5 points off the top spot, with just 1 win in their last 7 games in all competitions and Arteta, mindful of the volatility of the January window, spoke after the defeat to West Ham about the state of the squad. “We don’t know how the squad is going to be and you have to be prepared for that. “If there is something that can improve the squad, or if we need something that we can’t fulfil with players here then we are always going to be open to doing that because we want to be stronger.” In this piece, we discuss Arsenal’s squad depth issues and realistic winter signings while giving you the best betting offers on BetKing, Nigeria’s #1 online sports betting site. **What are the positions Arsenal must strengthen?** The main priority seems to be defence, with Arteta recently admitting his side are “really short at the back.” The cruciate ligament injury sustained by summer signing Jurrien Timber on his Premier League debut was a devastating blow. His recovery is progressing well, but he is not expected back anytime soon. The loss of Timber has been made worse by an injury to Takehiro Tomiyasu — and even if the versatile full-back returns to fitness in January, he’s expected to be away for atleast a month representing Japan at the AFC Asian Cup. A fit Timber and Tomiyasu are crucial to Arteta's future defensive plans, with Tomiyasu expected to extend his contract. Whatever defensive signings may come in, Edu and Arteta must first consider how it affects the long term future of the aforementioned players. Defensive midfield has also come under the spotlight recently as Thomas Partey, Mohamed Elneny and Jorginho have struggled with injuries and questionable form throughout the season. In Jorginho’s case, his lack of athlecism means he was always likely to struggle when asked to screen the defence. There are bodies in attack, but like last season, there is no bonafide goalsorer in the squad as our online sports betting community can attest to. Gabriel Jesus’ return of 3 league goals in 15 games will not win you a title, it’s that simple. Bukayo Saka is the club’s top scorer with 9 goals in all competitions, and he is having to shoulder a huge burden, asked to create and score at a high level. Should this trend continue, the best case scenario for the North London side will be another second-place finish and we have the best odds for this on BetKing, the best betting site in Nigeria.
That being said, the Gunners have been linked to a host of players and potential January signings, but here are 3 stars we believe can improve this Arsenal team, pushing them closer to a Premier League title. **Jorrel Hato (Defender - Ajax)** Hato, 17, is widely regarded as one of Europe’s most exciting defensive prospects and can play at centre-back or left-back. Arteta is a fan of versatile defenders, as players like Ben White, Tomiyasu, Zinchenko, and Timber can all play in several positions. Hato, already a Holland international, has 18 months remaining on his current contract, although Ajax want to tie him down to a new long-term deal. His performances have been a bright spark in a challenging season for Ajax, and the Gunners have a recent history of doing transfer business with Ajax, having signed Timber from the Dutch club in a deal worth up to £39 million last summer. **Martin Zubimendi (Defensive Midfielder – Real Sociedad)** Arsenal are surely due a midfield overhaul, as Declan Rice, a sensation since he arrived in the summer, stand out as the sole representation of the club’s long term future in that position. Thomas Partey, Jorginho, and Elneny are nearing the end of their careers. Partey's persistent injury concerns make him unreliable, Jorginho's contract situation is uncertain, and Elneny is simply not good enough. The Gunners have been linked to Zubimendi for quite sometime, and he could be a long-term solution to Arteta’s midfield issues. At 24, he is the same age as Rice, and would offer the Gunners at least 8 years of quality in a crucial position. He plays at the base of midfield or as part of double-pivot and his best qualities are ball retention (89.1% short pass completion), and an uncanny ability to be at the right place everytime, as evidenced by his team-high 21 intercetions in 18 appearances. Zubimendi’s rise has been tracked by Europe’s finest clubs, including Spanish giants Barcelona. The Catalans’ boss Xavi, has been a long time admirer, once describing the Sociedad man as “extraordinary.” Barca did try to bring him to the Nou Camp last season, but financial constraints made that impossible. For Arsenal, a signing of this magnitude would be a coup. Zubimendi would be an instant upgrade on ElNeny and Jorginho while complementing Rice expertly, giving more freedom to Martin Odegaard. The Spaniard has a reported release clause of €60m and his arrival would most certainly raise the Gunners’ levels in the title race. **Serhou Guirassy (Striker – Stuttgart)** Guirassy has become one of Europe’s hottest properties this season, thanks to his outrageous goal-scoring run with Stuttgart in the Bundesliga. The 27-year-old has scored 17 goals in 14 league games this season, and 19 strikes across all competitions. Arsenal need a bonafide goalscorer, someone to carry out the task of putting the ball in the net. Since Christmas, Arteta’s men have scored jut one goal from 63 shots, and Sunday night’s 2-0 FA Cup defeat to Liverpool, made it consecutive games at the Emirates without scoring. Guirassy could certainly remedy that situation. He is impressive with both feet, excels in tight spaces, ca run in behind, and is a genuine threat in the air. His impressive [41% conversion rate](https://twitter.com/WhoScored/status/1714293157641478353) addresses Arsenal's need for clinical finishing. At 27, he presents a cost-effective alternative to Ivan Toney, with a absurdly low release clause of just £15 million. At that price point, there will surely be interest from the likes of Chelsea, and Manchester United, but the Gunners must steal a march on their rivals to secure one of Europe’s hottest strikers with very little risk attached. In Conclusion, Arsenal are at a crossroads and must look to the transfer market to improve a squad that looks thin and fatigued, if they are to avoid slipping out of the title race completely. Still believe Arsenal can turn it around and win their first title since
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