Arsenal and interim sporting director Jason Ayto are laying the groundwork for potential signings as we fast move towards 2025, with the north London club’s recruitment team now setting their sights on a key transfer target.
Arteta dealt a double injury blow with Sterling and Saka out for weeks
Manager Mikel Arteta watched his imperious Gunners side put Crystal Palace to the sword for the second time in a week with a convincing 5-1 win over the Eagles at Selhurst Park on Saturday, but Arsenal’s impressive three points were overshadowed by Bukayo Saka’s fresh injury blow.
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The England international hobbled off in the 24th minute against Palace with a hamstring problem, something which Arteta confessed the club were very worried about, and they were deeply concerned for good reason.
Speaking in a pre-match press conference ahead of Arsenal’s looming Premier League encounter with Ipswich Town on December 27, the Spaniard confirmed that Saka is set to be out for “many weeks” – in what is a serious setback as Arteta looks to keep chase with Liverpool at the top of the table.
|
Arsenal’s next five Premier League games |
Date |
|---|---|
|
Ipswich Town (home) |
December 27 |
|
Brentford (away) |
January 1 |
|
Brighton (away) |
January 4 |
|
Tottenham (home) |
January 15 |
|
Aston Villa (home) |
January 18 |
“It’s not looking good,” said Arteta on Saka, dropping a fresh injury update.
“He’s going to be out for many weeks.”
The 23-year-old’s absence could’ve handed a golden opportunity for summer signing Raheem Sterling to finally stake his claim in the first team eleven on a regular basis, but in more bad news for Arsenal, the loanee winger will also be out for weeks with a knee problem.
“He’s going to be out for weeks,” said Arteta on Sterling’s injury.
“He needs some further testing tomorrow to understand the extent of the injury. It’s his knee and we have to wait another 24 hours, but unfortunately he’s going to be out for a while.”
Understandably, reports in the last few days have surfaced about Arsenal potentially signing a new winger in January to cope with his double injury blow, with Brentford’s Bryan Mbeumo tipped as a possible winter target.
Arsenal have also been linked with Antoine Semenyo of Bournemouth as an alternative to Saka, but in the long-term, Ayto and co need to have a serious think about life without mainstay midfielder Thomas Partey as well.
Sevilla starlet Lucien Agoume now “top” Arsenal target to replace Thomas Partey
The £200,000-per-week ace is out of contract at the end of the season and has the option of agreeing a pre-contract with overseas clubs in January ahead of a free transfer later in the year.
Sevilla midfielder Lucien Agoume is now Arsenal’s “top” target to replace Partey, according to a report from Spanish news outlet Mundo Deportivo, with the Frenchman climbing to the summit of their wishlist.
Agoume has been compared to former Man United and Juventus star Paul Pogba, making 18 appearances for Sevilla in all competitions and emerging as a mainstay of Garcia Pimienta’s midfield, after signing permanently for just £3.3 million in the summer.
Praised for his “extraordinary” physicality by ex-Sevilla boss Enrique Sanchez Flores, after he originally joined the La Liga side on loan in January, Agoume is also just 22 and looks set to be plying his trade at the elite level for years to come.
