Hello, and welcome to today's Arsenal live blog on Thursday, January 12!
The Gunners secured a 3-0 win over League 1 side Oxford United in the third round of the FA Cup on Monday night, with Mohamed Elneny breaking the deadlock before Eddie Nketiah netted a brace. The win at the Kassam Stadium means that Mikel Arteta's men will travel to the Etihad Stadium to take on Pep Guardiola's Manchester City in the next round.
But first, the north London outfit will face local rivals Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League on Sunday before welcoming Manchester United to the Emirates Stadium seven days later. Off the pitch, Arsenal continue to be linked with a number of top attacking players across Europe, specifically Shakhtar Donetsk starlet Mykhaylo Mudryk.
With all of that being said, keep today's blog locked as we bring you all the latest transfer rumours, team news and updates from north London.
Arsenal submit £62.1m offer plus add-ons for Mudryk
Arsenal have submitted a new bid for Mykhaylo Mudryk, thought to be €70million (£62.1m) plus add-ons. A deal for the Shakhtar Donetsk star is edging closer with just the final details needing to be discussed between the clubs.
EXCL: Arsenal new official proposal for Mykhaylo Mudryk is close to €70m fee plus add-ons, submitted tonight as revealed earlier. #AFC
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) January 12, 2023
Negotiations ongoing with Shakhtar Donetsk to discuss on the add-ons package.
No issues on personal terms, Mudryk wants the move. pic.twitter.com/AOaMEnV4Ub
Nuno Tavares aims dig at Joao Felix
Arsenal loanee Nuno Tavares has aimed a sly dig at Chelsea new signing Joao Felix after he was sent off on his debut.
Joao Felix what a player anyway
— Nuno Tavares (@NunoTavares) January 12, 2023
Arsenal submit fresh Mykhaylo Mudryk bid
Arsenal have submitted a third bid for Shakhtar Donetsk star Mykhaylo Mudryk.
Excl: Arsenal have submitted a new bid for Mykhaylo Mudryk in the last few hours. Parties are now getting closer, no breakthrough yet — talks ongoing with Shakhtar Donetsk. #AFC
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) January 12, 2023
Arsenal are still leading the race — no official bid from Chelsea, as things stand. pic.twitter.com/HmF5Ci7koy
Arsenal must be cautious of Tottenham threat
Former Tottenham star Gus Poyet thinks Spurs need to win the North London Derby against Arsenal this weekend to make the Premier League title race more interesting.
Speaking to WhatAcca.com, Gus Poyet said: “I think we’ll see Arsenal try to dominate possession to stop Tottenham going too far.
"Maybe Spurs will change a little bit and not being too passive. There will be moments in the game where Tottenham will be very organised.
“It all comes down to key moments and key players. When you have a chance, you must score. Scoring first is really important. I really hope that Tottenham win to make the Premier League a bit more interesting."
Arsenal swoop for Youri Tielemans in January
Arsenal could still make a January transfer swoop for Leicester City star Youri Tielemans as Premier League top four rivals Newcastle United eye up a move for the 25-year-old. However, immediate interest from Mikel Arteta and Edu in the Belgian has cooled, as football.london understands.
Signing Tielemans will likely prove difficult, both in this window and in the summer if Arsenal are still sniffing around, according to Dean Jones.
“If they [Newcastle] go for Tielemans, they’re suddenly going to have to compete with Arsenal, who are top of the league and probably in a stronger position to actually sign him if they want to," he told GiveMeSport.
"So there’s a lot to weigh out there, but ultimately, I think central midfield and the forward line are both situations that Newcastle are still looking to address.”
Tielemans' value could be available for as little as £15million in January given he only has six months left on his current deal after Leicester were open to bids of £25million in the summer.
Ismael Bennacer signs new AC Milan contract
Arsenal transfer target Ismael Bennacer has signed a new contract with AC Milan, keeping him at the club until 2027.
Official, completed. Ismael Bennacer signs new contract with AC Milan valid until June 2027. #ACMilan pic.twitter.com/hoT63bKRuT
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) January 12, 2023
Arsenal chief provides Mykhaylo Mudryk update
Arsenal chief executive Vinai Venkatesham, who took part in media duties throughout the event. While much of the discussion was centred around the stadium revamp and the current season, reporter’s couldn’t resist asking the question on everyone’s mind - what’s happening with Mudryk?
Venkatesham's interview with American news channel CNN was no exception, with anchor Richard Quest asking him directly about the player: "The fans will certainly be interested on the murals, they’ll be even more interested if you bring Mykhaylo Mudryk to Arsenal. Where do we stand on that? Have you got your chequebook ready?"
"Well you will not be surprised to hear that I’m not going to talk about individual players," Venkatesham replied. "But of course, we are in a transfer window at the moment, Edu Gaspar has a long-term plan around how we want to strengthen our squad and whenever a transfer window is open, there’s an opportunity for us and of course we are always looking to see if there’s an opportunity that makes sense for us. If an opportunity makes sense for us, we will do it and January is no different from any other transfer window."
New FIFA face scans
A number of Arsenal stars have received updated face scans in FIFA 23!
Emile Smith Rowe, Takehiro Tomiyasu and Albert Sambi Lokonga are among those to be given their real faces in-game.
New Arsenal face scans in FIFA 23:
— afcstuff (@afcstuff) January 12, 2023
Marquinhos
Emile Smith Rowe
Fabio Vieira
Takehiro Tomiyasu
Albert Sambi Lokonga
Catalin Cirjan
[@FIFA_Infinity] #afc pic.twitter.com/Cf8Sq1NYsd
Arsenal 'agree' fee with Shakhtar Donetsk for Mykhaylo Mudryk transfer
Arsenal have 'agreed' a fee with Shakhtar Donetsk as Mykhaylo Mudryk's transfer to the Emirates Stadium edges closer.
The Gunners are said to have agreed a fee in the region of €85million (£75m) - €90million (£79m). A five-year contract has already been agreed with the 22-year-old ahead of a move to north London.
The last thing being discussed between the two clubs is the bonuses involved in the deal.
#Mudryk, the talks between #Arsenal and #Shakhtar are entering in the final stage.
— Rudy Galetti (@RudyGaletti) January 12, 2023
Both clubs agreed on the overall amount of the transfer (around €85/90m), now they are discussing the balance fixed/add-ons.
The next few days will be decisive for this step. pic.twitter.com/hwE4vWNENh
Mykhaylo Mudryk January transfer prediction made amid £89m Arsenal and Chelsea battle
Arsenal and Chelsea have been told that a move for Mykhaylo Mudryk will be concluded in January and for less than the quoted £89million transfer valuation. It comes as the two London rivals battle it out for the signature of the highly-rated Ukraine international this month.
Famous Ukrainian coach Vyacheslav Grozny has made a prediction over whether he thinks a deal will happen over the January window. He told UA Football: "There is no chance [a club pays the asking price].
"No one will ever give €100 million for Mudryk! And there is no need to draw a parallel with Antony here. He played so much for Ajax and proved himself there. And Mudryk is not yet a well-known football player - a dark horse for Europe, who shot this season in the Champions League.
"Previously, he did not show himself anywhere - neither in 'Desna', nor in Arsenal of Kyiv, nor in Shakhtar until foreigners left there. He did not get into the lineup under Tete and Solomon. Regarding the transfer, I think the issue will be resolved at the end of January, and for the amount that Arsenal wants.
"The price will be quite decent, but far from what Shakhtar wants."
Mykhaylo Mudryk to Arsenal transfer delay explained
Arsenal have been in talks with Shakhtar Donetsk over the signing of Mykhaylo Mudryk for some time. The Gunners have already had two official offers knocked back but continue to push ahead in the hope of agreeing on a deal to sign the winger before the January window closes.
Mikel Arteta has identified Mudryk as his priority for the winter and football.london understands that talks are ongoing and progressing positively. The winger has made it clear his preference is a switch to the Emirates Stadium and the Arsenal boss has spoken openly about his belief that players will move where they want to play.
The reality is there are a number of factors dragging out the potential transfer.
Firstly, Shakhtar Donetsk are known for being a club that are shrewd in negotiations and stubborn with their valuations, often getting maximum value for their high-profile exports. Players such as Fred, Alex Teixeira, Douglas Costa, Fernandinho, Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Willian have made the club more than €200million (£176.9million).
Sergej Milinkovic-Savic bid
According to Il Messaggero via Calciomercato, Lazio are prepared to allow Sergej Milinkovic-Savic leave on a loan deal for just £8.8million with a £35.5million obligatory purchase clause for the summer but the Gunners face competition from Juventus.
A deal for this structure, if true, would be perfect for the Gunners’ financial situation this January. The bulk of the funds are being directed toward the permanent signing of Mudryk, as talks continue, but with figures as high as €100million (£88.4million) being talked about, any other business would need to be considerably less expensive.
With Arsenal top of the table, five points clear of Manchester City, qualification for next season’s Champions League seems a case of if not when. FiveThirtyEight’s prediction algorithm has the Gunners at a 96% likelihood of being in the top four come the end of the season.
Nicolas Pepe impressing during loan spell
Nicolas Pepe put in a starring performance for OGC Nice in their 6-1 win over Montpellier on Wednesday, scoring a brace.
Pepe helped OGC Nice to their best result of the season by far on Wednesday, scoring a brace against Montpellier. Just 15 minutes into the first half, Pepe opened the scoring for Nice.
Thuram doubled Nice’s lead before half-time, and Pepe made sure of the result around 10 minutes into the second period. Former Gunner Aaron Ramsey picked up the ball in midfield, before finding Pepe out on the right again. The winger cut inside the defender before sending a deflected effort past the goalkeeper for 3-0.
Pepe subsequently came off in the 67th minute, and Nice added to their lead late on, eventually winning 6-1.
Eddie Nketiah form can save Arsenal millions in transfers
Arsenal have been told they don't need a superstar striker signing in the January transfer window thanks to academy graduate Eddie Nketiah. The forward has been handed the huge task of replacing Gabriel Jesus in the side after the Brazilian picked up a knee injury on World Cup duty over the winter.
Nketiah's ruthless nature in front of goal could be perfect for that, given the importance of scoring early against a side such as Spurs. It could help him truly be seen as a superstar, rather than some believing that another striker is needed during the January transfer window.
That's an opinion held by former England forward John Barnes, who claims Nketiah has been "fantastic" since stepping into the side this season. He told BonusBetCodes: "He’s been fantastic because the team has been fantastic. Eddie Nketiah coming into an inconsistent Arsenal team would obviously be inconsistent performance wise. The same thing happened to Saka, Smith-Rowe, Martinelli and Odegaard. They’re all very good players but when you’re young you have to come into a team playing with confidence so that you can show what you can do.”
Before adding on transfer rumours: "As much as people think you need a superstar to be your number nine, Eddie Nketiah has never let Arsenal down. People seem to be wondering how long Arsenal’s form will last but it seems to have lasted quite a long time and Nketiah has done well. Arsenal should be pleased.”
Full list of Arsenal transfer ins and outs
Arsenal are prioritising a move for Shakhtar Donetsk star Mykhaylo Mudryk, with a central midfielder and left-sided centre-back also on Edu's transfer agenda. Here's a look at every confirmed transfer incoming and outgoing for Arsenal in January 2023.
Incoming
Yet to make an addition
Outgoing
Brooke Norton-Cuffy (Coventry - Championship - Loan)
Miguel Azeez (Wigan - Championship - Loan)
Arsenal chief on transfer plan
The much-anticipated signing of Mykhaylo Mudryk remained one of the main talking points surrounding Arsenal last night, despite the club unveiling its new artwork for the Emirates Stadium.
A special reveal event was held in London, which was attended to by hundreds of people including former players, celebrities and supporters. Eight separate designs were put on display for the first time and will adorn the Emirates Stadium walls in the coming weeks.
One of those in attendance was Arsenal chief executive Vinai Venkatesham, who took part in media duties throughout the event. While much of the discussion was centred around the stadium revamp and the current season, reporter’s couldn’t resist asking the question on everyone’s mind - what’s happening with Mudryk?
Read the full story, here.
FIFA ruling delays Mudryk move
Shakhtar Donetsk have maintained their high demands for Arsenal target Mykhaylo Mudryk because of a ‘FIFA ruling’, according to reports.
With the Gunners currently five points clear of second-placed Manchester City at the top of the Premier League, Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta and technical director Edu are looking to bring in reinforcements in January to help them win the title.
There have been rumours they could sign a midfielder and a striker too but the main speculation has surrounded a potential deal for Mudryk.
The Ukraine international has caught the eye this season for Shakhtar in the Champions League and Premier League sides Arsenal and Chelsea are hopeful of striking a deal.
Arsenal have had two bids for the 22-year-old turned down already this winter with their last offer believed to be around £62m (€70m).
Read the full story, here.
Arsenal denied Matteo Guendouzi transfer windfall
Aston Villa were reportedly in talks to sign former Arsenal midfielder Matteo Guendouzi from Marseille in the January transfer window, as per Get French Football News (GFFN).
Marseille president Pablo Longoria has denied reports that talks are taking place. Longoria said: “I read the information in the press like you.
"There is no conversation between clubs, we haven’t received any offers. I don’t know if it’s discussed with the player’s entourage. It’s that speculation.”
According to RMC, Aston Villa are ready to make an initial offer of around 30 million euros to obtain the in-form Frenchmen. The Premier League club may even go up to 40 million euros, including bonuses per their reporting.
Mudryk in an Arsenal shirt
Shakhtar Donetsk star Mykhaylo Mudryk has now posted a picture of himself in an Arsenal shirt on Instagram, amid rumours that Edu Gaspar could be about to sign him.
Mikel Arteta will be keen to wrap up a deal for the 22-year-old in the coming days after Arsenal have been locked in talks with Shakhtar since the beginning of the window.
Fabrizio Romano claimed just yesterday that the Gunners are speaking to the Ukrainian club ‘every day’ as they look to complete a deal.
Manchester United get moving
In a bid to get into a title race and to move away from the chasing top four race this is an interesting move for the other parties to look at.
Rank Arsenal's transfer targets HERE!
Arsenal have been linked with a number of players since the January transfer window officially opened.
Mykhaylo Mudryk, Youri Tielemans and Sergej Milinkovic-Savic are just a few of the top talents across Europe to be linked witha switch to the Emirates Stadium.
Have your say on who you want to see sign here!
Arsenal January transfer swoop for Youri Tielemans
Arsenal could still make a January transfer swoop for Leicester City star Youri Tielemans as Premier League top four rivals Newcastle United eye up a move for the 25-year-old. However, immediate interest from Mikel Arteta and Edu in the Belgian has cooled, as football.london understands.
Tielemans, Daniel Amartey, Ryan Bertrand, Jonny Evans, Papy Mendy, Ayoze Perez and Caglar Soyuncu are all out of contract in the summer with the latter looking likely to depart. Newcastle are also pushing to sign James Maddison from Leicester, who has been a target of Tottenham, but that transfer would likely be much harder to complete than one for Tielemans.
Newcastle could wait until the summer and sign both, with Tielemans arriving on a free and Maddison signing for a wealthy transfer fee. However, signing Tielemans will likely prove difficult, both in this window and in the summer if Arsenal are still sniffing around, according to Dean Jones.
“If they [Newcastle] go for Tielemans, they’re suddenly going to have to compete with Arsenal, who are top of the league and probably in a stronger position to actually sign him if they want to," he told GiveMeSport.
"So there’s a lot to weigh out there, but ultimately, I think central midfield and the forward line are both situations that Newcastle are still looking to address.”
Tielemans' value could be available for as little as £15million in January given he only has six months left on his current deal after Leicester were open to bids of £25million in the summer.
Arsenal warned over Tottenham threat
Former Tottenham star Gus Poyet thinks Spurs need to win the North London Derby against Arsenal this weekend to make the Premier League title race more interesting.
Speaking to WhatAcca.com, Gus Poyet said: “I think we’ll see Arsenal try to dominate possession to stop Tottenham going too far.
"Maybe Spurs will change a little bit and not being too passive. There will be moments in the game where Tottenham will be very organised.
“It all comes down to key moments and key players. When you have a chance, you must score. Scoring first is really important. I really hope that Tottenham win to make the Premier League a bit more interesting."
Where it went wrong for Willian
Few predicted Fulham would be flying so high this season, and even less tipped Willian to be one of the reasons why.
The Cottagers have been one of the stories of the season, and victory at home against Chelsea on Thursday will move them to within four points of the Champions League places. They have won four games in a row in all competitions since the World Cup and their transformation from yo-yo team to Euro contenders has been remarkable.
Just as impressive is the brilliant form of Willian, especially when you consider his best years looked behind him when he ripped up his Arsenal contract in 2021. The big question when the Brazilian joined Fulham on a free transfer on deadline day last summer was whether he could be anything like the player he once was at Chelsea?
Read the full story from the Evening Standard, here.
Declan Rice given major transfer advice
Declan Rice has been advised by Glen Johnson to opt for a transfer to Chelsea, Manchester City or Liverpool instead of Arsenal as his time at West Ham looks set to conclude. The 23-year-old midfielder appears to have no intention of extending his contract with the Hammers and will likely ask a move away in the summer is sanctioned by his current club.
Both Chelsea and Arsenal are in need of bolstering their midfield ranks and the addition of Rice would certainly do that. While Chelsea have held a long-term interest and appear to have the financial advantage over Arsenal, the Gunners may be able to offer Rice an essential that Chelsea cannot. During the World Cup, Rice claimed he wanted to play in the Champions League, and at the moment Arsenal are in a far better position to offer that than their London rivals.
"Yeah - one hundred per cent I want to play in the Champions League," the 23-year-old said. "I see my friends here (with England at the World Cup), who are playing Champions League and competing for big trophies.
"You only get one career and at the end of it you want to look back at what you've won and the biggest games you've played in. I really want to do that."
Read the full story here
Writers rank transfers
It's been a superb start to the season for Arsenal. As we approach the Premier League halfway mark the Gunners have a five-point lead at the top and are in with a real shout of winning their first title since 2004. Now though they want to kick on.
Thus far it has been a quiet window for Arsenal despite Mikel Arteta's calls for early business. football.london understands that talks are progressing positively for Shakhtar Donetsk winger Mykhaylo Mudryk, but he is not their only target.
Every individual with have their own view on who they think is most important for Arsenal to sign and we want to hear from you! As part of our new Rank Your Targets initiative we want you to tell us where you think the Gunners need to strengthen and who they should be bringing in?
Read the full story, here.
Mudryk seen in Arsenal shirt
Arsenal transfer target Mykhaylo Mudryk has dropped yet another significant hint on social media that he will join the Gunners this month, as talks over a deal continue with Shakhtar Donetsk.
The 21-year-old is currently in Turkey with his Shakhtar teammates for a training camp, but that hasn't stopped him from teasing supporters over a potential move.
On his latest Instagram story, Mudryk appears to be watching a YouTube video which also appears to show him wearing an Arsenal shirt in an edited picture. A Reddit user has since found out that the reporter speaking in the video asks “how much will Mudryk earn at Arsenal?”.
Read the full story, here.
Arsenal urged to sign Abraham
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta will know that the next few weeks in the transfer market could make or break their season.
After their downturn in form post-January 12 months ago, they’ll want to avoid a repeat of that.
Speaking on Sky Sports News, Kevin Campbell has spoken about what Arsenal need to do in the market.
Parting Guendouzi shot
Arsenal are set to receive a transfer windfall as former midfielder Matteo Guendouzi prepares to join Aston Villa from Marseille.
Having received his first call-up to the France international side last season, the midfielder has gone from strength to strength and made his France international debut in 2021 as he appeared for Les Bleus in a World Cup qualifier against Finland. The 23-year-old then revelled in fulfilling his "dream" of scoring for the international side against South Africa in March last year.
The player earned high praise from his previous Marseille boss Jorge Sampaoli last season as the Argentine boss claimed that the midfielder was a "natural leader" in his side. That led to the Ligue 1 club making his loan deal a permanent one last summer.
Read the full story, here.
FA Charge
Arsenal have been charged by the FA for incidents in their match against Oxford during the FA Cup clash on Monday.
