Arsenal mega move? David Ornstein issues exciting January transfer update

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Robin Bairner | Chief Editor

Transfer insider David Ornstein has confirmed that Arsenal could make a major transfer move during the January window who could take them to “even greater heights”.

The Premier League champions spent more than €220 million on players over the course of the summer but were restrained when it came to signing forwards, adding only Christos Tzolis from Club Brugge to Mikel Arteta’s offensive options.

Arsenal did not lack ambition, however. Vinicius Junior and Julian Alvarez – two €100m forwards – were both in the sights of the North London side, and though they missed out on what would have been a marquee deal, Ornstein believes that they could revisit such a move in the near future.

Compared

Vinícius Júnior

F (CL), M (L)

Real Madrid

Vinícius Júnior

F (CL), M (L)

Real Madrid

VS

Julián Alvarez

F (C)

Atlético Madrid

Julián Alvarez

F (C)

Atlético Madrid

€86.6M	ETV	€84M
€78M - €95.3M	ETV Range	€75.6M - €92.4M
26 years old (12 Jul, 2000)	Age	26 years old (31 Jan, 2000)
Brazil	Nationality	Argentina

“The owners were willing to finance moves for Vinicius Junior, if he had been keen on it, for Julian Alvarez, if he had been keen on it, for Morgan Rogers, if he had decided to go for them and they were willing to pay the transfer fee, suggests that there is some capability of doing something,” Ornstein explained to The Athletic.

“They’re an attractive proposition, given that they’re reigning Premier League champions, (last season’s) Champions League finalists. I could see something happening because they wanted to - I thought they needed to - in the summer and they didn’t. But that’s not to say something is happening.”

Arsenal ready to sacrifice Gyokeres for big-name arrival?

While Arsenal have started the defence of their Premier League title in formidable style, winning all four of their league matches as well as recording victories in the Community Shield, Champions League and EFL Cup, the attack has not gone without criticism.

In particular, Viktor Gyokeres has found himself a target. The 28-year-old Swede netted 21 goals in his debut season for the club, but has struggled for game time this season and was notably disappointing in the 4-2 Carabao Cup success away against Ipswich on Tuesday. This has fuelled speculation that he could be allowed to leave – potentially making way for a big new arrival.

And Ornstein has suggested that such a sale may be required to get a superstar through the door of the Emirates.

“They’ve got to be very careful on the financial side of things - they seem to be quite close to the line on the UEFA financial rules - so I don’t know how much they can do,” he warned.

“One of the intriguing things, whether it be January or next summer, is: who is going to be the Arsenal attacking recruit to help take them to even greater heights?”

Arsenal do not traditionally do a great deal of business in January, but if the right opportunity arises in the mid-season transfer window, it appears the funds and willingness are both present to land a superstar who could change the course of their season.