Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta and club technical director Edu Gaspar have begun to transition their approach regarding the January transfer window after the Premier League leaders missed out on number one winter target Mykhailo Mudryk.
The 21-year-old Shakhtar Donetsk and Ukrainian international starlet made the shock decision to join league rivals Chelsea in the eleventh hour after weeks of discussions surrounding what was viewed as a near-guaranteed move to the Emirates, with Mudryk taking to social media on numerous occasions to show his desire to secure the jump to the Premier League with Mikel Arteta’s young Arsenal side.
But now that Mudryk opted for west London instead, the real need remains for Arsenal when it comes to strengthening the forward line in the senior setup under the Spanish tactician, with 90min’s Graeme Bailey revealing the club’s apparent five-man shortlist for attacking alternatives this month.
🚨 Arsenal have drawn up a 5-man shortlist of alternative transfer targets after missing out on Mykhailo Mudryk:
🇬🇪 Khvicha Kvaratskhelia
🇪🇸 Ferran Torres
🇧🇷 Raphinha
🇯🇵 Kaoru Mitoma
🇧🇪 Leandro Trossard(Source: 90min) pic.twitter.com/v5eoWsbQwc
— Transfer News Live (@DeadlineDayLive) January 17, 2023
Four of the five rumored options for Arsenal come with Premier League experience in some fashion, with Barcelona pair Ferran Torres and Raphinha both looking for possible exits from the Spotify Camp Nou this month after neither player has progressed under Barça manager Xavi this season.
Raphinha, once a main target of Arsenal in the summer, could rekindle his chance to ply his trade in the English capital after opting for a move to Spain after he shone in Yorkshire with Leeds United, while Torres could not resist a mid-season return to the Iberian nation halfway through last season when Barcelona came calling in a bid to supply Xavi with reinforcements during his first half-season in charge.
Brighton attacking pair Leandro Trossard and new hot-shot Kaoru Mitoma are also said to be on the list, with Trossard arguably the most attainable option of the bunch after the Belgian international has been left on the side of the road by manager Roberto De Zerbi and effectively ostracized from the first-team.
3 – Khvicha Kvaratskhelia is one of only three players to have scored at least 7 goals and delivered at least 7 assists in the big-5 European leagues this season, alongside Neymar (11 goals, 10 assists) and Lionel Messi (8 goals, 10 assists). Gem. pic.twitter.com/XZNehFF8W6
— OptaPaolo (@OptaPaolo) January 17, 2023
Last but not least, Georgian wizard Khvicha Kvaratskhelia is also said to be on the radar screen at London Colney after he continues to set the world alight during his first season in Serie A with table-topping SSC Napoli. The 21-year-old left winger has formed a dynamic attacking partnership with Nigerian international Victor Osimhen and currently has bagged 9 goals and added 10 assists in 20 appearances across all competitions while becoming arguably the biggest breakout star across Europe’s top five leaves.
The five-man shortlist can certainly be viewed with a degree of scrutiny, however, with Kvaratskhelia in no way realistically attainable during January, while Mitoma is likely to not depart a Brighton outfit in a rich vein of form while looking at the prospect of European football next season. Raphinha, Torres, and Trossard all seem far more realistic, however, and certainly would come with far fewer concerns regarding necessary fees.
Regardless of what Arsenal intends to do, the need for attacking reinforcements for Arteta as the club looks to cement its position as Premier League leaders while making a serious push in the Europa League is vital. Their season may well depend on it.
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