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Following their dismal start to the 2021-22 season, Arsenal have bounced back and are now on a five-game unbeaten streak across all competitions. Mikel Arteta's side are currently 13th in the league. A win against Crystal Palace on Monday could take them into the top seven.
The Gunners will be looking to kick on and carry this form into the rest of the season. However, Arteta will know that his squad lacks depth in some key areas of the pitch.
With the African Cup of Nations set to take place in January 2022, Arsenal will be without multiple players during a crucial stage of the season. Thomas Partey and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang being the most prominent of them.
This will mean that the Gunners will have to dive into the transfer market in order to bring in some reinforcements, whether it be on loan or on a permanent basis.
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This list will rank five players that Arsenal should be targeting in the January transfer window. This will make sure that they are not drastically affected by the loss of some of their key players. So without further ado, here are
5 players Arsenal should target in the January transfer window
#5 Noa Lang (Club Brugge)
Dutch winger Noa Lang has been heavily linked with Arsenal over the last month and the Gunners will do well to bring in the 22-year old in January.
Lang has had a standout season for Club Brugge this season, having already bagged three goals and five assists in 11 league games.
Mikel Arteta has not yet trusted Gabriel Martinelli to perform on a consistent basis on the left wing. The Arsenal manager has decided to use Emile Smith Rowe in that position so far this season.
Even though the Englishman has put in strong performances in that position, it is clear that Smith Rowe is more effective in a central position. With Nicolas Pepe taking part in the African Cup of Nations with Ivory Coast, Lang would be a great addition to the Arsenal squad. He would definitely improve Mikel Arteta's side going into the second half of the campaign.
#4 Neto (Barcelona)
Aaron Ramsdale has firmly taken over the No.1 spot from Bernd Leno. It is unlikely that the German shot-stopper will be happy playing second-fiddle to the Englishman for too long. Leno's contract expires in 2023. Arsenal would be smart to cash in on the German now rather than risk losing him as a free-agent at the end of next season.
Arsenal were linked with Barcelona goalkeeper Neto over the summer, however a transfer never materialized. The Gunners should decide to go back in for the Brazilian in January if Leno does decide to leave the club.
Neto is currently a back-up to Marc-Andre ter Stegen at Barcelona. He will get more chances to play at Arsenal, with Ramsdale still being relatively inexperienced. Should he join the Gunners, it would be beneficial for all the parties involved, as Barcelona are also trying to reduce their massive wage bill.
#3 Luka Jovic (Real Madrid)
Luka Jovic needs a fresh start and Arsenal could offer the striker a chance to revive his career. The Gunners have recently been linked with a move for the Serbian and this move makes sense for all parties involved.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is set to captain Gabon at the African Cup of Nations, and Alexandre Lacazette seems to be preparing to depart the club. Hence, a move for Jovic would be a good move for Arsenal this January.
The striker has barely got a look in since joining Real Madrid back in 2019. He has made just 38 appearances for Los Blancos since then, scoring just two goals.
Signing Jovic could be a masterstroke for Mikel Arteta, as being only 23-year-old, the striker will be hungry to prove himself. The Serbian could be the perfect successor to Aubameyang at Arsenal and could lead the line for the Gunners for many years to come.
#2 Houssem Aouar (Lyon)
Arsenal are set to lose both Thomas Partey and Mohammed Elneny to the African Cup of Nations in January. With Granit Xhaka out for the next two months with a knee injury, Arsenal will need midfield reinforcements come the new year.
The Gunners have had a long-standing saga over the transfer of Houssem Aouar over the last two years. Mikel Arteta seems to be a huge fan of the Frenchman and is likely to go back in for him at some point.
If Arsenal bring in Aouar, it would completely balance their midfield as the Frenchman has shown his quality time and time again over the past few seasons. He has scored 34 goals and assisted 33 in his 182 appearances for Lyon.
Also, with Lyon currently in a financial hole, it is likely that the French club will be willing to part ways with the midfielder for the right price.
#1 Ruben Neves (Wolves)
Arsenal were reportedly very close to signing Ruben Neves this summer. However, the Gunners pulled out of the deal after Wolves decided not to budge on their valuation of the midfielder.
Neves is a proven Premier League player and would be a huge upgrade over Granit Xhaka. The Portuguese international will be a massive addition to the Arsenal squad and will go a long way in helping them compete for a top six finish.
If Arsenal are serious about finishing in a European spot, there is no reason why they shouldn't go after Neves in January. It remains to be seen whether Wolves would be willing to part ways with a player of his caliber.
