Arsenal Transfer News Roundup: Atletico Madrid awaiting Joao Felix offer; club interested in Real Sociedad midfielder, and more - January 9, 2023

Arsenal travel to the Kassam Stadium on Monday to face Oxford United in the third round of the FA Cup. Mikel Arteta will be eager to progress further in the competition.

Meanwhile, Atletico Madrid are awaiting the Gunners to submit an offer for Joao Felix. Elsewhere, the north London side are interested in a Real Sociedad midfielder.

On that note, here's a look at the key Arsenal transfer stories as on January 9, 2023:

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Atletico Madrid awaiting Joao Felix offer

Joao Felix is wanted at the Emirates.

Atletico Madrid are waiting for Arsenal to submit an offer for Joao Felix, according to O Jogo via HITC.

The Gunners are already in talks with Jorge Mendes, the player's agent, regarding a possible move. The Portuguese forward has fallen out of favour under Diego Simeone and is eager to leave the Wanda Metropolitano in search of regular football. The Gunners are among the clubs monitoring Felix with interest, alongside Chelsea and Manchester United.

However, the Red Devils have reportedly moved on from the 23-year-old and are now targeting Wout Weghorst. The Blues, meanwhile, are pushing to hijack the Gunners' move for Mykhaylo Mudryk.

That has left the door open for Arteta to secure the signature of Felix. Los Rojiblancos also expect their prized asset to leave for the Emirates and are now waiting for the Premier League leaders to make the next move.

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Arsenal interested in Brais Mendez

Brais Mendez has admirers at the Emirates.

Arsenal are keeping a close eye on Brais Mendez, according to Fichajes via Caught Offside.

Arteta plans to upgrade his options in midfield this month and has set his sights on the 26-year-old. The Spaniard has earned rave reviews with his performances for Real Sociedad this season. Mendez has appeared 24 times across competitions for the La Liga side, registering ten goals and seven assists.

The Gunners are impressed with his performances in the middle of the park and want to take him to the Emirates. Arteta lacks backup for Granit Xhaka and Thomas Partey, so Mendez could immediately sort out the issue. The 26-year-old could also be tempted to try his luck in the Premier League, and his arrival could help the Gunners in the title race.

However, with the player under contact till 2028, Sociedad are likely to demand a premium for his signature.

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Paul Merson wants Gunners to make final offer for Mykhaylo Mudryk

Mykhaylo Mudryk has ten goals and eight assists from 18 games this season.

Former Arsenal midfielder Paul Merson reckons the Gunners should submit a 'take it or leave it' offer for Mykhaylo Mudryk. The Ukrainian winger is a target for Arteta this month, but a move hasn't yet materialised due to Shakhtar Donetsk's demands.

In his column for The Daily Star, Merson said that his former team need the 21-year-old.

“I think Arsenal need two signings this January; they’ve got to go out and buy immediately. I watched them against Newcastle, and they ran out of ideas. Don’t get me wrong, Newcastle defended really well, and it was hard to break down, but you’ve got to be able to change it up," wrote Merson.

He added:

“There were no fresh legs. They paid £34million for Fabio Vieira but still didn’t put him on. For me, that was the worrying thing. I wouldn’t just say they needed fresh legs, I’d say fresh brains as well. There was no guile or differentiation."

He continued:

"Even if they just swapped the wingers over for 10 minutes, Mikel Arteta seemed to be so engrossed in the game on the touchline that it quickly passed Arsenal by. Arsenal need to set Shakhtar Donetsk a deadline with Mykhaylo Mudryk. They’ve offered £62m, and it should now be ‘take it or leave it’ otherwise the January transfer window will soon be over.”

Mudryk's arrival could be a big boost to Arteta's quest for the Premier League title.