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Arsenal will face Manchester City at the Etihad on Friday (January 27) in the FA Cup fourth round.
Meanwhile, manager Mikel Arteta convinced Eddie Nketiah to stay at the Emirates last summer, according to journalist Ben Jacobs. Elsewhere, acclaimed transfer expert Fabrizio Romano has said that Cedric Soares is close to joining Fulham on loan this month.
On that note, here's a look at the key Arsenal transfer stories as on January 26, 2023:
Mikel Arteta stopped Eddie Nketiah summer exit
Mikel Arteta convinced Eddie Nketiah to sign a new contract at the Emirates last summer. The English striker was linked with a move away from Arsenal after struggling for game time. The 23-year-old looked set for a departure before committing to a new deal.
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In his column for Caught Offside, Jacobs said that Crystal Palace and Bayer Leverkusen were interested in Nketiah.
"Nketiah was quite close to leaving Arsenal at one point. There was firm interest from Crystal Palace, and from outside the Premier League from Bayer Leverkusen, who considered making an offer," said Jacobs.
He continued:
"Nketiah didn’t just have doubts about game time, although that was always going to be a factor, but last season he played a lot, and that gave him firm belief in his abilities as a starter. When a player gets into the team regularly, and they feel they’re at their peak, but they have doubts if they’ll play week in, week out, it can lead to them assessing their options."
Jacobs went on to outline the crucial role Arteta played in convincing the Englishman to extend his stay at the Emirates.
“This is where Arteta stepped in and gave Nketiah clear and direct assurances about his role and made him feel highly appreciated. For Nketiah prior to the end of last season and before now, maybe he did always feel a bit like a backup; he was behind Aubameyang and Lacazette until they stopped scoring freely, and even when he was on loan at Leeds, he spent a lot of time on the bench," said Jacobs.
Jacobs added:
"Before Nketiah signed, Arteta directly made him feel, once again, very much part of the Arsenal family, and he underlined that Nketiah would be getting more game time."
Nketiah has appeared 25 times across competitions this season for the north London side, scoring nine goals and setting up one.
Cedric Soares set to move to Fulham
Cedric Soares is set to join Fulham on loan for the rest of the season, according to ESPN.
Arsenal are locked in talks with the Cottagers over a temporary move for the Portuguese. Negotiations have taken a positive turn recently, and the player is expected to move to Craven Cottage on a six-month deal.
Soares has dropped down the pecking order at the Emirates, as Arteta has preferred Ben White and Takehiro Tomiyasu at right-back. The 31-year-old has struggled for game time with the Gunners as a result and is a frustrated figure. The Portuguese has appeared just four times for the north London side across competitions this season.
The loan move to Fulham won't have an option to buy at the end of the deal. Soares’ contract with Arsenal runs till 2024, and his future is likely to be discussed in the summer. Fulham are set to cover the player’s full wages, which is around £100,000 per week.
Mikel Arteta confirms that Arsenal want more signings this month
Mikel Arteta has said that he's on the lookout for more additions to his squad this month.
Arsenal brought in Leandro Trossard and Jakub Kiwior in January but continue to be linked with a host of other names. The Gunners are planning to bolster their squad as they look to win the Premier League.
Speaking to the press, as cited by talkSPORT, Arteta said that he desires more cover in midfield.
"Well, we need some more cover in midfield ideally if we can. But obviously, in this market, it’s very complicated to do that. But as I always say the most important thing is that we get the performances and the time on the pitch that we need with the players we have available today that are already really good. If there’s anything else available that can make us better, we’ll look at it," said Arteta.
Arsenal are atop the league after 19 games.
