Arsenal Transfer News: Big-Money Stars Targeted by Arsene Wenger

Arsene Wenger is in a situation as Arsenal manager where he simply can’t win.

No matter which avenue he turns down to try to restore the Gunners’ superpower status in English and European football, fans continue to call for his head when results don’t go their way.

The Frenchman has taken to investing in his squad to win over his critics, and while the Gunners spent heavily in the summer, there are still a few holes left to fill in January, starting with these two stars.

Virgil van Dijk

Ian MacNicol/Getty Images

With Arsenal’s back four being rather inconsistent on the injury front, a move for Celtic defender Virgil van Dijk is reportedly being weighed up for January—per Jack De Menezes of The Independent.

De Menezes wrote that the Gunners are preparing a £7 million bid for the 23-year-old, having missed out on their transfer deadline-day approach back in September.

Manu Fernandez/Associated Press

While Arsenal fans may know little about Van Dijk, he’s quickly established himself as a Celtic regular since making the switch from Groningen in 2013 thanks to his strength, pace and dynamic ability to read the game.

Wenger is more than aware of his exciting traits, too, having sent scouts to watch the youngster at the start of the month, per The Scotsman (h/t journalist Henry Hindby):

Van Dijk has a mature head on young shoulders, and while the step-up from the Scottish Premiership to the Premier League is an enormous one, there are few players in the division more suited to it.

Making that jump is clearly something that the Dutchman is interested in, as well, as he sung Arsenal’s praises in a recent interview with Sky Sports, and he refused to rule out the possibility of a move—reported via Jamie Sanderson of Metro:

"

Arsenal are an amazing club. It’s a big club with a great history. I’m happy here just now and I want to play well and we’ll see what happens in the future. Until there are bids I can’t say thing. There is no rush to leave but you never know in the future.

"

Ian MacNicol/Getty Images

While hunting Van Dijk may appear a panic buy to some supporters, it’s far from it, as he ticks all the boxes of a serious star in the making under Wenger.

At just 23 years of age, the defender still has plenty of room to grow and establish himself as a big-game player, it’s all just a case of Arsenal coughing up the right transfer fee.

Ian MacNicol/Getty Images

The proposed £7 million bid would give Celtic a healthy £4.4 million profit on their original purchase of Van Dijk, but the knowledge of the Gunners’ interest could bring about a price hike from the Scottish champions.

It’s all up to Wenger to get his negotiations right, and if he does, the Gunners won’t just be gaining a defender to see out the remainder of the season, they’ll be getting one that has the ability and potential to etch himself into club folklore.

Sami Khedira

Andres Kudacki/Associated Press

The “will he, won’t he?” saga involving Arsenal and Real Madrid’s Sami Khedira is already dragging on, but there’s still a good few months of speculation and rumours to endure before the German’s future will be decided.

Khedira was heavily linked with a move to the Emirates throughout the summer, but the deal seemingly fell through due to the star’s astronomical wage demands.

However, the Gunners have now been handed a January boost in their bid to get Khedira in red, as he’s reportedly agreed to lower his salary in an attempt to leave the Bernabeu—per Charles Perrin of the Daily Express.

The 27-year-old was originally demanding upwards of £100,000 per week for his services, but Perrin wrote that he’s now decided to drop that figure down to £80,000.

Denis Doyle/Getty Images

With international colleague Toni Kroos set to limit Khedira’s chances at Real Madrid to substitute appearances, it’s little wonder that he wants to move on, and Wenger needs to act fast.

Having Mikel Arteta and Mathieu Flamini as the only recognised holding midfielders at Arsenal doesn’t exactly scream champions elect, and journalist Piers Morgan is one of many fans to have criticised the duo:

While Khedira’s contract is set to expire at Real Madrid in the summer, there’s a chance that Wenger could get his man as soon as January if he parts with the right transfer fee.

Getting the German on a free transfer would be ideal, but there’ll likely be several other clubs sniffing around for his signature if he chooses not to extend his Bernabeu deal, meaning that Arsenal could get overlooked.

If that’s the case, laying down a big-money bid in January could be the only way to get Khedira to the Emirates—it all just depends on how desperate Wenger is.

However, judging by the shaky anchoring midfielders that the Frenchman has at his disposal this season, he needs to be ready to do all that he can to land Khedira, or yet another season of mediocrity beckons.