5 Perfect January Transfer Targets for Arsenal

To the relief of Arsenal fans, the January transfer window is now just a month away.

Ever since the window slammed shut in September, Gunners supporters have waited anxiously for it to reopen. Arsene Wenger’s summer transfer business was littered with quality but lacking quantity: he failed to get the centre-back and holding midfielder he patently required.

The January window represents a chance to correct those mistakes. It’s not an ideal time to buy: clubs are often reluctant to let key players leave midway through the season.

However, in this piece we’ve identified five players who could be available to strengthen the Gunners. If Wenger can grab a couple of these players, he’ll be set for a successful second half of the season.

Winston Reid

Harry Engels/Getty Images

With Laurent Koscielny and Mathieu Debuchy both back in training, Arsenal’s need for a new centre-half is not quite as pressing at it was. However, Koscielny’s tendinitis is a chronic condition that will need to be managed over the course of the season. The Gunners should still press ahead with recruiting some experienced cover at centre-back.

Winston Reid would be an ideal solution. The New Zealand international has plenty of Premier League experience, and he is adaptable enough to play with either Koscielny or Per Mertesacker.

What’s more, he should be available at a knock-down price: Reid’s current contract expires in the summer, and at present he shows no sign of agreeing a new one. It’s no surprise that Bruce Archer of The Express reports that Arsenal are monitoring the situation carefully.

William Carvalho

Carlos Rodrigues/Getty Images

January might be the time for Arsenal to try to resurrect a deal for William Carvalho.

According to A Bola (h/t The Independent), the Gunners spent much of deadline day locked in talks with Sporting Lisbon over the powerhouse midfielder. However, a fee could not be agreed and Carvalho remained in Portugal.

His form has subsequently dipped somewhat, with speculation suggesting his head may have been turned by Arsenal’s interest. Nevertheless, he remains a player of enormous potential. His physique and passing ability make him an ideal fit for that troublesome role at the base of the Arsenal midfield.

Fabian Schar

Clive Rose/Getty Images

Arsenal haven’t had the best luck with Swiss centre-halves: neither Philippe Senderos nor Johan Djourou ever fulfilled their supposed potential in north London.

Perhaps Fabian Schar would fare better. At the 2014 World Cup, Schar edged ahead of the former Arsenal pair to emerge as Switzerland’s most dominant centre-half. According to Ben Jefferson of The Express, he has since become a transfer target for Arsenal.

Like Winston Reid, his contract is also just six months away from expiring. If Arsenal can convince Schar to leave Basel before the summer, they might nab themselves a bargain.

Dele Alli

Shaun Botterill/Getty Images

Even when Arsenal need immediate reinforcements for their first-team, they remain on the lookout for the next generation of talent. With that in mind, it's no great shock that Jamie Sanderson of Metro reports that they're one of the clubs tracking MK Dons midfielder Dele Alli.

Alli has been tearing it up for MK Dons this season, where he is sure to have received glowing reports about life at London Colney from Arsenal loanee Benik Afobe. Alli has nine goals from midfield already this season and has established a reputation as one of the nation's brightest prospects.

Arsenal would face plenty of competition for Alli's signature, but it could represent a superb investment.

Lucas Silva

Pedro Vilela/Getty Images

With long-term targets like Morgan Schneiderlin unlikely to be available, Arsenal might have to think outside the box in terms of holding midfielders—or, in this case, outside of Europe.

Lucas Silva is not a household name yet, but he will be soon. According to David Wright of The Express, the 21-year-old is a target for many of the biggest clubs in Spain. A move across continents seems imminent. Real Madrid currently lead the chase, but there is time for Arsenal to nip ahead.

Despite his tender years, Silva has already won two Brazilian national championships with Cruzeiro. He is a neat passer and seems possessed with a preternatural ability to interpret the game. Arsenal have already had great success with a Brazilian midfielder named Silva in the form of Gilberto, and this boy could be next in line.