Arsenal Transfer News: Latest Rumoured Deals Targeted by Arsene Wenger

Every time January approaches in Arsenal's Premier League season, it seems to be the same old story—not doing too badly but in desperate need of reinforcements.

However, it’s safe to say that fan morale is at an all-time low this time around, with the Gunners languishing in mid-table and not producing the kind of performances that would warrant them being any higher.

So, it's safe to say that next month is an important one for the Gunners and manager Arsene Wenger, but it seems he has a few tricks up his sleeve.

Morgan Schneiderlin

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Southampton midfielder Morgan Schneiderlin has reportedly been on Arsenal's radar for some time, but January could see Wenger finally bring his countryman to north London.

As Bruce Archer of the Daily Star revealed, the Gunners are set to flex their financial muscles to land Schneiderlin, by putting a "monster" bid on the table.

We've seen some head-scratching transfer rumours for Arsenal lately, but the Frenchman certainly isn't one of them as he'd fit in perfectly at the Emirates.

Kirsty Wigglesworth/Associated Press

Blessed with power, vision and the ability to read the game, Schneiderlin has all the attributes of a complete defensive midfielder—which it seems the Gunners desperately need.

That's certainly the belief of the fans, as Mikel Arteta and Mathieu Flamini have yet to prove their worth this season, leading Piers Morgan to slate the latter:

At 25 years of age, Schneiderlin has plenty of time still to grow, and coming under Wenger's wing wouldn't exactly be the worst thing for his development, it's just prising him away from Southampton that will prove tricky.

The Saints resisted a reported £10 million bid from Tottenham for their midfielder in the summer, per Archer, and aren't likely to welcome any offers with open arms, particularly as Schneiderlin has become a cornerstone in their line-up.

That means Arsenal need to table something astronomical to even make the St. Mary's powers-that-be consider letting the Frenchman go, but they can afford to do exactly that.

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However, Southampton manager Ronald Koeman insists that Schneiderlin is going nowhere, likewise any of his other prize assets in January—per the Daily Mail:

"

We will sell nobody in January. Morgan's attitude is fantastic - everybody knows that he had a difficult time in the summer, but finally he accepted his situation and he's doing his best.

"

It's therefore down to Wenger's powers of persuasion, but if Saints are faced with a, say, £30 million offer for Schneiderlin, it would be pretty hard to turn down.

Likelihood Factor: 6/10

It's unlikely that Schneiderlin will remain a Southampton player for too much longer, as he's good enough to be mixing it with the best in Europe. Whether he does that with Arsenal depends on how deep Wenger digs into his pockets.

Tyrone Mings

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Ipswich Town left-back Tyrone Mings has caught the eye of many an elite club scout this season thanks to some outstanding performances in the Championship, but it's Arsenal that are looking his most likely suitor as January rolls around.

Mings isn't built like an orthodox, modern-day full-back, as he's got height and power in abundance, and it's exactly that which has drawn Wenger to him, according to the Daily Telegraph.

The Gunners are still looking for a replacement for the versatile Thomas Vermaelen, but as the Arsenal boss said, they're waiting for the "right" player to come around:

"If we find one we will do it. Without any doubt. If we find the right player we will do it."

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Whether Mings is indeed the right player remains to be seen, though.

He's a player with a great deal of talent, sure, but having only just broken into the Ipswich Town first team and being a little error prone means that he may not be cut out for the top level yet.

With room to grow comes excitement, however, and Mings could turn into one of the country's top defenders with experience, guidance and his reported £8 million price tag being met.

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Even so, that figure seems a bit ridiculous to the man himself, who said that he's flattered by the attention but remains focused on the Tractor Boys—via Stuart James of the Guardian:

"

When you say those figures, bearing in mind Ipswich signed me for 10 grand, and mention people like Arsene Wenger, it's a little bit surreal. It's flattering, of course… but we are doing so well at Ipswich and that's where all my focus is now.

"

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It’s another transfer whereby Arsenal’s financial strength could see them pull through, as an £8 million bid would be near impossible for Ipswich to turn down.

Mings isn't the player who's going to rescue the Gunners' season—far from it, in fact—but missing the chance to sign one of England's brightest stars could well come back to haunt the club.

Likelihood Factor: 5/10

The lure of Premier League football will be immense for 21-year-old Mings, but with Ipswich pushing for promotion and him enjoying life in Suffolk, leaving the bidding until the summer could prove more fruitful for the Gunners.