Arsenal Transfers: Top 8 January Rumours so Far

Few clubs are mentioned with such regularity in transfer rumors as Arsenal, and with the January Transfer Window upon us, the speculation is pouring in thick and fast.

No matter the logic or the lack of reason, many of the biggest players in the world are supposedly "shock" targets for Arsene Wenger, and the pundits are certainly not trying to abide by sense during this transfer window.

Some of these conjectures do come to fruition, though, so it is worth rounding them up. And sometimes, it can't hurt to hope and think about what might be.

So, without further ado, here are eight of the hottest, juiciest Arsenal transfer rumors we have heard so far.

Enjoy.

Marco Reus

Reus was recently one of the hottest and most highly sought after young talents in the world.

But he has snubbed the likes of Arsenal and Bayern Munich by agreeing to move to Borussia Dortmund in the summer for a fee of almost £15 million.

The German winger has a ton of potential, and the dynamism he could have offered the Arsenal attack will be sorely missed during the absence of Gervinho due to the African Cup of Nations.

If given more time to develop, Reus will surely become one of the brightest talents in Germany, and he will certainly be able to do that at Dortmund.

Taye Taiwo

With Arsenal left with literally no left backs, specialist or otherwise, Arsene Wenger has admitted that he may have to bring someone in, at least on loan, to cover the left side of his defence.

And one of those frequently mentioned to fill the gap is AC Milan's Taye Tiwo, who might be available on a short-term basis and who could really help out in a position that the Gunners sorely need assistance in.

It is questionable whether Milan would let go of one of their defensive starters—and a very good one, at that—so I am not convinced that this story is not just wishful thinking.

However, should Taiwo arrive at the Emirates for any period of time, it would be a very astute move by Wenger.

Lukas Podolski

Podolski has perhaps been linked with Arsenal more than any other player during this transfer window, which makes sense due to the German's skill and versatility.

He can act as a sorely needed back-up to Robin van Persie and can take over Gevinho's duties on the left wing when he departs for the ACN. With a poacher's mentality and the experience of 96 caps for Germany, he would represent a fantastic piece of business.

Per Mertesacker, Podolski's compatriot and national teammate has waxed lyrical about the striker's abilities, calling his left foot "unbelievable."

With a contract that is due to expire in 18 months, Podolski could be bought for around £10 million, an excellent price, especially considering that he is entering the prime years of his career.

Alexandre Pato

Pato has had his struggles recently with his club AC Milan and coach Masimiliano Allegri, and that has led to rumors that the Brazilian could be on the move to Arsenal, who need striking help.

However, I find it quite hard to believe that Pato would be willing to move away from Milan to a club where he would clearly be forced to play the role of backup.

And it is also difficult to see why the infamously austere Arsene Wenger would smash his transfer record—as he would certainly have to do in order to acquire Pato—when he knows full well he would only be purchasing a role player.

While it would be nice to acquire someone of Pato's stature, I doubt the veracity of the reports linking him to the Gunners.

Andrei Arshavin

I don't need to tell you that Arsenal's little Russian has seen his form go down the toilet in recent weeks, and he looks like he can barely control a pass anymore.

Inevitably, Arshavin's decline has led to rumors of a move away form North London, with former club Zenit St. Petersburg often mentioned as the most likely purchasing party.

While I would be glad as an Arsenal supporter to see the back of Arshavin, I doubt that Wenger will let him go, and I doubt even more that any club will pay the fee necessary to take him in.

For Arsenal not to take an enormous hit in their bottom line, they will have to recoup at least £10 million from the sale, and it would really surprise me to see a club shell out this fee for a declining, ineffective player on the wrong side of 30.

Kieran Richardson

Returning to the subject of the Gunners' left back crisis, Sunderland's Kieran Richardson has emerged as a surprise candidate to fill Arsenal's hole.

The super-utility player would appeal to the manager's frugality, as Richardson would provide unusual value for his fee due to his John O'Shea-like ability to play in almost any position on the pitch.

However, the phrase "jack of all trades, but master of none" perfectly applies to Richardson. He lacks a great deal technical skill and footballing ability, and he is quite well suited to the sort of middle-of-the-table club that he plays for.

Gonzalo Higuain

Most of the players linked to Arsenal are supposed to bolster the defence or provide support to Robin van Persie, and Gonzalo Higuain would be a great candidate to fill the latter role.

The Argentine has been left on the bench in favor of Karim Benzema of late and does have a severe groin injury in his past. But he has netted 12 times in his past 15 games for Madrid, and is just beginning to enter the best years of his career.

This is yet another bit of wishful thinking in my opinion, as Higuain would be even more of a bench player at Arsenal and would surely cost north of £20 million.

A price like this would be quite prohibitive for Arsene Wenger, as, again, it is hard to imagine him spending more than he ever has for a player who would not even feature regularly.

Mario Gotze

The third German on this list, Gotze is certainly the best, and the player whom most Arsenal fans would want the most out of anyone on the market.

Only 19, he possesses an unbelievable amount of talent and can rip open a defence with a slicing through ball as easily as he can with his mazy runs.

Nobody likes young talent more than Arsene Wenger, and the thought of a Jack Wilshere-Mario Gotze tandem in Arsenal's midfield of the future is enough to make any football enthusiast salivate.

Even though Gotze would command a massive transfer fee in the region of £30 million, I am not totally convinced that Wenger would not be willing to pay it in this one instance. The German's talent is so unique, and his potential so immense that it will be hard for the manager to resist.

While Dortmund may be reluctant to part with their crown jewel midseason, I would keep a keen eye on this one.