Arsene Wenger Talks Gabriel Paulista, Francis Coquelin, Hints at 1 More Transfer

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger opened up about potential signing Gabriel Paulista, a contract extension for Francis Coquelin and the possibility of further January acquisitions in his press conference prior to the Gunners’ FA Cup clash with Brighton & Hove Albion on Sunday.

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Indeed, on the back of a wonderful 2-0 win at the home of champions Manchester City, the good news continued to flow for those associated with the club as it was also confirmed record signing Mesut Ozil is also poised to start his first game since returning from injury.

The Emirates outfit are on the brink of completing a deal for Villarreal man Paulista, per Dominic Fifield of The Guardian, and Wenger was surprisingly open when revealing details of how the transfer is progressing, per Kevin Palmer of ESPN:

A “50-50” chance may not seem like great odds, but Wenger admitted there could be issues getting the Brazilian a work permit:

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Although the Gunners did savour victory at the Etihad, there’s perennial issues that need to be addressed in this squad. With a centre-back seemingly on the cusp of signing, that’s one facet of the group that looks set to be bolstered accordingly, but there are other areas—the full-back spots and holding midfield in particular—that could do with some sprucing up too.

But encouragingly for the Emirates faithful, it seems as though Paulista will not be the only acquisition in the January transfer window:

One player who has come into the side and done an excellent job in recent weeks is Coquelin. He was recalled from a loan at Charlton Athletic to help fill a vacuous hole in defensive midfield and, after a string of diligent displays, looks set to be rewarded with a new long-term deal, per John Cross of the Mirror:

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The mood around the club will have been unanimously upbeat this week on the back of that hallmark victory over City, but this weekend’s trip to the south coast will be a massive challenge for the Gunners. Arsenal are the reigning champions in this competition, and as a result they’ll have to conquer an extra-fired-up Brighton team and a raucous Amex Stadium crowd.

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With that in mind, Ozil’s insouciant aura and languid playmaking skills could be crucial in what should be an engrossing clash; Wenger confirmed in his press conference that the German is poised to return to the starting XI, per the official Arsenal Twitter account:

Amid all this positivity there was a smidgen of bad news. As noted by samuelJayC, Wenger does have some injury concerns ahead of the fourth-round meeting:

It’s vital that Arsenal are fully focused for the challenge that lies ahead for them in the FA Cup. A loss at Brighton would detract from all the positive strides that have been made recently, so it’s vital the players involved rock up to the ground willing to show application comparable to what was unrelentingly on show at the Etihad Stadium.

The fact that Wenger is openly discussing a move for Paulista suggests it’s a deal that will most likely go through. He’s a rounded defender who should slot straight in at the heart of this Gunners back four; a couple more signings of comparable quality could be a catalyst for an enthralling end to the season for the Londoners.