Arsenal Transfer News: Big-Money Deals Expected in Latest Gunners Rumours

Arsenal may yet be adding a top-class defender to their ranks in the January transfer window having been handed a boost in their troubled pursuit of Villarreal centre-back Gabriel Paulista.

The Gunners reportedly had a recent bid of £15 million accepted by Villarreal for the Brazilian defender, per David Wright in the Express, but work permit issues are stalling the move, according to Sky News.

However, the 24-year-old has now been completely left out of Villarreal's squad for their match against Levante this weekend despite being available and having played every league game so far this season, per Anthony Hay in the Daily Mail.

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Paulista's absence from Saturday's squad seems to suggest Arsenal are close to getting their man and Arsene Wenger recently expressed his confidence that the work permit issues could be solved, per ESPN FC's Kevin Palmer.

It is Paulista's lack of Brazil caps that is causing the issue over a work permit, but his absence from any international squads is no indication of a lack of quality, with B/R UK's James McNicholas suggesting below that he could be a major asset for the Gunners:

Arsenal have been conspicuously short at the back this season and Paulista would bring genuine quality to Wenger's back line, adding intelligence, agility and physicality, per Opta:

At the other end of the pitch, Arsenal are also reportedly in talks with Lyon over their star striker Alexandre Lacazette.

According to Anthony Chapman in the Express, Wenger is keen to bring Lacazette to the Emirates, with the 23-year-old Frenchman having scored 20 goals in 21 Ligue 1 games this season, per WhoScored.com. 

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Lacazette's goals have been integral to Lyon's title push this term—they currently sit top of Ligue 1—and the club are likely to be loath to let him go, especially in January.

Indeed, ESPN FC's Gabriele Marcotti quoted a price tag of $40 million (£27 million) and no doubt Lyon will accept no less than that if they are to move Lacazette on.

Marcotti also noted that Lyon are financially stable enough that they do not necessarily need to cash in on their star man any time soon, so if Arsenal want Lacazette, they will have to be prepared to spend big.

The advantage for Wenger is that he currently has a handful of top attacking options and the Gunners are not currently in desperate need of a new striker, so he can afford to be patient over Lacazette.

The same cannot be said for the Gunners defence and the Paulista deal needs to be sewn up soon or Arsenal will struggle again in the second half of the season without proper depth in the back line.