Arsenal Transfer News: Latest Rumours on January Targets Nolito and Lars Bender

Arsenal are set to make an offer for Celta Vigo forward Nolito “within days”, as manager Arsene Wenger looks to bolster his attacking line and mount a Premier League title charge.

The Spanish striker has been in electric form in 2015-16, notching up eight goals and setting up four more in just 13 La Liga appearances—per WhoScored.com.

And that much hasn’t gone unnoticed, as Fichajes report that Arsenal are preparing to lay their cards on the table and bid to land Nolito in the January transfer window—per Jamie Sanderson of Metro.

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Injuries always seem to plague Arsenal seasons, and this term is no different. Setbacks to Danny Welbeck and Theo Walcott mean that Olivier Giroud is Wenger’s only out-and-out striker choice, and that has seemingly pushed the Frenchman towards Nolito.

Here’s a reminder of why the Gunners are so interested in Celta Vigo’s star man:

Arsenal will have a big task on their hands bringing the 29-year-old to the Emirates, though, as they’ll have to fend off interest from Barcelona to do so.

Nolito was on Barca’s books from 2008-11, making a handful of appearances for the first team in the process.

And it seems he has very fond memories of his time in Catalonia and with the now Barcelona manager Luis Enrique, as he refused to rule out a move back to the Camp Nou during an interview with Sportium—per ESPN FC:

“Luis Enrique's one of my sporting parents. At Barca B, he made me realise that I could make a living in this business. What has to happen will happen. You can never say never, but at the moment I'm delighted with how things are going in Vigo and Celta must be respected."

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However, despite Nolito’s apparent love for Enrique and Barca, Sanderson writes that the striker would prefer a move to north London ahead of eastern Spain.

That may have something to do with just how difficult it would be to displace Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar in the Barcelona team; so, it’s clear that regular football will be a big lure for the front man.

Another star who would have no problem getting regular Premier League football for the Gunners is Lars Bender, who has been rumoured with a switch to the Emirates (again).

The German international’s name has done the rounds in many an Arsenal transfer window rumour mill, and Vaishali Bhardwaj of London Evening Standard writes that they’re hot favourites to sign him in January.

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Injuries to Francis Coquelin and Mikel Arteta mean that options in the holding role are sparse, and Bender undoubtedly has the quality to fill that void.

That’s hardly something that Arsenal fans aren’t aware of, though. The countless Bender transfer sagas have been all retch and no vomit. If Wenger does want to land the Bayer Leverkusen man, he simply needs to put his hand in his pocket.

Arsenal aren’t far away from reaping domestic and European glory, with just a few tweaks that need to be made—some more desperately than others.

In landing Nolito and Bender, the Gunners would have an outfit worthy of landing the biggest trophies in the business. It’s all just a case of the club showing desire to get the deals over the line.