Arsenal Transfer News: Top Names, Rumours Linked with Gunners Ahead of January

Arsenal reportedly remain keen on signing Paris Saint-Germain striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic at the end of the season, despite rumours of possible interest from London rivals Chelsea.

As reported by the Guardian, PSG boss Laurent Blanc has admitted there are big question marks about whether the 34-year-old will pen a new deal at the club, with his contract set to expire at the end of the campaign. According to Fichajes (h/t George Bellshaw of Metro), both the Gunners and the Blues are keen on the forward.

Despite his advancing years, the Swedish international remains one of the standout players in European football. Here’s a reminder of what he’s capable of producing:

Losing the forward would be a major blow for PSG. Ibrahimovic has been the focal point of the French champions ever since signing for the club in 2012. Granted, the Parisians do possess some remarkable footballers, but his mercurial striking talents are tough to come by in the game and as such, they’ll be keen to keep him on board.

As Squawka Football noted here, even at 34, Ibrahimovic is still scoring goals on a regular basis for PSG:

So it’s a deal many feel would make sense for Arsenal. There have long been concerns over the centre-forward options in this team and while Ibrahimovic wouldn’t be a long-term solution to this problem, he’s a player with the quality to make an immediate impact and potentially fire the Gunners to a title.

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If it’s not Ibrahimovic, someone else needs to come in and reinvigorate this Arsenal attack. As noted by British journalist and Arsenal fan Piers Morgan, they’re certainly short in this area of the squad:

The solution seems unlikely to be Ibrahimovic, though. Unlike Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger, Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho has shown a willingness to gamble on ageing centre-forwards previously, signing the likes of Samuel Eto’o and Didier Drogba during his time at Chelsea. Paying a veteran player inflated wages is not the Gunners’ modus operandi.

Reece Oxford on Arsenal Radar

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According to John Cross of the Daily Mirror, Arsenal will attempt to sign West Ham United’s starlet Reece Oxford in an £8 million deal.

In the piece it’s suggested the Gunners will hold off until next summer before making an approach for the teenager, who dazzled in his Premier League debut at the Emirates Stadium on the first day of the campaign, as the Hammers secured a 2-0 win. It’s a performance that caught Arsenal’s eye, according to Cross.

Since then, Oxford has drifted back down the pecking order at the Boleyn Ground, with West Ham making plenty of summer acquisitions. There’s no denying he is a very talented young player, though. As we can see here courtesy of WhoScored.com, the showing from the 16-year-old on the opening day was very impressive:

Cross wrote Oxford’s future is likely to be as a centre-back despite featuring in central midfield for the Hammers' first team; the back four is certainly an area in which the Gunners will be seeking to add some youth too. Arsenal also have a fine record when it comes to developing young players, something which would undoubtedly appeal to the teenager.

However, making a move so significant so early in his career may daunt Oxford. At the moment he’s much better off being drip fed appearances in the West Ham first team and finding his feet as a professional footballer. An £8 million transfer would heap major pressure on a young man who could definitely do without it in the early years of his career.