Arsenal makes shocking move to prioritize incoming transfers in January window

The January transfer window is already upon us and it looks like Arsenal is shifting its focus from letting players leave to bringing in new ones.

In the past, the club has primarily focused on trimming the first-team squad during the winter window, but following a major overhaul of the squad in the summer of 2021, the club seems to be prioritizing new additions this time around.

Arsenal have made bids for Mykhaylo Mudryk, which have been rejected by Shakhtar Donetsk, and have also been linked with Atletico Madrid forward Joao Felix.

Marquinhos and Cedric Soares may also be on their way out, potentially on loan. Despite missing the deadline for a new signing to debut in the FA Cup match against Oxford United, the club is still working on completing a deal for Mudryk, although Chelsea has also expressed interest in the player.

In the past, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has tended to wait until later in the transfer window to finalize deals, with five of the six players he has signed during the January window joining the club with around 10 days left until the deadline.

It’s worth noting that in previous January windows under Arteta, the club has prioritized sales over purchases, with several players leaving on loan or permanently. For example, in 2021, Mesut Ozil, Sokratis Papastathopoulos, and Shkodran Mustafi mutually terminated their contracts and Matt Macey joined Hibernian.

That same window saw Sead Kolasinac, William Saliba, Ainsley Maitland-Niles, and Joe Willock go out on loan to Schalke, Nice, West Brom, and Newcastle United, respectively. The year before, six senior players left the club either permanently or on loan, with Calum Chambers joining Aston Villa and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang leaving by mutual consent just before and after the window officially closed.

This January, it seems that Arsenal is looking to buck the trend and focus on bringing in new talent rather than letting players go. While the club may still make a couple of outgoings, the bids for Mudryk and the links to Felix suggest that the main focus is on adding to the squad.

Of course, it’s worth remembering that Arteta’s track record suggests he may wait until later in the window to finalize any deals, so fans may have to be patient. Regardless of what happens in the coming weeks, it’s clear that the club is determined to make the most of this transfer window and continue improving the team.