Mikel Arteta new £100m striker spotted at Emirates yesterday as Arsenal sent £58m Bayern Munich transfer update
Mikel Arteta was happy to get back on the winning track this weekend. Arsenal went to Crystal Palace after three straight defeats in all competitions, losing to West Ham and Fulham, before being knocked out of the FA Cup by Liverpool.
The Gunners will be looking to gain some momentum after their 5-0 win over the Eagles, with an away game at the City Ground next on the calendar. Arsenal take on Liverpool at the Emirates Stadium in their first game since the transfer window opened in January.
If Arteta wants to make a big transfer before the title race, he better get moving. With that in mind, we took a look at some of Arsenal’s biggest news on football.london on Sunday, January 21.
Bayern star flirts with a move
Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United have received a major boost to their hopes of signing Matthijs de Ligt. The 24-year-old defender has had an uncertain future at Bayern Munich for some time after falling out of favor under Thomas Tuchel.
According to Sky Sports Germany, de Ligt is likely to leave the Bundesliga champions this summer if he receives a “suitable offer”. The Dutch international, whose contract at the Allianz Arena expires in 2027, joined Bayern from Juventus in July 2022 for €67m (£57.6m).
The report adds that the Red Devils are keeping an eye on De Ligt’s situation, as Erik ten Hag does not have enough options for world-class defenders. The Dutchman, once considered one of the most exciting young players in the world, has previously been linked with Arsenal and Chelsea, but both London clubs now have plenty of options at the back.
Football.london says: De Ligt would be a pretty impressive signing for any Premier League club looking to secure a Champions League place. At just 24 years of age, he has plenty of untapped potential waiting to be unlocked – it just depends on whether Bayern are willing to take a hit for their initial investment.
Arsenal unlock their Henry
Rio Ferdinand and Martin Keown compared Gabriel Martinelli to Thierry Henry after Arsenal’s 5-0 win over Crystal Palace. The 22-year-old winger hit the net twice in the closing stages of the match against Roy Hodgson’s side on Saturday afternoon, with almost identical finishes.
Speaking to TNT Sports, the former Manchester United defender said. A defender makes a bad decision … but he is very calm and collected in front of goal. It was similar to Thierry Henry when he got into those areas, he was magnificent when he did that.”
Keown agreed, adding: “It was him and he does his job with the ball instead of running with it. It was a great moment to get him involved in the game when the spaces opened up. The second goal he scored was a copy, on the same surface.
“I think it was very good for Martinelli to be trusted to come in from the bench. It’s good for the group that he came into the game and scored the two goals.”
football.london says: Martinelli was not nearly as good as last season but is still one of the most dangerous strikers in the Premier League. Arteta will be hoping the Brazilian has turned the page with the title race in sight and the Champions League round of 16 around the corner.
