Arsenal are running out of time to strengthen Mikel Arteta’s attacking options in the transfer market.
The Gunners are light in forward areas due to injuries to Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Jesus.
A host of names are being linked with a switch to N5, although there appears to be complications around most of these potential deals.
Arsenal are interested in Matheus Cunha, but Wolves are reluctant to sell their talisman, and it’s a similar story with another target, Benjamin Sesko.
Thus, Arteta needs to look at alternative options that may be doable in the remaining days of the window.
Arsenal should move for Evan Ferguson
January is a notoriously difficult market to operate in, with teams understandably not willing to lose key players mid-way through the season.
This often means that deals that do materialise are opportunistic, and Arsenal may have to look in this direction rather than aggressively pursuing a primary target.
Arsenal have been linked with Evan Ferguson in the past, and the Irishman could well be the most realistic acquisition for the Gunners in the remainder of this window.
Transfer guru Fabrizio Romano has revealed that Brighton are willing to allow Ferguson to leave on loan this month, and that several clubs are interested.
The striker’s stock is not as high as it once was, which should mean Arsenal will be capable of convincing him to swap the south coast for North London.
Kai Havertz has been lamented by Arsenal fans for some of his recent performances, and thus Arteta can offer Ferguson an enticing proposal that includes guaranteed regular minutes.
The 20-year-old has started just two Premier League games this season, having fallen behind the likes of Danny Welbeck and Joao Pedro in the pecking order at the Amex.
However, he’s still scored 13 goals in the English top flight, despite only turning 20 last October.
Undoubtedly not an ideal solution for Arsenal, but one that has its merits.
Given a loan deal is being discussed for the player, signing him temporarily wouldn’t mortgage Arsenal’s future, and would still allow them to pursue long-term targets in the summer.
With other deals looking unlikely, it may pan out that Ferguson becomes the only realistic addition as the deadline looms closer.
If it’s the Brighton man or nothing, Arsenal are much better off signing the young number nine, to provide Havertz with at least some cover and competition.
Ian Wright has praised Evan Ferguson in the past
While Ferguson’s development hasn’t kicked on since his initial flashes of brilliance, he boasts some attributes that could make him an ideal fit for Arsenal.
The Ireland international’s movement in behind the opposition defence is excellent, he’s physically robust and imposing, and his finishing is accurate from various difficult angles.
On top of this, he has the endorsement of Gunners legend Ian Wright.
Speaking on the Second Captains podcast back in 2023, the former striker turned pundit waxed lyrical about Ferguson.
He said: “I’d get the ball into him as soon as possible through those lines because he links the play very well, he’s got very intelligent movement in that last third, and he wants to get into the box.
“That’s what I would do. You look at him – he’s good in the air, he’s good on the floor, he makes good movement in the box, so he’s somebody who has got all the attributes.
“Now how can we get it to him quicker? I’m not saying Brighton have to launch it, but they’ve got another option now if he’s playing.
“They could play it through like we saw them do to Liverpool the other day, cut them to pieces, or they can go direct, get it into him, he can link play, people can go beyond him.
“They could do so many things with a striker who has got the capabilities that he’s got. He’s got everything. He’s got the size, he’s got the touch, he’s got the shooting power, he’s got the movement in the box.”
Receive a digest of our best Arsenal content each week direct to your mailbox
