Arsenal actually sounded out ‘primary transfer target’ in November but he joined Man City instead

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The January transfer window has officially closed in what was a frustratingly uneventful period for Arsenal.

Despite Mikel Arteta’s wish to sign a striker following key injuries to his attack, Arsenal failed to welcome a new signing before deadline day.

While the Gunners were linked to several stars along the way, the right one never emerged, putting emphasis on the summer transfer window.

It’s yet to be seen whether Arsenal will live to regret their transfer decisions however, an emerging update has revealed that the club’s hierarchy did in fact aim to sign a new player.

• READ MORE: Every Arsenal deal completed on winter 2025 transfer deadline day as rivals strengthen ranks 

Arsenal’s primary January transfer target was Vitor Reis

As Arteta admitted that Arsenal were short after the summer transfer window, it was almost assumed that the club would do something in the winter.

After injuries to Gabriel Jesus and Bukayo Saka, it was understood that Arsenal would sign a new forward but, such never prevailed.

While all attention throughout the window was on the attack, bar Arsenal’s links to Ronald Araujo, it wasn’t the only position that the Gunners were looking to bolster.

That’s according to a shock revelation from The Athletic, who identified that former Palmeiras centre-back Vitor Reis was a ‘primary target’ for Arsenal. 

After extensive scouting, a meeting between Arsenal’s hierarchy in November saw Reis rise to the top of the club’s transfer list, alongside Sverre Nypan, who is yet to decide on his next steps.

Before Manchester City swooped in to sign Reis, as well as links to Real Madrid, Arsenal were seen as the ‘most likely destination’ for the Brazilian, who joined City for £29.6m. 

Even in December, it was reported that Arsenal were preparing an offer for Reis but, it was Pep Guardiola who acquired the teenage sensation.

Why Arsenal didn’t push to sign Reis 

Arsenal wanted Reis for a long time, having scouted the centre-back in person in November in Brazil.

City got the deal over the line as a market opportunity presented itself to the champions but, after all the interest, why didn’t Arsenal sign Reis?

The Athletic provided an answer to such, revealing that a debate over the allocation of finances took place, describing the Gunners’ budget as ‘sizeable but finite’.

It’s understood that some of Arsenal’s hierarchy, including Arteta, preferred to keep hold of financial resource to address the injuries in the first team, with two attackers ruled out for the foreseeable.

The Athletic’s report details that before Jesus’ ACL injury, Arteta was reluctant to spend as much as £30m on Reis, who was deemed ‘unlikely to be a difference-maker’ this season.

It makes sense but, it only adds to the frustration that Arsenal then failed to sign a forward, in what could prove to be a costly error for the Gunners.