One transfer Arsenal really need to make in January, and the £265k-a-week star Mikel Arteta must sell

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Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta will be formulating a plan for the upcoming January window.

Edu Gaspar’s recent resignation as Arsenal sporting director will inevitably impact the club’s transfer plans, but the North London club must still get some vital business done this winter.

The Gunners need to add quality to their ranks if they are to stand any chance of reviving their Premier League title hopes.

• READ MORE: The highest active goalscorers in the 2024/25 Arsenal first-team squad

Who should Arsenal sign in January?

Arsenal need to sign a striker. Adding goals to his side has to be Mikel Arteta’s top priority at this stage. 

Kai Havertz has done a decent job of leading the line for Arsenal, but he is not most prolific of forwards.

Viktor Gyokeres would be the ideal acquisition, as the Swedish striker has been in devastating form for Sporting CP recently and has all the qualities required to thrive in the Premier League. He is clinical in front of goal, offers real pace and intelligent movement, is technically secure, and provides imposing physicality.

However, Gyokeres has made it clear he is staying put in January, as he is determined to finish this campaign in Portugal. 

The Gunners must now pivot to alternative targets. Arsenal have been linked with Alexander Isak, but prising him away from Newcastle United could prove prohibitively expensive too. 

Finding a suitable striker to sign is a must, though, and bringing in a player of such quality will always prove costly. In order to raise funds for an acquisition in this part of the pitch, Arsenal must be willing to sell.

Why Mikel Arteta needs to sell Gabriel Jesus

When it comes to outgoings, Arsenal ought to be keen to find a buyer for Gabriel Jesus this January. 

The former Manchester City man has been in woeful form for some time, having netted just once for the Gunners since January, and that solitary strike came in a recent EFL Cup clash against Preston North End.

Jesus earns £265-a-week at Arsenal, making him the second highest earner in Arteta’s squad, after Havertz. The Gunners aren’t getting anything close to a fair return on their investment in the Brazilian, though. 

Arsenal may struggle to find a buyer for Jesus, give his form, fitness record, and current salary. However, it is now incumbent upon Arteta to find a way for getting the forward out of the club as soon as possible.