The January transfer window flies open in less than two months, and if the Gunners bring in one player and sell one of their squad, this should be the business they do.
With the January transfer window fast approaching, teams will be in the midst of assessing their squads to see whether or not there are potential gaps to fill. Moreover, in some cases there will be discussions about who is surplus to requirements. With this in mind, here’s one player Arsenal could buy and one they could sell in the near future.
Buy: Ricardo Rodriguez
Already this season, we have seen Arsenal’s current left-back Nacho Monreal on the ropes against fast players. As the Spaniard ages, these struggles will only worsen and given that the Gunners do not have an heir apparent waiting in the wings, they may need to dip into the market.
Middlesbrough’s Adama Traore in action with Arsenal’s Nacho Monreal
They should look no further than Wolfsburg defender Ricardo Rodriguez. He was linked in the summer (ESPN), perhaps due to his connection with fellow Swiss international Granit Xhaka, but he should be top of their list for January or the following summer.
A supreme one-on-one defender as well as a threat going forward, he boasts many of the same qualities that Monreal possesses. With the addition of Rodriguez, Arsenal would surely boast one of the most stellar and varied back lines in world football.
Ricardo Rodriguez scores the first goal for Wolfsburg from the penalty spot
Sell: Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain
Having arrived for over for big money as a teenager from Southampton, the simple fact is that Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has not fulfilled the immense promise he showed early in his Arsenal career.
Arsenal’s Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain gestures
After being utilised both on the wing and in the centre in his debut season, Oxlade-Chamberlain never really progressed and, at 23, still shows the same erratic tendencies and lack of end product that he did as an 18-year-old.
Now Alex Iwobi has broken into the first team with Alexis Sanchez up front, there is space again on the wing. However, strikers Danny Welbeck and Lucas Perez are able to play wide and youngster Jeff Reine-Adelaide has impressed on his appearances in the EFL Cup.
Arsenal’s Jeff Reine-Adelaide in action with Reading’s Joey Van der Berg
With Oxlade-Chamberlain struggling to progress without first-team football, it could be time to let the young Englishman go.
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