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Arsenal chiefs are ready to back Mikel Arteta in the January transfer window.
The indications are that he will be given up to ₤50 million on a single player as they look to sustain another title challenge.
And the top priority is signing a replacement for Ghanaian international Thomas Partey, who has sustained yet another injury which will keep him out until the New Year at least, by which time he could be called up by his country for AFCON duty.
And with Jorginho and Mohamed Elneny both out of contract at the end of the season – although, in the case of the Italian, there is an option to extend his deal by a year – bringing in a new defensive midfielder has become a priority.
Two names are reported to on the Gunners’ wish list. Douglas Luiz of Aston Villa, whom the Gunners have tried to buy several times in the past, and Martin Zubimendi of Real Sociedad.
Luiz would be difficult to prise away from Villa, who are playing well under former Arsenal boss, Unai Emery, given that he is under contract until 2026.
Andy is an exiled English football fan living in Cyprus. He loves all sports but football is his abiding passion, and he still has dreams every now and then about scoring the winning goal in a Wembley Cup Final, even though his playing days are long gone. He follows most major leagues, across Europe at least, and has a favoured team in each. When he’s not watching, listening, reading or downloading podcasts about football, he spend his time worrying about his beloved Arsenal.