Arsenal had been expected to keep a low profile during the January transfer window after an aggressive summer of spending. The club spent close to £250 million ahead of the 2025–26 season.
They signed Viktor Gyokeres, Martin Zubimendi, Eberechi Eze, Christian Norgaard and Kepa Arrizabalaga on permanent deals, while Piero Hincapie later arrived on loan.
That level of recruitment under sporting director Andrea Berta, has ensured Arsenal becomes a force to reckon with in the Premier League.
That is why they are at the top of the table at the half way stage with six points advantage over Manchester City and Aston Villa.
As a result, only specific market opportunities were ever likely to tempt the club into doing business in January.
One such opportunity was Antoine Semenyo’s £65 million release clause at Bournemouth.
However, despite his admiration for Arsenal, the winger is close to joinning Manchester City, who moved decisively to secure his signature.
City’s interest does not stop there. Pep Guardiola’s side have also been tracking Marc Guehi following a defensive injury crisis.
However, Arsenal now appear ready to insert themselves into that conversation. According to The Athletic, the Gunners are ready to explore a January move for the Crystal Palace captain.
Guehi has been heavily linked with elite clubs across Europe in recent months, including Liverpool, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich, before Manchester City made their interest clear.
Arsenal’s admiration for the defender is not new. There was genuine interest last summer before the club opted to sign Cristhian Mosquera instead.
However, Guehi has remained highly rated internally, and recent developments at Palace have reopened the discussion.
Whether Arsenal choose to act now or wait until the summer remains unclear. Guehi’s contract is approaching its final months, which could tempt the Gunners into patience.
However, with Manchester City pushing ahead and competition intensifying, Arsenal may feel January represents their best chance to strike.
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