The January transfer window has never been the ideal time to buy players, but it does give Premier League clubs an important opportunity to offload some deadwood before the campaign’s final run in.
That’s something Arsene Wenger should bear in mind – his Arsenal squad, although clearly blessed with talent throughout, is tremendously imbalanced and the fat can certainly be trimmed off a select few departments.
Thus, here’s a list of FIVE players the Gunners could look to move on when the transfer window reopens. Some aren’t getting enough game time, others would add some serious cash to Arsenal’s transfer kitty and a few are simply surplus to requirements.
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FRANCIS COQUELIN
Once tipped for greatness as a youngster in Arsenal’s academy, Francis Coquelin is now 23 years of age and arguably further away from the Gunners first team than ever before.
Indeed, the Frenchman has only ever made 21 Premier League appearances for Arsenal, whilst loan spells with Lorient in 2010/11 and Freiburg in 2013/14 were hardly inspiring. For the latter, he managed just 16 league outings.
So far this season, the defensive midfielder has made just one appearance – drafted in as an emergency left-back during Arsenal’s Capital One Cup tie with Southampton, which ended in a 2-1 defeat. Here’s the highlights:
//www.youtube.com/embed/f7qDnwseHZg?rel=0
Injuries have certainly taken their toll on Coquelin throughout the years, but at this point, it’s abundantly clear that Wenger simply doesn’t fancy him.
Despite being one of a rare few genuine holding midfielders on the Emirates roster, he’s not even being considered as an alternative to Mikel Arteta or Mathieu Flamini, whilst youngster Hector Bellerin appears to have overtaken him in the pecking order at No.2.
It’s time for the Gunners to cash in on Coquelin or at least send him out on loan. QPR were reportedly eying a temporary deal on deadline day:
And Harry Redknapp could reignite his interest in January if Rangers’ midfield injury crisis, that’s already seen Joey Barton, Sandro and Jordan Mutch sidelined for extended periods this season, continues.
JOEL CAMPBELL (on loan)
Joel Campbell received rave reviews during the World Cup, as the brightest spark in a Costa Rica side that surpassed expectations by reaching the quarter-finals. Here’s a look at the South American highlights:
//www.youtube.com/embed/w8ACcND8cOU?rel=0
And that followed an impressive loan spell with Olympiacos last season, where the young forward netted this stunner against Manchester United in the Champions League.
//www.youtube.com/embed/ATcwmXJYbDU?rel=0
So as Arsenal resisted the advances of a number of top European clubs during the off-season…
…many assumed the 22 year-old would be given a significant role in the first team squad this year.
But he’s thus far made just two appearances for his parent club – a Capital One Cup outing and a substitute stint in the league, consisting of just 16 minutes.
Campbell looks like a real prospect that clubs in the Premier League and yonder would love to get their hands on. Wenger needs to secure a loan move for the forward in January, before his development begins to stifle.
LUKAS PODOLSKI
If there’s one player almost certain to leave the Emirates in January, it’s unquestionably Lukas Podolski, with the German international recently revealing he’s been left frustrated by a lack of playing time:
Podolski has proved a decent acquisition for Arsenal, netting 19 times in 56 Premier League appearances since moving to north London in summer 2012. Here’s a look at some of his goals:
//www.youtube.com/embed/xfB7id7N_g0?rel=0
His experience is important too, having claimed 118 caps for Germany, featured in the World Cup-winning side during the summer and previously plied his trade with Bayern Munich.
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But the winger-forward is now 29 years of age and has managed just 37 minutes in the Premier League this term from three substitute outings.
Arsene Wenger clearly doesn’t favour him as a candidate for the lone front-man role and starting opportunities out wide will be equally hard to come by, following the Gunners’ summer swoop for Alexis Sanchez.
A few clubs have been linked with the German in recent weeks but common consensus views a move to Inter Milan as the likeliest scenario:
NACHO MONREAL
Admittedly, the last thing Arsenal need right now is further reductions to their defensive depth – clearly Arsene Wenger is light on bodies at the back and should be recruiting for that department, not making cuts, when the transfer window reopens.
But second-choice left-back Nacho Monreal has hardly hit the heights expected since the Gunners paid Malaga around £8.5million for his services back in January 2013 – in fact, he’s often the north London side’s biggest liability in defence.
Never comfortable with the power and pace of the Premier League, it’s probably time Arsenal cut Monreal loose, having never truly replicated the attacking performance of his impressive debut against Stoke City eighteen months ago:
//www.youtube.com/embed/SqalemDf0Hw?rel=0
The Emirates fanbase don’t seem too fond of him either.
But squad depth and potential suitors are both major issues. Resultantly, it’s more than likely that Monreal will remain with the Gunners until at least next summer.
SANTI CAZORLA
Arsenal’s midfield is overloaded with offensive players – in truth, probably a couple too many.
And although Mesut Ozil, Alexis Sanchez, Aaron Ramsey and Jack Wilshere have their Arsenal careers firmly cemented for the foreseeable future, Santi Cazorla may not be so lucky.
That’s certainly not a dig at the Spain international’s quality. Cazorla’s technical assets verge upon world class and his ambidextrous feet make him capable of taking up virtually any role across the middle of the park.
But now 29 years of age and having never truly replicated the form in his debut season, that saw him amass twelve goals and twelve assists in the Premier League and claim Arsenal’s Player of the Year award, he’s quickly becoming expendable at the Emirates. Here’s his highlights from 2012/13:
//www.youtube.com/embed/SqalemDf0Hw?rel=0
Cazrola rejected speculation regarding a move back to La Liga during the summer as he was linked to Atletico Madrid:
But could change his mind in January considering he’s no longer a guaranteed starter for the Gunners.
