Arsenal must complete £150m double swoop for Premier League stars in January
Arsenal have started the new season excellently, but Mikel Arteta and Andrea Berta can certainly still boost their team's chances of securing silverware by strengthening their squad in January.
The Gunners have won each of their first seven matches across all competitions, scoring 16 goals and conceding just three in the process. They're overwhelming favourites for the title, while many fancy them to challenge for the Champions League once again.
However, if there are pitfalls in their squad which could potentially hinder Arteta's charge for multiple honours, then it's in two specific positions. Up front, Arsenal are heavily reliant on Kai Havertz remaining fit due to Viktor Gyokeres' ongoing struggles, while early evidence suggests that Eberechi Eze isn't quite an adequate back-up to Christos Tzolis on the left wing.
Arsenal need to show the type of ambition their rivals, Manchester City, have shown in recent January transfer windows and upgrade in these two positions this winter. Two Premier League stars have emerged as the obvious candidates to fill these roles, and the North Londoners could land the duo for a combined fee of around £150 million.
Reports emerged earlier this week indicating that Arsenal are tracking Rio Ngumoha's situation at Liverpool. The teenager's current deal at Anfield expires in the summer of 2028, and there are suggestions that he's exploring potential moves away from the north-west.
David Ornstein verified Arsenal's interest on Tuesday, although the journalist claimed that the player isn't unhappy on Merseyside. That said, given Liverpool just splashed around £120 million on Bradley Barcola and given they already have Cody Gakpo at their disposal, there isn't a route to first-team minutes in Andoni Iraola's squad for Ngumoha.
This could prompt the prospect to push for an abrupt exit, and even if the line from Liverpool's camp is that they have no intention of selling, they may be left with little choice if the player makes it clear he has no plans on signing a new contract.
Arsenal, on the other hand, can offer Ngumoha a clear pathway to regular first-team minutes. He's at the stage in his development where he can already play semi-regularly for a top side, while he has the potential to hold down the left-wing spot at the Emirates in the future.
Boasting exceptional close control, Ngumoha uses this technical quality to dribble past opposition defenders. He's already a prolific dribbler and ball carrier who needs to start generating output after he completes these dribbles and carries. However, this is an aspect of his game you would expect to improve as he matures.
Ngumoha is one of the hottest young wingers on the market, and this means his signing would make sense for Arsenal, who currently have a clear void in their squad in this role. Rather than splashing over £120 million on an unconvincing option like Nico Williams or Rodrygo, the Gunners should invest in Ngumoha, particularly as they have a very capable option in Tzolis to take the mantle in the short-term.
With Liverpool's leverage in negotiations dwindling, Arsenal might be able to enact a relatively cheap deal for Ngumoha, with mooted prices starting at around £50 to £60 million.
Once upon a time, any exciting striker emerging from France would inevitably be linked with Arsenal due to the Thierry Henry connection. This constant speculation around players of this profile has declined in recent years, with the Gunners becoming more synonymous with Spanish players.
However, there is something about Eli Junior Kroupi and Arsenal that just feels right. Not only did the youngster score a vital goal for Bournemouth against City which contributed to Arteta's side's title win last season, but he also shares similar traits to Henry.
The 20-year-old often operates in the left-hand channel, much like his legendary counterpart. He boasts a similarly slender and gangly frame, is excellent at skipping past players and loves a finessed finish on his right foot.
Arsenal's interest in Kroupi is well documented, and a deal might've materialised in the summer had the Frenchman not suffered a foot injury in pre-season. He should be back in action at some point in November, and it wouldn't be a surprise to see the North London club make their move in January.
Gyokeres' concerning early-season performances have probably exacerbated Arsenal's need to get this deal over the line in the winter, and Kroupi would arrive knowing he might play second fiddle to Havertz for a while, before succeeding the German and dominating the Gunners' number nine spot for several years.
Bournemouth supposedly want somewhere between £90 and £100 million for their prized asset - a sum Arsenal won't be afraid to fork out.
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