A new-look Arsenal: A preview of the Premier League squad if Caicedo, Cedric, and Fresneda deals are completed
Mikel Arteta is close to finalizing his contract with Arsenal for the remainder of the season, so the Gunners could be extremely active up until the transfer deadline.
The Gunners have had an excellent start to the new year on and off the field. This month, their Premier League record of two wins and a draw against Newcastle United, Tottenham Hotspur, and Manchester United has allowed them to maintain a five-point lead over second place.
Large portions of the Arsenal fanbase have praised the signings of Leandro Trossard, Jakub Kiwior, and new deal for Gabriel Martinelli, while lamenting the 1-0 loss to Manchester City in the FA Cup fourth round on Friday night.
It is safe to say that Arteta and sporting director Edu Gaspar are eager to address the remaining gaps in the first-team squad prior to the transfer deadline, following some impressive business last summer and early in this window.
Where do the Gunners require reinforcements, and how could their Premier League roster look when the January transfer window closes? Below, SportsDias examines the matter.
For the first time, a transfer window will pass without any rumors regarding Arsenal’s pursuit of a goalkeeper. Aaron Ramsdale is the undisputed first-choice goalkeeper (he even has the shirt number to prove it after Bernd Leno’s departure last summer), Matt Turner has proven to be a capable backup, and there are high hopes for Karl Hein, the team’s promising youngster.
With the addition of Jakub Kiwior, the Gunners now have defensive depth at every position, such that Cedric can join Fulham on loan without needing to be replaced, as he was behind Ben White and Takehiro Tomiyasu in the pecking order at right-back.
According to football.london, should Arsenal win the race to sign Ivan Fresneda, he is expected to return to Real Valladolid on loan for the remainder of the season, so he would not factor into the club’s Premier League squad plans.
Arteta has disclosed his desire to strengthen the midfield. Arsenal would have to activate Martin Zubimendi’s €60 million (£52.8 million) release clause because Real Sociedad are unwilling to negotiate. Moises Caicedo is rumored to cost Brighton £90 million, while Ibrahima Bamba is a cheaper option at £26 million.
Arsenal entered the January transfer window in need of a forward after suffering injuries to Gabriel Jesus and Reiss Nelson. Although a deal for Mykhailo Mudryk did not materialize, the acquisition of Leandro Trossard provides coverage for all three positions in the front line.
Arsenal’s Premier League squad after three potential transfers:
Goalkeepers: Ramsdale (HG), Turner
Defenders: Tierney, White (HG), Gabriel Magalhaes, Kiwior, Holding (HG), Tomiyasu, Zinchenko
Midfielders: Partey, Odegaard, Smith Rowe (HG), Fabio Vieira, Lokonga, Elneny, Xhaka
Forwards: Gabriel Jesus, Nketiah (HG), Trossard, Nelson (HG)
Senior U21 players: Hein, Saliba, Saka, Martinelli, Marquinhos, Caicedo
Even with the additions of Trossard and Kiwior, there is more room for non-native signings, so if Zubimendi, for example, were to join, he could be registered. This is because a Premier League squad may contain no more than 17 foreign players, with the remaining eight spots reserved for homegrown (HG) players.
To be considered home-grown, a player must have been registered with a club affiliated with The Football Association or the Welsh FA for a minimum of three full seasons or 36 months prior to turning 21. (or the end of the season during which he turns 21).
Due to a Premier League rule, players like Bukayo Saka, William Saliba, and Gabriel Martinelli are not required to be named in the squad. The rule states, “An Under 21 player is defined as one who is under the age of 21 on 1st January of the season’s opening year.”
“Players under the age of 21 are eligible in addition to the squad limit of 25 players. For the 2022-23 Under-21 season, players must have been born on or after January 1, 2001.
As Caicedo was born after January 1, 2001, he does not need to be registered in the squad. However, if Cedric leaves for Fulham, Arsenal will have 14 non-native players.
A new-look Arsenal: A preview of the Premier League squad if Caicedo, Cedric, and Fresneda deals are completed
