A round-up of the latest Arsenal news as Mikel Arteta reveals where his players must improve at Fulham and finds his top defensive target for...
A round-up of the latest Arsenal news as Mikel Arteta reveals where his players must improve at Fulham and finds his top defensive target for the January transfer market.
Arsenal mark Sporting Lisbon star Goncalo Inacio as their top defensive transfer target
Sporting Lisbon talent Goncalo Inacio has emerged as Arsenal coach Arteta’s top centre-half target for the January transfer window. That is according to Dean Jones, who claims that the Gunners are prioritising a move for defensive reinforcements during the mid-season market.
The ACL injury that Jurrien Timber sustained on the opening day of the Premier League term and the fitness issues Takehiro Tomiyasu has endured have convinced Arteta that he needs a new defender. He also intensely loves the possibility of Arsenal taking Inacio from Sporting.
But Arsenal are worried that they will not be able to afford the transfer of Inacio in January. Sporting are demanding the full value of his £52m release clause to let the 22-year-old leave mid-season. Yet Arsenal may not have enough funds as they look to stay clear of FFP issues.
Read more about Arsenal’s interest in Inacio’s January transfer from Sporting, here.
Mikel Arteta admits where Arsenal ‘need’ to improve at Fulham
Arteta has urged his squad to improve in front of the goal when Arsenal visit Fulham on New Year’s Eve. The Gunners visit Craven Cottage in their last Premier League game of 2023 this Sunday. But they travel from north to west London striving to respond to a midweek defeat.
Arsenal suffered a 2-0 loss to West Ham United in controversial circumstances on Thursday. The result also cost the Gunners a chance to return to the top of the table. But Arsenal had chances to score and even set a new Premier League record with their inability to hit home.
No Premier League team had ever taken more touches in an opponent’s box without scoring since Opta started recording the stat in 2008/09 than the 77 Arsenal registered against West Ham. The Gunners even attempted a monstrous 30 shots yet only directed eight on target.
Arteta feels Arsenal must now improve everything they offer inside the box when they meet Fulham. Their inability to score against West Ham does not alarm the Spaniard. But Arteta is adamant that Arsenal must respond at Fulham by finding an end product for their creativity.
“It’s no panic,” Arteta noted in his press conference. “It’s about trying to do more, do better and win games. If the team plays like this, they are going to win lots of games. It’s a record, so I don’t think there are many teams in the league that have done that for many years.
“That’s something very positive I think. Without a spark, you don’t generate what the team generates. It’s impossible. But it’s the final thing, the final touch [and] the final action that puts the ball in the net or not. And that’s what we need.”
Read more about what Arteta has had to say ahead of Arsenal’s trip to Fulham, here.
David Seaman is still ‘50-50’ on David Raya starting for Arsenal
Arsenal legend David Seaman has admitted that he is ‘still 50-50’ on David Raya starting for Arteta over Aaron Ramsdale. He accepts the 28-year-old has shown some improvements in recent weeks. But Raya is still yet to conclusively prove he deserves to be Arteta’s clear No1.
Ramsdale fell to the Gunners’ bench after the September international break as Arteta gave his summer arrival the nod. Raya has since started 14 of Arsenal’s 15 Premier League games – only falling out of Arteta’s side when the Gunners beat the loanee’s parent club, Brentford.
Yet, despite his seemingly inarguable spot ahead of Ramsdale in Arteta’s pecking order, Raya cost Arsenal goals at Luton Town. He has also often seemed nervous on the ball, particularly against Manchester City. So, Seaman still cannot say Raya should 100% start over Ramsdale.
“Raya has come in and I think now we’re seeing, you know, why he’s in there because with his feet he’s brilliant,” Seaman told talkSPORT after Arsenal lost 2-0 to West Ham United on Thursday. “Even last night, some of the touches that he made were brilliant.
“It’s still 50-50 for me, and I’m happy that we’ve got two really good, quality goalkeepers at the club. But the main factor that you’ve got to do is make sure that whoever’s not in is happy.”
Read more about what Seaman has said about the Raya and Ramsdale debate, here.