The January transfer window is upon us and rumours are running rampant, especially about teams in disarray. Currently, there’s no team in more of a shamble than Arsenal. The club has just hired their third different manager of the season, with Mikel Arteta now overseeing things for the foreseeable future.
For him to make progress at the club and implement his ideas, he must determine which players want to play for him. That means there’ll be some new arrivals, but also several departures. As with every rebuild, there will be some painful losses with some marquee names switching over to rivals.
Here are 4 Arsenal players likely to join Manchester United and Chelsea.
Bernd Leno to Manchester United
Alongside Aubameyang, Bernd Leno has been Arsenal’s only saving grace this season. The German keeper has made more saves this season than any other keeper in the league. That shows how much Arsenal have left him exposed and subsequently needed him.
He has now proved himself to be one of the best keepers in the league and his performances have not gone unnoticed. At Manchester United, a certain former world’s best has been making mistake after mistake. Manchester United keeper David de Gea has increasingly become a liability recently, with the higher-ups now looking to cash in on him and replace him. Bernd Leno would be the ideal candidate to step in as he wouldn’t need any time to acclimatise to the physicality of the Premier League.
Eddie Nketiah to Chelsea
As much as Arsenal fans have tried to take credit for the emergence of Eddie Nketiah, the England international was actually born and bred in Chelsea’s academy. It was the Gunners who stole the youngster when he was 16 years old. Since then, they’ve given him countless chances in the first team and opportunities on loan, most notably a move to Leeds United.
However, Nketiah is now ready to start for a Premier League side and he can’t get that opportunity at the Gunners with Pierre Emerick-Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette standing in his way. Frank Lampard is currently showing the whole world how valuable youth is to him at Chelsea and the arrival of Nketiah would only add to that narrative.
Gabriel Martinelli to Manchester United
For those who don’t know, Gabriel Martinelli’s first taste of English football was in Manchester. The Brazilian teenager was initially offered a trial spot at Manchester United, where he got to train with the likes of Paul Pogba & co. It’s no secret that Manchester United is the biggest club in the world, they are idolised in all four corners of the globe. Martinelli’s dream was to always play for United and due to their superior financial power, a move could happen whenever they want.
Having only signed him for £6million, Arsenal would be more than willing to sell him for a hefty profit. United are in need of the next South American star and that man is Gabriel Martinelli.
Pierre Emerick-Aubameyang to Chelsea
Although Tammy Abraham is currently firing on all cylinders, Chelsea is still in need of a superstar striker to take them to the next level. Despite being in a dysfunctional team, Pierre Emerick-Aubameyang has still managed to score 15 goals in 24 appearances this season. The 30-year-old has been the only source of goals for the club, with no one else stepping up. Even though he’s the main man at the club, the captain is still looking for an escape route out of the Emirates.
Aubameyang feels his talent warrants trophies and has now refused to entertain talks over a contract extension. His deal expires in the summer of 2021, but the club wants to sort it out now, by either selling him or agreeing on a new contract. This is where Chelsea come in, as the Blues have now had their transfer ban lifted and are open to business to January.
