With Thomas Partey suffering from an ankle injury, Jorginho suffering from not being good enough to start for a Premier League side anymore and Kai Havertz suffering from being a striker rather than a midfielder, it has become clear in recent weeks that Arsenal may need someone midfield cover.
That has been evident for the club itself, with Arsenal sending scouts across Europe and South America to assess potential options for the January transfer window.
To help the Gunners out, we’ve decided to rate every midfielder they’ve been linked with recently and rank them.
Mikel Arteta and Edu, you are both welcome.
Maia fighting for the ball / Eurasia Sport Images/GettyImages
21-year-old Pablo Maia has been a mainstay in Sao Paulo’s starting line-up in recent seasons, largely thanks to his tactical flexibility.
Maia is a natural midfielder, but he has also moved in wide, at full-back and even at centre-back at Sao Paulo, something that will be music to the ears of a manager like Arteta.
The downside to buying Maia, however, is his disciplinary record. The Brazilian has received an incredible 14 yellow cards and two reds in the 2023 season alone.
Fit? 5/10
Young star / Ricardo Moreira/GettyImages
Another player that caught Edu’s attention during a recent scouting trip to Brazil was Gabriel Moscardo.
Despite being just 18 years old, Moscardo is already a key player at Corinthians – usually doing his best in a deep-lying midfield role similar to that played by Rodri at Man City.
Previously also linked with Chelsea, a move to a European club seems imminent for the lad, but January may be a bit too early for him to do so.
Fit? 6/10
Guerra has caught the eye / Quality Sport Images/GettyImages
With three goals and an assist since breaking into Valencia’s starting line-up, it’s fair to say that Javi Guerra looks like a serious player.
The 20-year-old’s form has attracted the attention of many top clubs across Europe, with Arsenal among the teams who have approached him recently.
Having burst onto the scene in one of Europe’s top leagues, as expected, it will take quite a lot of money to sign Guerra – £86m to be exact.
It would be a huge gamble to sign a player who hasn’t played much senior football.
Fit? 6/10
Highly rated / Isosport/MB Media/GettyImages
If you’re going to play FM24 this year, Arthur Vermeeren is a play you need to know.
The 18-year-old already has a Belgian senior cap to his name and is arguably the most exciting young player to emerge from the Belgian Pro League in a very, very long time.
Vermereen has been watched by the likes of Arsenal and Manchester City and certainly looked set to be spectacular.
Fit? 7/10
One of the best players in the Eredivisie / BSR Agency / GettyImages
To answer your question: yes, he is related to Jurrien Timber.
To answer your other question: he is very related given that he is Jurrien’s twin brother.
That alone isn’t why Quinten has been linked with Arsenal – this isn’t the AC Milan-style Donnarumma brother we’re suggesting here – he’s also a pretty good footballer in his own right.
The midfielder is the dynamic heart of a very impressive Feyenoord outfit and, if signed, would provide some energy to Arsenal’s midfield which is currently lacking – due to the reliance on slow pokes like Jorginho and Partey (no offense).
Fit? 8/10
Liverpool target / Eurasia Sport Images/GettyImages
Arsenal, a player who has been heavily linked with Liverpool, recently started monitoring Andre Trindade’s form for Fluminense and they would have undoubtedly been impressed with what they have seen.
The midfielder is ready for the Premier League, boasting both excellent passing range and also the ability to read and release dangers in the middle of the park.
So good, in fact, that he has inspired Fluminense to reach the Copa Libertadores final for just the second time this season.
Fit? 9/10
One of the best in the Premier League / Michael Regan/GettyImages
Signing one of the Premier League’s best midfielders, Declan Rice, this summer turned out to be pretty good business, so why not repeat the trick in January?
Arsenal have long been interested in Douglas Luiz and given his recent form it’s easy to see why.
The Brazilian has been one of the best players in the league so far this season, providing both goals and defensive stability to high-flying Aston Villa.
Fit? 10/10
READ THE LATEST ARSENAL NEWS, FEEDBACK AND GOSSIP