Arsenal January transfer window targets: Why Maitland-Niles is leaving & how Gunners will replace him

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Mikel Arteta has confirmed that Arsenal volition beryllium scouring the January transportation marketplace for different midfielder aft agreeing to fto Ainsley Maitland-Niles spot retired the remainder of the play connected indebtedness astatine Roma.

Versatile England planetary Maitland-Niles is heading retired of Emirates Stadium and linking up with Jose Mourinho and Tammy Abraham successful the Italian superior aft uncovering regular playing clip hard to travel by successful northbound London.

Arteta tin admit wherefore the 24-year-old wants to determination connected but, with Mohamed Elneny and Thomas Partey distant connected Africa Cup of Nations duty, the Arsenal manager admits that helium is being near airy successful an important country of the field.

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Will Arsenal motion a caller midfielder successful January?

Asked astir whether Arsenal volition look to code the midfield in the wintertime model aft agreeing to portion with Maitland-Niles, Arteta said: “We are very, precise abbreviated astatine the moment. But to beryllium just connected a player, this cannot beryllium the lone statement to effort to support a subordinate — and a subordinate that has been developed and raised done our academy.

“A subordinate that has been diligent successful galore moments and tried to fulfil his dream. He was precise consecutive with maine and I understood the concern and we deliberation it’s a bully option.

“Obviously we are going to determination and we are going to look for options due to the fact that we are precise abbreviated there.”

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“Ainsley came to maine and explained the reasons wherefore helium thought the champion happening for him successful his vocation close present was to determination away," the Spaniard added about letting the homegrown endowment caput to Serie A.

“He felt the accidental to spell to Rome and enactment with Jose was a bully one. Being just with the magnitude of minutes that he’s played, helium was entitled to that opportunity. We privation him the best.”

While reinforcing their engine country has go a apical precedence for the Gunners, determination is plentifulness of speculation to beryllium recovered regarding expected targets successful different areas.

Arsenal are being heavy linked with a fig of highly-rated strikers, including Fiorentina frontman Dusan Vlahovic and Real Sociedad prima Alexander Isak.

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Arteta is reluctant to beryllium drawn connected his plans there, saying: “You cognize that I tin ne'er talk astir players that aren’t ours.”

He does, however, concede that the attacking section needs to beryllium looked astatine arsenic Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has been frozen retired pursuing a breach of nine subject portion Alexandre Lacazette and Eddie Nketiah volition person their contracts expire successful the summer.

“We person a peculiar concern due to the fact that determination are 3 players with antithetic issues astatine the moment," Arteta said astir the club's striker issues. "We person to unrecorded with that and truthful acold the players that are present are precise committed.”

Arsenal is due to beryllium backmost successful enactment connected Sunday erstwhile the team faces Championship broadside Nottingham Forest successful the 3rd circular of the FA Cup.