As the World Cup winter break approaches in the Premier League, Arsenal continue to pinch themselves. No, they aren’t dreaming.
Despite luck perhaps carrying them through against Leeds United, the victory at Elland Road, overcoming the odds in a bearpit atmosphere, coincided with Manchester City’s defeat to Liverpool. It’s a state of affairs that leaves the Gunners top of the league after 10 games, winning nine of their first 10 and accumulating 27 points. For context, each of the last five sides to have started the season on the same tally has ended up being crowned champions. No pressure.
Mikel Arteta’s side look to have matured since their top-four capitulation last season. Defeat to Tottenham Hotspur followed by a further collapse against Newcastle United ensured they would miss out on Champions League football for the sixth consecutive season.
You’d have to go back as far as Arsène Wenger’s tenure at the Emirates Stadium to remember the last time Arsenal donned the famous Champions League badges on the side of their sleeves. But now they are looking at going a step further and win England’s top prize for the first time in almost two decades. The one problem they face is their squad depth.
Indeed, Arteta’s side have already been stretched to their limits, and despite a solid summer window in which they were transformed to favourites in the Premier League winner betting, the squad could benefit from further artillery. Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko provide great experience having won multiple titles with City, while William Saliba, returning from successive loans in France, feels like a new signing at the back. That being said, in central areas Arsenal may still need a couple of reinforcements. January certainly feels like make or break as far as a title race is concerned.
They’ve been linked with several midfielders in the last few months including Leicester City man Youri Tielemans. The Belgian had been rumoured to join the Gunners for most of the summer. Although they missed out, Arteta will be handed a huge transfer boost after the Foxes’ poor start to the season come January.
Known to drive a hard bargain, Brendan Rodgers will want to keep his cards close to his chest before his star player departs, but with Tielemans out of contract in the summer and James Maddison linked with Newcastle United, it looks as if the move is inevitable at some point.
Tielemans has great technical ability and having spent three years in the league already he can slot right in and deputise for either Granit Xhaka or Thomas Partey. That is, of course, if Arteta doesn’t pursue his other target, Orkun Kökçü. The Feyernood captain is just 21 years old but possesses leadership and communication skills that will be essential in a title race.
The Turkish international has great versatility, able to play in a double pivot as well as a more advanced role behind the striker. Talks have been ongoing for over a year now but a move never came to fruition. However, Arsenal’s ambitions as title challengers could convince Kökçü to leave the Eredivisie.
Games will come thick and fast for Arsenal the moment the window opens in January. A tough home game to Newcastle is quickly followed by the North London Derby. They then host Manchester United at the end of the month. Should all of his players survive until the World Cup unscathed, the title race could well be on for Arteta. It’s up to the Spaniard to juggle emotions and performances in order to stay in the hunt come the business end of the season, and the transfer window could indeed be required to make their ambitious dream a reality.