Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has confirmed the club would like to make a late transfer before the January window closes on Monday evening after losing Mikel Merino to injury. The Spain star is expected to be sidelined for some time after sustaining a fractured foot, and Arteta has offered a fresh update on the club's transfer plans on deadline day.
With Arsenal steaming ahead in the Premier League title race from the off while Manchester City stumbled, the one thing Pep Guardiola's side could cling on to was their capacity for a strong finish. City have a remarkable history of reeling in their title rivals in when it matters most by going on what became their trademark relentless runs. But one month into 2026, there is little evidence of that happening this time around.
Arsenal may be ruing their decision to let Ethan Nwaneri leave on loan, with Mikel Merino picking up an untimely injury, but the Gunners academy graduate will not be beating a hasty retreat to Emirates Stadium from Marseille. Mikel Arteta has lost a midfield option, and is scouring the transfer market for cover, and would have found a place for Nwaneri in his plans had the youngster remained in north London.
Sandro Tonali has generated talk of interest from Arsenal on transfer deadline day, but surprising reports have been quickly shot down. The Gunners are said to be in the market for midfield reinforcements after losing Mikel Merino to injury. Italy international Tonali would be a Premier League-proven option, but he is unlikely to leave St James’ Park.
After all the drama provided by the Champions League in midweek, domestic action returned over the weekend, and it did not disappoint. Title races and battles to earn European spots are heating up around the continent, with there plenty of twists and turns still to come over the next three-and-a-half months.
Arsenal are reported to have asked about a stunning deadline day deal for Newcastle midfielder Sandro Tonali. The Gunners have lost Mikel Merino to an untimely injury, with Mikel Arteta eager to ensure that he is not left short on options in an ongoing Premier League title bid. Italy international Tonali would be another proven addition to the ranks at Emirates Stadium.
Arsenal midfielder Mikel Merino is expected to be out for an 'extended period' with a foot injury and may not feature again this season. He is set to undergo surgery on the issue, which he sustained late in the defeat against Manchester United last weekend. Arsenal are thought to be considering emergency measures in the winter transfer market to cover for the absence of the 29-year-old.
Noni Madueke has been awarded an Olimpico goal that has brought his 12-month drought in the Premier League to a close. The Arsenal winger was a threat throughout the Gunners’ 4-0 victory over Leeds at Elland Road, having only been drafted into Mikel Arteta’s starting XI following an unfortunate injury to Bukayo Saka. He forced a first-half goal direct from a corner.
Declan Rice has set a “legacy” challenge for his team-mates at Arsenal, with the Gunners’ class of 2025-26 continuing to chase down major honours on multiple fronts. In the Premier League, they are seeking to become the first side since the fabled ‘Invincibles’ of 2003-04 to deliver a top-flight title to north London. Rice is determined to become an immortal in that department.
Arsenal star Noni Madueke has pleaded with the Premier League to award him a strike against Leeds, which has been awarded as an own goal to Karl Darlow. Madueke was in stunning form for the Gunners and created his first assist for the club as they steamrollered The Whites 4-0 at Elland Road to open up a healthy gap at the top of the Premier League table.
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has provided an update on the injury Bukayo Saka suffered in the warm-up ahead of the Gunners' 4-0 victory over Leeds. The winger was set to start on Saturday afternoon but suffered a hip injury and had to be replaced from the off by Noni Madueke. With games against Chelsea and Sunderland coming next week, Arteta will hope to have his star forward back soon.
Arsenal ended their run of three Premier League games without a win with a dominant 4-0 win at Leeds United to move seven points clear of Manchester City at the top of the Premier League table, silencing those critics who have suggested their title hopes were about to collapse. The visitors suffered a major blow in the warm-up when they lost star man Bukayo Saka to injury, with Noni Madueke being drafted in off the bench to replace him, but it was the former Chelsea man who proved to be the difference in the first half as Mikel Arteta's superb squad again began to flex its muscle.
Bukayo Saka appears to have picked up an injury in Arsenal's pre-match warm-up before facing Leeds United. The winger joined his team-mates on the Elland Road pitch prior to the 3pm kick-off but went down the tunnel early. Gunners winger Noni Madueke went on to replace him in the line-up in a huge blow for Mikel Arteta's Premier League title-chasing side.
Mikel Arteta has compared Max Dowman's impact as a teenager at Arsenal to Lionel Messi's legendary start at Barcelona as a wonderkid. The Gunners academy product made his debut for the club as a 15-year-old and has broken a number of records for the north London outfit. And after signing a pre-contract with Arsenal, manager Arteta has waxed lyrical about the youngster and likened him to footballing royalty.
Arsenal have altered their travel plans ahead of Saturday’s Premier League meeting with Leeds after opting against flying north because of heavy fog. The Gunners had been weighing up whether to fly or travel by coach to Yorkshire following a training session on Friday. However, after assessing weather forecasts, the club chose the longer road journey instead.
Mikel Arteta has said allowing his relationship with Pep Guardiola to deteriorate amid a title race would set a poor example for sport, pointing instead to the respectful rivalry shared by tennis greats Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer, who competed against each other for decades but maintained a strong friendship away from the court.
Premier League legend Danny Murphy has singled out Swedish striking duo Viktor Gyokeres and Alexander Isak as the season's biggest transfer disappointments following their high-profile summer moves. The former midfielder believes both forwards have failed to justify their massive price tags since joining Arsenal and Liverpool respectively, leaving supporters at both clubs feeling "disappointed" with their output so far.
Mikel Arteta has issued a passionate plea to the Premier League, begging chiefs to increase the size of matchday squads to protect the mental health of players. The Arsenal boss believes the current rules are outdated given the intense demands on modern footballers and has called for immediate reform to avoid the "avoidable" heartbreak of leaving stars at home.
Arsenal have moved to ensure that they remain the ones to benefit from Max Dowman’s undoubted potential, with the Gunners agreeing pre-contract terms with the teenage wonderkid. Records have already tumbled for the talented 16-year-old, with the promise of more senior achievements to come as he prepares to sign a long-term deal in north London.
Danny Murphy has hailed Declan Rice as the "most complete midfielder in Europe" but warned the Arsenal star he still has one final hurdle to clear before he can be compared to Premier League icons Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard. The former Liverpool man believes the £105 million ace needs to start producing "magic moments" in major finals to cement his legacy.
"There’s still questions about the mental strength of the team. I think there was a lack of aggression. Too many players failed to deliver," Arsenal legend Patrick Vieira said on Sky Sports after watching his former side suffer a 3-2 defeat at home to Manchester United last weekend. "It was a must-win game. They needed to send a message to the rest of the teams in the league."
Manchester City star Bernardo Silva has not minced his words when assessing this season's Premier League title race, while sticking the boot into leaders Arsenal. The Gunners could have gone nine points clear earlier this month, but as it stands, Mikel Arteta's men are just four points ahead of City. Now, the Portugal international has vowed to fight Arsenal tooth and nail to finish this campaign on top.
Chelsea’s dramatic Champions League resurgence could have a sting in the tail as the club faces the bizarre prospect of surrendering their home advantage due to a logistical clash with their London rivals. Liam Rosenior’s side fought hard to secure a top-eight finish, but a little-known UEFA regulation regarding city-based fixture congestion now threatens to force the Blues into a neutral venue or a fixture reversal to accommodate Arsenal and Tottenham.
Arsenal
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