Arsenal identify Tielemans alternative as Liverpool midfielder linked with move

02 January 2023 , 04:00

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Youri Tielemans has been linked with a move away from Leicester City (Image: Getty Images)

The January transfer window is now officially open and Arsenal could be busy in the market as they look to strengthen their squad ahead of the second half of the season.

Mikel Arteta's side currently sit top of the Premier League, having won 14 of their opening 16 top-flight matches this season, dropping just five points from a possible 48. The Gunners are in excellent nick and will take some stopping at this rate but could be tested with their hectic fixture schedule in the new year.

Arsenal's squad isn't the biggest and might need strengthening should they want to compete on a number of different fronts including the FA Cup and the Europa League. They have been linked with signing another midfielder while a striker is also on their agenda following the injury to Gabriel Jesus.

Here are the latest rumours from the Emirates Stadium.

Gunners 'identify Tielemans alternative'

Liverpool have identified Juventus star Arthur Melo who is currently on-loan at Liverpool as a potential Youri Tielemans alternative for the summer transfer window. The Belgian has been linked with a move to the Emirates Stadium in recent years but the Gunners have lined up several replacements in case they decide to go down a different path and ignore Leicester midfielder Tielemans.

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According to Football.London, Arthur is the latest to be linked with a switch to the Gunners. The 26-year-old made the move to Liverpool from Juventus on transfer deadline day in August for the remainder of the season, but injuries have seen him feature for just 76 minutes in senior fixtures.

Arthur is yet to have any impact in the Premier League for the Reds but after undergoing surgery to fix his issues, he could still have a role to play before he returns to Italy at the end of the campaign. CalcioMercato claim that Arteta "really likes" Arthur and might be interested in bringing him to north London in the summer.

Real dealt Odegaard blow

It has been revealed that Martin Odegaard's contract at Arsenal does not include a buyback clause for his former club Real Madrid after the Norwegian produced another impressive performance against Brighton. The midfielder made the permanent switch to the Emirates Stadium in 2021 after spending the second-half of the previous campaign on loan at the Gunners.

Martin Odegaard (Arsenal FC via Getty Images)

He has since been a key cog in Arteta's wheel and rumours have emerged over a potential move back to Los Blancos. However, should Madrid consider bringing him back to the Santiago Bernabeu, it could be more difficult for them to do so. Fabrizio Romano has reported that the European giants do not have a buyback clause for Odegaard.

Gunners lead Rabiot race

The Gunners are reportedly among a clutch of clubs chasing the services of French midfielder Adrien Rabiot from Juventus. The ex-Paris Saint-Germain star is out of contract in the summer and is now able to start negotiating with non-Italian clubs regarding a Bosman move.

According to CalcioMercatoWeb, Arteta's men are among a number of clubs eyeing a move having been convinced by his excellent displays at the World Cup in Qatar.

It is understood that the Gunners would be willing to bide their time with a move and secure the 27-year-old on a free transfer in just a matter of months' time, instead of signing him in January.

Kieran King