08 December 2023 , 04:00
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Morale among Arsenal players and fans alike is sky-high at the moment, with the Gunners sitting pretty at the top of the Premier League.
The dust has just about settled on Tuesday night's enthralling 4-3 win over Luton Town at Kenilworth Road that saw the lead change hands multiple times before a 97th-minute Declan Rice winner sent the away end into pandemonium. Up next is another tricky trip to Aston Villa on Saturday night.
Mikel Arteta will face off with his Arsenal predecessor, Unai Emery, who has managed to get a tune out of Villa and then some. The Midlands-based outfit come into this clash off the back of beating reigning champions Manchester City 1-0 on Wednesday night.
With that in mind, here are some of the main talking points emerging out of the Emirates on Friday, December 8th.
Arteta weighs up Partey decision
Arsenal could cash-in on Thomas Partey in January (Getty Images)The Arsenal boss is believed to be mulling over the idea of pursuing a move for Fulham midfielder Joao Palhinha during the January transfer window but is well aware such a deal won't come cheap.
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For much of the summer, it looked like Palhinha was destined to join German giants Bayern Munich and the two clubs even managed to agree a £55million fee, but the deal collapsed after the Cottagers couldn't find a replacement signing in time.
As a result, the door has been left open for Arsenal to potentially swoop in, but with the kind of funds Fulham are asking, they may have to sell before the buy. Thomas Partey is believed to be viewed as a sellable asset and amid ongoing fitness issues, Arteta may look to part ways sooner rather than later.
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Arsenal eye 'next Thomas Muller'
Rokas Pukstas has featured for the United States at various youth levels and is now being linked with Arsenal (Photo by Marcio Machado/Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images)The Gunners are keeping tabs on American wonderkid Rokas Pukstas, who has drawn comparisons to Thomas Muller, as they look to add further young quality to their ranks for future title charges.
The 19-year-old has scored three times in just nine appearances for Croatian side Hajduk Split and has managed to shake off a cruciate ligament strain, catching the eye of Arteta's coaching staff in the process.
Pukstas joined the Croatian team having come up through the youth ranks at MLS outfit Sporting Kansas City. The Oklahoma-born midfielder would go on to also have a trial at Arsenal's big six rivals Manchester United, according to Dalmatinski, before joining the Barca Residency Academy in Casa Grande, Arizona.
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Edu's cryptic transfer update
Edu discussed Arsenal's January transfer plan in subtle fashion (Getty Images)Arsenal's sporting director Edu has issued an update on the club's January plans after being pressed for comment ahead of Tuesday's showdown with Luton.
The Brazilian told Amazon Prime: "To work for a football club like Arsenal, it is always busy, isn’t it? You need to put in a lot of effort and energy and dedicate a lot of time, but of course in January and the summer, it does intensify a bit. We are prepared.
"We have big people around the club to support me and the decisions. We always have our targets - it is important to be prepared for every single scenario - that is very important."
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