Gunners boss to splash out on four key players in January.
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With Arsenal enjoying a strong start to the season this year, manager Arsene Wenger is determined to ensure their lack of squad depth doesn’t count against them as the campaign goes on. Having watched his slightly tired side lose 2-1 at home to Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League on Tuesday night, there may just be warning signs that the Gunners could do with more options, and with Wenger now able to enjoy more in the way of significant transfer funds at the Emirates Stadium.
After the marquee £42.4m signing of Mesut Ozil during the summer, Wenger could now look to bring in four relative bargains for a combined fee of around £55m, with a combination of youthful promise and experience being drafted into improve the Frenchman’s squad.
Martin Hinteregger (Red Bull Salzburg)
The first name on Arsene Wenger’s list is exciting young Austrian defender Martin Hinteregger of Red Bull Salzburg. The 21-year-old is rated as one of the best young prospects in Austrian football and is also being eyed up by the likes of Manchester United, Liverpool and Juventus ahead of the January transfer window.
However, Arsenal are hoping to beat off the competition for his signature as they prepare a £10m bid for Hinteregger. Although relatively inexperienced, the Austrian Under-21 international has shown enough promise to convince Wenger he is worth that kind of money, and he could become a valuable addition to the Gunners’ defence this season.
With other previous defensive targets such as Adil Rami no longer available, Arsenal will now look to add Hinteregger to their backline as a decent alternative to Per Mertesacker and Laurent Koscielny, with the Gunners lacking depth in that position due to the loss of form of captain Thomas Vermaelen, who himself could be on the move this winter when the transfer window re-opens.