A win over Chelsea in the recent London derby will have given Mikel Arteta and Arsenal a huge boost at just the right time, but it’s clear that the north Londoners are still lacking a creative spark.
With Mesut Ozil’s career at the club all but over given that the Spaniard seems resolute in his decision not to play the attacking midfielder, January represents a possibility for the Premier League outfit to go shopping for a replacement.
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Ever since Ronald Koeman accused Barcelona youngster Riqui Puig (pronounced Ricky Pooch) of leaking information, according to El Pais and cited by Football Espana, the midfielder has been on borrowed time.
The Athletic (subscription required) cited by the Daily Mirror note that Arsenal scouts have watched the 21-year-old on numerous occasions, and he would certainly represent a much cheaper option in January than Lyon’s Houssem Aouar.
There’s a question mark as to whether he would be another Denis Suarez, given that he appears to be a little lightweight.
However, for a relatively small outlay, it’s surely a gamble that’s worth taking for Arteta.