Mikel Arteta must take transfer opportunity as rival club fear ‘no option’ but to sell Arsenal target
Mikel Arteta will seek to strengthen his Arsenal squad in the upcoming January transfer window ahead of another title tilt.
There may also be outgoings from the Emirates Stadium this winter, too. The Gunners are expected to let Jakub Kiwior leave the club, recognising that they cannot stand between the Poland international and the opportunity to play regular football elsewhere.
However, Kiwior’s exit may leave Arteta feeling that his defence is a man short. This could prompt Arsenal to reignite their interest in Marc Guehi.
Arsenal have been linked with Guehi for some time, and even if the North London outfit don’t make a move for the Crystal Palace centre-back in January, he may well still be on their radar come the summer.
Arsenal handed chance to sign Marc Guehi
The England international is likely to soon become available on the transfer market.
As reported by The Daily Mail: “Crystal Palace fear they are facing a losing battle in their attempts to persuade Marc Guehi to sign a new contract.
“There is increasing resignation behind the scenes at Selhurst Park that they may have no option but to sell their England international in one of the next two transfer windows to ensure they don’t lose him for nothing when his contract expires in 2026.”
The Eagles have attempted to convince Guehi to pen new terms at Selhurst Park, but it would appear that the 24-year-old has decided that the time is right for a new challenge in his career.
Why Mikel Arteta wants Marc Guehi
The 19-cap England star has over 100 Premier League appearances for Crystal Palace under his belt, and has proven that he can thrive at that level. He will now be keen to test himself in the Champions League.
Guehi also possesses many of the attributes that Arteta prizes in a defender. He is relatively young, but already remarkably assured and composed, boasts an excellent range of passing, pace, and competes fiercely in his duels.
However, in William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes, Arsenal can already claim the best centre-back pairing in the Premier League. The prospect of having to break that duo up, and force his way into Arteta’s starting XI, may somewhat put Guehi off a move to the Emirates.
