Top 5 Arsenal Transfer Targets This January

Here is a list of the top 5 players that Arsenal might sign in January or potentially in the summer. I try to state the facts but please keep in mind that some of this information is based on rumours. As of now, Arsenal haven’t signed any of these players and the list is in a random order.

1) Eden Hazard (Lille)

In May 2007, Hazard signed his first professional contract with Lille at the age of 16. He played for Lille’s under-18 team and the reserves. Not much later he made his debut for Lilles’s first team, due to many injuries. In the next season Hazard was promoted to the senior team permanently and that’s when his real career started. As of now, Hazard has made 128 appearances for Lille. He scored 23 times and made 24 assists. He’s having his best season ever at the moment, scoring 7 times and 5 assists in 19 appearances. So far he has made 25 appearances for the Belgium national team, scoring only once but with 7 assists. I think he’s pure class. He is still young (21 y/o, as of 7 January). The Belgium international is a quality youngster. I think he will be up there with Messi and Ronaldo in a couple of years. Hazard is known for his creativity, speed and technical ability and is described as a player who’s a “fearless, explosive attacking midfielder/winger who change the game with a turn of pace or a dribble.”

He is the type of player Wenger fancies. The young star will leave Lille sooner or later but probably not this transfer window, as Lille don’t want to let him go just yet. A move to Arsenal is very possible, but they’ll will have a tough time signing him because the rich clubs like Manchester City and Real Madrid are also keen.

2) Mario Götze (Borussia Dortmund)

Götze entered Dortmund’s youth academy as an eight-year old. He played through all the youth teams and made his Bundesliga debut in November 2009 as a substitute. He was promoted to the first team in the winter break of 2009/10. Since then, Götze has been a very important player for Dortmund. Götze scored six goals and made 15 assists during the 2010/11 season, making him the best 18-year old player in the Bundesliga since 2004/05. With his six goals and 15 assists he also had a huge part in Dortmund winning the league. So far he has made 52 appearances, scoring 11 times with 15 assists.

Just like Hazard, Götze is pure class. He is only 19 years old and already the most important player of Borussia Dortmund and one of the most talented players of Germany. Götze is considered an up-coming world class player due to his technical skill, speed and creativity. He is an attacking midfielder, but he could also play as a winger or simply as a central midfielder.

Reports said that Arsenal had made a bid for Götze last summer, but Dortmund rejected it. The arrival of Marco Reus has led to a lot talk that Götze could be on his way, but Dortmund has repeatedly said they are not selling him in this transfer window so it’s highly unlikely that he will be sold. Arsenal will have to wait until the summer if they are really interested in the young German star.

3) Matías Suárez (Anderlecht)

Suarez signed for Anderlecht in 2008, at the age of 20. The Argentinian had a tough first season at the Belgium club, but became a regular in Anderlecht’s title-winning squad in 2009/10, scoring 11 goals in 35 appearances. In total, he has scored 25 goals in 96 appearances for Anderlecht. So far he has scored 5 goals in 16 appearances for Anderlecht this season. He has also scored 7 goals in 8 Europe League appearances this season. Stunning.

Suarez can play as a winger or striker. Yet another kind of player Wenger fancies. He is fast and very technical. Suarez is more likely to sign for Arsenal, as he’s cheaper and coming from a smaller club. He recently said: “My dream is to play for a big club. I’d love it. But nobody has shown any interest yet so I’m focusing on Anderlecht.” He will cost Arsenal around 10m, which is a bargain for the 23-year old striker. I think he would be a great back-up and replacement for Chamakh (or Arshavin).

4) Esteban Granero (Real Madrid)

Esteban Granero joined Real Madrid when he was only 8 years old. At the time he was one of the most talented players at the Real Madrid youth academy. While playing in the Under-10 division, he once scored 83(!) goals in 1 season. He continued as captian for the Under-12 B team and led them to many victories. He played for Real Madrid B a long time but failed to reach Real’s first team and eventually he moved to Getafe CF on a one-year deal (loan). After being one of the key-mans for Getafe he returned to Real Madrid, but for a short time.

Not much later, in July 2008, he signed a permanent deal for Getafe (but Real had the re-sign option). One year later, in 2009, Real Madrid bought him back from Getafe for only 4m. He made his official debut for Real Madrid’s first team in September 2009 during the season-openings match. In the 2010/11 season Real Madrid bought Özil and Khedira, two similar players which limited Granero mainly to substitute appearances. In total, Granero played 53 matches for Real Madrid’s first team, scoring 4 goals with 7 assists.

Granero is a very versatile midfielder. He can play as an attacking midfielder or he can play behind the strikers. He has a great shot and great technique. He is also an excellent passer, somewhat like Arteta. He’s been linked with Arsenal for a while now and a transfer doesn’t seem impossible. He’s too good for Real Madrid’s bench and he would probably fancy a move to Arsenal. He’s cheap and would definitely benefit Arsenal’s midfield.

5) Lukas Podolski (1. FC Köln)

Podolski joined 1. FC Köln at the age of 10. At the age of 18, in 2003, he joined 1. FC Köln’s first team and made his debut in the Bundesliga. He continued playing for the first team and in total he played 81 matches and scored a stunning 46 goals before signing for Bayern Munich. He had a successful start at Bayern but he got severely injured in 2006 which had him off for more than a month. He returned and played a lot of matches but slowly on he moved down the pecking order. In the summer of 2009 Bayern Munich bought Luca Toni. That made it very clear that Bayern is finished with Podolski and eventually he returned back to his former club 1. FC Köln.

All in all he played 71 matches for Bayern, in which he scored 15 goals. 1. FC Köln paid around 10m for the return of their King. He started scoring a lot again, like he used to and big topclubs were interested in him again. Since his return he has scored 29 goals in 75 matches. But he’s on fire this season, scoring 14 goals in only 16 matches. Not very suprising that Arsenal is interested, am I right? Podolski also made 95(!) appearances for the German national team (since 2004), scoring 43 goals(!).

Podolski is believed to be ready for a new challenge but the only thing stopping him is himself thinking he will fail. He picks him teams very carefully, he doesn’t want a repeat of his Bayern-time. Though, recently the striker has stated his intention to stay with 1. FC Köln till the summer.

But if Arsenal is really interested and makes a bid, a deal might well go through. 1. FC Köln is willing to cash in even if it means their star player will leave. They want around 15m for King Poldi, which is a bargain for the very experienced 26 year old. Podolski is a goal-scoring machine and could be an ideal strike partner for Robin van Persie. Exactly what Arsenal needs.

See more Arsenal transfer news here

Thanks to o-posts for submitting this guest post