Arsenal came out of the January transfer window with three new signings after they got a deal over the line for Jorginho on deadline day – and now attention turns to the summer
The January transfer window is over and Arsenal will now have to wait until the summer to be able to recruit players once again.
The Gunners brought in three players in January, with Leandro Trossard, Jakub Kiwior and Jorginho joining Mikel Arteta’s squad. The trio will hopefully be able to sustain Arsenal ’s Premier League title push in the second half of the season.
Attention will soon turn from transfers back to football, with Arteta’s side back in action on Saturday when they travel to Goodison Park to play Everton. They then face Brentford before the first of two potentially season-defining meetings with Manchester City.
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Caicedo hopes damaged
Arsenal were happy with their business in the January transfer window as they signed Jorginho to add depth in midfield – but their plans for the summer might have taken a blow in the process.
The move for Jorginho only came after a prolonged pursuit of Brighton midfielder Moises Caicedo, with two separate bids submitted for the Ecuador international.
Brighton ended up holding firm, rejecting the Gunners’ offer of £70million for Caicedo. Arsenal would not take no for an answer and kept pushing right up until deadline day when they moved on to Jorginho.
That could have profound consequences, with the Seagulls less likely to sell Caicedo to them in the summer, when a move for Declan Rice could also be on the cards.Brighton’s opposition to Arsenal’s actions and a possible breakdown in relations between the two clubs – which had previously been amicable during deals for Leandro Trossard and Ben White – could be important.
That is because Rio Ferdinand expects them to be in the market for another midfielder in the summer. The former Manchester United defender does not consider the 31-year-old to be a long-term solution for the Gunners.
“He’s a fine technician on the ball and I think he will be a point of difference to Partey. He can come in if need be and fill that gap with the experience he’s got,” he said. “I don’t see him being a starter for Arsenal, I’ve got to be honest. I don’t think Jorginho is a long-term signing. He’s a stop-gap and they will get a big midfielder in the summer.”
Arsenal are sitting pretty, five points clear at the top of the Premier League table with a game in hand, but they are still getting barbs thrown at them on social media thanks to Piers Morgan.
Former Chelsea captain John Terry has taken the bait laid out by the Gunners’ most active supporter on Twitter.
Morgan wrote: “Reminder to Chelsea fans: we’re top of the League, you’re 10th, and we’re 21pts ahead of you with a game in hand. So spend all the gazillions you want but what you REALLY need to buy is a telescope to look up at Arsenal.”
That prompted a reply from Terry which read: “You have gone missing for 20 years ! And you still have a long way to go…I have won more trophies since I retired playing golf than Arsenal have.”