Five defensive players Arsenal could sign in the January transfer window

In the summer, Arsenal spent a combined £136million on new talent ahead of Unai Emery’s second season in charge of the north London club. 

The Gunners splashed a club-record £72million on winger Nicolas Pepe from Lille, as well as bringing in defenders Kieran Tierney and David Luiz in an attempt to bolster a leaky backline.

Despite the well-intentioned transfer activity of the summer, Arsenal’s season has yet to gather any real momentum, leading to Emery losing his job at the end of November.

The club’s recruitment policy has since come in for a lot of criticism as the signings have, so far, showed no sign of improving the defence.

With 24 goals conceded in 16 games, fans are pleading for the North London club to bring in defensive reinforcements in January.

However, after considerable expenditure in the summer, it is believed that trust will be placed in the group of players already available.

Despite that, you can never say never in football, so with the January transfer window just around the corner, we’ve looked at five defensive-minded players who have been linked with a move to the Emirates.

Dayot Upamecano

The great Arsenal side of 2003/04 was a perfect example of having a solid base which successful Premier League sides need.

However, the rock-solid defensive duo of Sol Campbell and Kolo Toure which served the ‘Invincibles’ so well seems a million miles away from the dysfunctional backline that cost Emery his job.

That is why the north London club are reportedly – according to The Sun – considering a swoop for 21-year-old RB Leipzig centre-back Dayot Upamecano.

The Frenchman, who has over 60 appearances for Leipzig despite his youth, has earned plenty of plaudits following his impressive performances in the Bundesliga and Champions League this season.

The 6ft 1in defender’s strengths are ‘aerial duals’ and ‘ball interception’ according to WhoScored.com – two attributes which would add some much-needed steel to Arsenal’s leaky defence.

With just over 18 months left on his contract, it is likely that a number of clubs will be interested in the Upamecano but the Gunners should be pulling out all the stops to get this one over the line.

Thomas Partey

After relations between captain Granit Xhaka and the club’s fans reached boiling point at the end of October, it was quite clear that Arsenal needed to be on the hunt for a new defensive midfielder.

And with Lucas Torreira’s future at the club in doubt after a lacklustre second season in north London, Arsenal were linked with Atletico Madrid midfielder Thomas Partey, according to The Athletic.

The 26-year-old Atletico youth product has been the lynchpin in Diego Simeone’s side since his debut in 2015, having racked up over 100 La Liga appearances along the way.

Since the departure of Aaron Ramsey to Juventus, Arsenal’s midfield has been attracted criticism for being too lethargic and passive, but Partey would add a nasty edge to the Gunners.

The Ghanaian is tied down with Atletico until 2023 but it’s claimed he has a £43.5million buyout clause in his contract, which may be out of Arsenal’s reach after their summer of spending.

Emre Can

Next on our list is another defensive midfielder in ex-Liverpool midfielder Emre Can, who left the Premier League in 2018 to join Serie A giants Juventus on a free transfer.

During his time with Liverpool from 2014 to 2018, the 25-year-old made 115 Premier League appearances so a move to the Emirates would clearly give Arsenal’s tepid midfield some welcome experience.

As reported by The Boot Room, fans feel Can’s presence in the Gunners’ midfield would add a degree of balance to the side, with the German’s versatile playing style meaning he can provide defensive cover while also adding a strong passing ability.

The former Bayer Leverkusen man has made just two starts for the Old Lady this season and does not appear to be part of Maurizio Sarri’s long-term plans.

A host of European giants including Paris Saint-Germain and Borussia Dortmund are reportedly interested in signing Can, meaning Arsenal would need to fend off some stiff competition if they are to secure the midfielder’s services.

Samuel Umtiti

With neither Unai Emery or interim boss Freddie Ljungberg able to find a settled centre-back formula, the Gunners may be forced to dip into the transfer market in search of some defensive stability.

If the Emirates club are to actively pursue defensive reinforcements this January, it is likely that Barcelona rock Samuel Umtiti is a target.

The Cameroon-born Frenchman joined Barcelona from boyhood club Lyon in 2016, but only made 14 league appearances last campaign due to a knee problem and has struggled to regain his place this season.

During the summer window, the Gunners were linked with a move for the 26-year-old following a tongue-in-cheek video showed Arsenal forward Alexandre Lacazette asking for his fellow countryman to join him at Arsenal.

Rated at £45million, Umtiti would become Arsenal’s most expensive ever defender if such a deal was agreed.

Robert Arboleda

Although the name Robert Arboleda may not sound familiar to many Arsenal fans, the Ecuadorian centre-back is a regular for Sao Paulo in the Brazilian Serie A.

It was reported by Sport Witness that the Gunners made an approach for the 28-year-old three days before the end of the summer transfer window, but the deal collapsed and David Luiz was signed instead.

Arboleda played for several clubs in his native Ecuador before joining Sao Paulo in 2017, where he has made 78 appearances.

The 6ft 2in defender, who has made 16 appearances for his country, could be a cheaper alternative to Europe-based targets in January if Arsenal decide to reignite their interest.