Summary Arsenal is prioritizing strengthening their midfield during the January transfer window to support their pursuit of the Premier League title. The club is interested in signing Everton midfielder Amadou Onana, but financial fair play regulations could be a hurdle. Onana's defensive abilities and presence could provide the necessary balance and security for Arsenal's attacking players, like Martin Odegaard, to thrive.
Arsenal have yet to make a move in the January transfer window but Mikel Arteta is hoping to strengthen his ranks amidst a fierce fight for the Premier League title.
The Gunners had had the edge in the pursuit of top spot for much of the opening half of the 2023/24 campaign but one win in five attempts in December handed Liverpool the chance to leapfrog into first place, where they remain at present.
Heading into the business end last season, Arsenal had looked favourites for the title against a seemingly indomitable force in Manchester City but fell by the wayside at the late stage after a sharp and unexpected decline in form.
Declan Rice was signed from West Ham United in a £105m package to add some mettle to the midfield, and while he has been a success, the England international could use a rock-solid partner to bring Arsenal's central power to its zenith.
While a centre-forward is the priority position at the club, Arteta will likely wait until the summer to get his hands on the perfect new talisman, instead investing his attention in completing his midfield this month, with a Premier League star on the radar.
Arsenal eyeing Premier League midfielder
According to Belgian journalist Sacha Tavolieri, Arsenal are interested in completing a late swoop for Everton star Amadou Onana this month but might be scuppered by financial fair play regulations.
That said, Tavolieri does hint that this is one to watch and that a potential outgoing in north London could pave the way to Onana's transfer, with The Toffees valuing the 22-year-old at a ballpark £60m.
Clubs such as Barcelona have registered an interest in Ghanaian midfielder Thomas Partey and technical director Edu could yet move the cogs into place to provide Arsenal with a galvanising end to the January market.
Why Arsenal want Amadou Onana
Everton signed Onana from French outfit Lille for £33m back in August 2022 and while the Liverpool-based club have endured some severe turbulence over recent times, the ace has been a pillar of strength and a beacon of hope, now vital in the resurgence under Sean Dyche's leadership.
Everton might teeter on the edge of safety in the Premier League, one point above 18th-placed Luton Town after 21 matches, but Goodison Park was rocked by a ten-point deduction in November for breaching Profit and Sustainability rules, and from an on-pitch perspective, are technically only two points behind Newcastle United in the top half.
Onana has been heralded as a "monster duel winner" by analyst Raj Chohan and has indeed produced some high-class performances in the engine room this season, averaging 2.6 tackles and 6.6 ball recoveries per game and winning 65% of his contested duels, as per Sofascore.
With Rice fluid in his all-encompassing midfield work, this industrious presence could be exactly what Arsenal need, counterbalancing the options in the middle and providing security for the likes of Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli to wreak havoc in the final third.
The £100k-per-week Onana ranks among the top 19% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues and European competitions over the past year for tackles and the top 6% for aerial wins per 90, as per FBref, which highlights his effectiveness and energy in his duties but also how he exerts his authority and stamps control in key battles.
While he would cost a pretty penny, the nine-cap international has already showcased his high-class ability in tough conditions at Goodison Park and it's exciting to imagine the calibre of performance he could produce in the capital, managed by Arteta.
His defensive acumen would allow Rice to have more freedom in his box-to-box roaming and would possibly even bring the best out of Martin Odegaard, allowing the club skipper to orchestrate offensive sequences with complete freedom and security.
Onana would supercharge Martin Odegaard
Arsenal secured the services of former youth prodigy Odegaard from Real Madrid in a loan move back in January 2021, and while he only scored one goal, providing two assists, from 14 Premier League matches, Arteta remarked that he had the potential to become "one of the best" midfielders in the business.
Such effusive remarks portended a rise to the fore that has indeed been realised, and as Arsenal fought for the top-flight title last season, the Norwegian star clinched 15 goals and seven assists across 37 appearances, averaging 2.1 key passes and succeeding with 63% of his 1.3 dribbles per match.
The £240k-per-week machine ranks among the top 3% of positional peers for goals scored, the top 1% for shot-creating actions, the top 7% for progressive passes, the top 14% for progressive carries and the top 20% for successful take-ons per 90.
Evidently, he is one of the finest and most influential playmakers in the business and has even been described as a "wizard" by footballer Babayele Sodade.
The 25-year-old might boast a more modest return of four goals and three assists at the Premier League's midpoint this year but he has certainly still been performing at a top-class level, creating 2.6 key passes per outing and completing 87% of his passes.
Strengths
Weaknesses
Key passes
Tackling
Dribbling
Aerial duels
Through balls
Long shots
Concentration
Source: WhoScored
He has, however, seen the frequency of his dribbles decline and now occupies a slightly deeper space in the centre of the park, averaging 0.9 dribbles per fixture and succeeding with only 47%.
Adding Onana to the fray would enforce an additional layer of fortitude and iron to the midfield to instill the confidence that Odegaard needs to foray forward and influence play with his elite attacking skills.
Moreover, Onana could help to combat and ameliorate the ostensible weaknesses to Odegaard's game – tackling and aerial duels – given that he excels across both areas.
The Belgium international could step in to do the hard yards and dogged defensive work that the former Real Madrid prodigy struggles with, which could then allow him to flourish in possession.
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Ultimately, Arsenal are performing at a high level and boast enough quality to get their mitts on some silverware this season, and that's without Onana's arrival.
But the Belgium international might just be the difference-maker in what is shaping up to be another good season under Arteta's management, transforming it into a campaign of glittering success.
