At times, we wait too long to pass judgement. Other times we do it too soon. In the case of Unai Emery, I tried not to do the latter and ended up doing the former.
Emery was sacked by Arsenal on November 29, 2019 and replaced in the interim by former Gunners winger Freddie Ljungberg. I gave Emery a very lengthy leash and held belief in him far longer than I should have, fearing a hasty and emotional reaction early on. But in the end, the writing was on the wall; Emery needed to leave, and for many it was too late to turn the season around.
Thus far, Freddie has not exactly yielded the results that fans had been hoping for. And while its true that he only had one training session before his first match in charge and likely had to resort to using many of Emery's tactics against Norwich, a 2-2 draw against the Canaries was not the kind of display fans were looking for. The Gunners followed that up with a 2-1 home defeat to Brighton & Hove Albion has not helped. It is unsure if the Invincible will remain a caretaker manager for the rest of the season, with Mikel Arteta seemingly being lined up to take the reigns at any given moment. Either way, one thing is clear: If Arsenal have any hopes of getting Champions League football back, they have to act decisively in the January window. There's a lot of work to be done to right the ship in the summer, but steps can be taken next month to help begin a transformation. Here are three targets that Arsenal can go after in the January transfer window to help bolster the squad for a potential
Dayot Upamecano 21, CB, RB Leipzig (France)
One of the fastest rising center back prospects in the world, Upamecano was linked with a move to the Emirates in the summer but a potential deal fell through. His current market value via Transfermarkt pushes $45.60 million, and its easy to see why. Upamecano possesses a great frame for a center back, standing at 6'1" and 174 lbs. The right-footed defender is an imposing figure with his mix of strength, aggressiveness, quickness and athleticism. Strengths of his include his ability to win aerial duels, intercepting passes and his short passing ability, all of which Arsenal are looking for in a defender at the moment (or at least should be). Causes for concern would be the frequency of his fouls (though he hasn't been carded much, which can be a plus), as well as potential for injury. Upamecano missed the first four matches of the Bundesliga season with a knee issue. However, since returning from injury he has played all 90 minutes aside form a 8-0 drubbing of FSV Mainz where he played 52 minutes. He had nearly 800 Bundesliga minutes as of December 6th, along with 336 minutes of Champions League action. Upamecano forms a rock solid center duo with Ibrahim Konate, and while some consider Konate to have even more potential, it's Upamecano that seems more likely to move on at the moment. The young Frenchman would ideally be able to play aggressively when pairing with someone who is more reserved, such as Rob Holding. Next season he would be able to partner with his compatriot, William Saliba, who would be another good compliment to Upamecano's play style. All in all, he is described as an old-school type of player who loves to play defense. Also, his full name is Dayotchanculle Oswald Upamecano, making it the main reason he needs to be signed.
Dan-Axel Zagadou 20, CB, Borussia Dortmund (France)
Look, another young, French center back with a VERY strong name! Dan-Axel Zagadou was also mentioned to be in talks to join Arsenal over the summer, though not nearly to the extent of Upamecano. Transfermarkt has his current market value at around $31.92 million, over $13 million less than Dayot Upamecano. With Zagadou, it all starts with the frame. Standing at 6'5" and nearly 200 lbs with a good deal of strength, he is an intimidating presence. He'd be able to fend off larger strikers that have long given the Gunners trouble without the presence of now-assistant manager Per Mertesacker. His height not only makes him an ideal defender for winning balls in the air but also a threat on set pieces, one of the main sources of scoring for Arsenal this season. the left-footed Zagadou also has fairly impressive passing skills for someone his size, especially short passing. He will not usually dive into tackles, making cards less likely. On the flip side, he has been called a taller Shkodran Mustafi due to lapses in concentration, along with difficulties retaining the ball, tackling and crossing (though at center back there are few chances to put in a cross from the wing). However, the Mustafi comparisons are a bit harsh as one is a 20-year-old prospect and the other is a World Cup winning 27-year-old with loads of experience under his belt. Being Left-footed is also something of a plus as he could naturally slot into the left side of the center duo with Holding or Saliba next season to his right mopping up anything that gets by. While he had a good showing over the weekend with Dortmund, leading fans to call for him to continue starting, he had previously been pushed down the pecking order by Manuel Akanji and Mats Hummels, the longtime Dortmund defender re-signed from Bayern Munich over the summer. Those two have played nearly 2,000 minutes each in all competitions, while Zagadou has played less than 300. Furthermore, when Omer Toprak returns form injury in January, Zagadou could see even less minutes. All of this, coupled with the rumor that he requested a transfer amid Arsenal's summertime interest, means he could try and force a move in January in search of more consistent playing time. Whether he thinks Arsenal is still a place to do that is to be seen, but it would be foolish of Raul Sanllehi to not at least inquire. Also, his name is Dan-Axel Zagadou, making it a main reason to sign him.
BONUS: Dan-Axel Zagadou is proficient in mugging off 6'2" 190lbs Diego Costa.
Thomas Partey 26, CM/DM, Atletico Madrid (Ghana)
He's older than the other two at 26 years of age and not as much of a prospect as he is a given at this point, but Thomas Partey would be an ideal signing for Arsenal. This also means he's the priciest person on this shortlist, being valued on Transfermarkt at $57 million. But even at that price, he'd be a top player would he move to North London in January. Standing at 6'0" and 172 lbs, he'd bring a solidness to a midfield that desperately needs it. To put it simply, Partey seems to be more machine than man at times, regularly playing all 90 minutes for Atleti. He is a no nonsense player, bringing the grit and tenacity the midfield is devoid of right now. His hardness style would certainly be welcome at Arsenal, as fans have cried out for seasons about the lack of mettle in the spine of the team, and particularly the defense and midfield. He has the tools of a modern destroyer, excelling at interceptions and tackling, but also possesses technical abilities that make him a solid passer, dribbler and long distance shot taker. At times he will struggle with discipline, but that is a small price to pay for a player of his quality. The right-footed Ghana international would work well as a box-to-box midfielder in a double pivot with Lucas Torreira, being able to not only break up play and distribute, but also make runs forward to support the attack and provide long shots. He would also be able to play as a defensive midfielder, partnering with Matteo Guendouzi as the ball carrier to link Partey and the defense with the offense, or with Granit Xhaka (if he remains with Arsenal) as a distributor. Partey would allow the other Arsenal midfielders to do more and would take defensive and ball retaining pressures off of them a bit. He would help the defense by not leaving them so exposed to attacks, and by minimizing attacking threats before they can begin to get a good run at the defenders. He'd be a top option at a position waiting for Matteo Guendouzi to gain a bit more experience, and can even mentor the young Frenchman as he himself enters his prime. He was rumored to want a move to England in the summer with Arsenal and Manchester Untied being linked early in the summer window. And think of the puns and hashtags! You though "No Vardy, Party" was something, but now its "No Partey, No Party".
If i could only choose one of these three to sign in January, I'd have to go with Thomas Partey. The sheer amount of work he does while also already being a world-class midfielder int he prime of his life is far too attractive to not go for, and in reality its his mentality that really does it for me. Get Partey in January and go back for Upamecano or Zagadou in the summer.
Here's how I'd line them up with Partey joining in January:
Alternatively, you can plug Auba up top and put Gabriel Martinelli on the left wing. Torreira and Partey can do enough to cancel out Ozil's lesser defensive work rate in this setup as well. And if you bring Upamecano or Zagadou into the for next season, along with Saliba, you could end up with something similar to this:
That is an incredibly solid and promising defense. You have Tierney and Bellerin on the flanks taking care of wingers, Torreira and Partey are breaking up play in midfield and pushing the ball up to the attack, while Upamecano aggressively goes after any loose balls or attackers that get past the double pivot. And then you have the calmness of Saliba and a top-tier keeper in Bernd Leno to mop up anything else. And that still leaves you with fairly solid backup defenders in Holding and Chambers, and midfield replacements such as Guendouzi or Joe Willock (if he progresses enough). There is more work to be done to uproot the rotten roots digging into the club's foundation right now, but the process can begin in January by bringing in a player or two that will not only bring quality to the team, but the needed attitude on top of that. Now we wait and see if Arsenal will take progressive steps in preventing their own demise.
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