Arsenal transfer news: Mikel Arteta makes his feelings clear as Rodrygo 'suits' Gunners switch

View 3 Images

Arsenal's dominance in the Premier League may not stop Mikel Arteta from entering the January transfer window to strengthen his squad. The Gunners sit six points clear of Manchester City and Aston Villa following their narrow 3-2 win over Bournemouth.

The Spaniard has been further boosted by the recent returns of Gabriel Jesus, Gabriel Magalhaes and Kai Havertz, but Arteta admitted that an opportunity to improve the quality within his squad will be taken advantage of.

He said in December: "We're going to be really aware of the situation and the timescale of certain players. We have to be actively looking, and then can we do it or not? That's a different story, but our job is to be always very prepared because something can happen."

While plans to welcome incoming players might not be fully fleshed out, Arteta's thoughts on the status of one of his players certainly are. Mirror Football takes a look at the latest transfer news of the league leaders, including one legend's take on the suitability of Real Madrid star Rodrygo.

Declan Rice made quite the triumphant return to Arsenal's starting line-up in their 3-2 win over Bournemouth. The England star was the difference maker with a brace at the Vitality Stadium, after missing the 4-1 win over Aston Villa due to injury.

The victory, combined with Manchester City's 1-1 draw against Chelsea on Sunday, saw the Gunners move six points clear at the top of the Premier League table. Rice's all-round game, which has been boosted by his increase in goal-scoring, saw Arteta insist that the 26-year-old is one of the best players in the world in his position.

View 3 Images

The Englishman's performances haven't gone unnoticed as he's reportedly been linked with a move to Real Madrid. After being asked whether Rice can be thrown in conversations with the very best players across the globe, Arteta answered: "For me, yes. For me, the ones that we have are the best. Declan is constantly adding things to his game.

"He’s constantly adding things to his role in the team. I don’t see where he can stop because he can still improve in a lot of areas, and he wants to improve. He’s such a pivotal player for us."

The Brazilian winger was heavily linked with a move away from Real Madrid last summer, but opted to remain in Spain, and has been forced to settle for another bit-part role in Xabi Alonso's squad.

With just six LaLiga starts and two goals across all competitions to his name, murmurings of a move to the Emirates Stadium have been sparked again. With Arteta admitting that he's open to welcoming new arrivals in the January transfer window, the suitability of Rodrygo to the Premier League was discussed by Alan Shearer, who admitted he believes the forward would flourish in England.

View 3 Images

"I think that Rodrygo would do very well in the Premier League - he's an excellent player," said Alan Shearer via Betfair last year. "I heard one or two things that maybe last year, one or two English clubs were chasing him.

"If that is the case, that he’s not happy at Real Madrid, then there won't be a shortage of offers for him to come and play in the Premier League. I think that there would be two or three clubs who would try and get him."

Sky has slashed the price of its Essential TV and Sky Sports bundle ahead of the 2025/26 season, saving members £192 and offering more than 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more.