Arsenal given deadline to make key contract decision amid £60m January transfer offer

Arsenal are ramping up their preparations for the January transfer window. The Gunners have lost several key players to injury at various points this season, and Mikel Arteta has already admitted it has been a challenge.

«Some of the injuries that we had, they are some bad luck, some of them have been long-term injuries with some special players and when we didn’t have a lot of depth,» the Spaniard said earlier this month. «We can talk about the depth, but after you have to talk about the specific positions or certain units where we are a little bit shorter.»

One of the areas where Arsenal are looking to potentially bolster their options is in midfield. Thomas Partey is likely out until 2024 after having a procedure on a thigh injury, while Mohamed Elneny is set to miss up to a month of club football when he goes off to the Africa Cup of Nations with Egypt in January.

The Gunners have been linked with a £60million move for Douglas Luiz as a result. The Brazilian is a player they have tried to sign in previous windows, and Edu's strong relationship with his representatives could help with a deal. Aston Villa though are unlikely to want to sell midway through the season unless it is for a hefty price. Martin Zubimendi is another player that Arsenal have been tracking. The Spaniard is happy at Real Sociedad for now though.

A much cheaper alternative however, could be to stick with what they've got. In the defensive midfield position Arsenal currently also have Declan Rice and Jorginho to call upon. Rice has been outstanding since his club record arrival in the summer. Jorginho meanwhile has defied an initial negative reaction from fans to establish himself as popular member of the squad.

The issue however, is that the Italian's