Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Arsenal transfer news and rumours: Krystian Bielik 'will not face Manchester City'; Hector Moreno £6m bid plus Mario Suarez latest

The latest transfer news and speculation surrounding the Emirates

Jack de Menezes

Saturday 17 January 2015 14:30 GMT

Antonio Sanabria in action for Roma's Under-19s (Getty Images)

ARSENAL ARRIVALS…

Krystian Bielik is on the verge of completing his £2.5m transfer to Arsenal after the club agreed a fee with Legia Warsaw and the 17-year-old underwent a medical on Friday. Arsene Wenger confirmed the deal was in place to sign the defensive midfielder in his press conference on Friday, although contrary to reports he will not be eligible to play against Manchester City as he wasn’t registered for this weekend’s action before the Friday afternoon deadline. However, Wenger did confirm that he will go into the club’s first-team plans immediately despite his inexperience.

LIVE: Latest transfer news and updates

One striker Arsenal could be in the hunt for is former Barcelona youth player Antonio Sanabria, who is free to join another club after being overlooked by Roma. The 18-year-old joined the Italian side in July after a six-month spell with Sassuolo, but he is yet to make an appearance for Roma and the Daily Express claims he will be allowed to leave this month in a low-cost deal that could suit Wenger, given he has freed up a place in his squad for a forward after allowing Lukas Podolski and Yaya Sanogo to leave the club on loan.

Arsenal: Players linked with a move to the Emirates during the latest transfer window

Show all 17

1/17Arsenal: Players linked with a move to the Emirates during the latest transfer window

Arsenal: Players linked with a move to the Emirates during the latest transfer window

Ilkay Gundogan

The Germany international is out of contract in 18 months with Borussia Dortmund, and while he is thankful for their support during a long-term injury and subsequent recovery, he will not be signing an extension. That could see the Bundesliga club allow him to leave in order to cash in on his worth, and Arsenal are believed to be preparing a £16m offer to test the German club's resolve.

Getty Images

Arsenal: Players linked with a move to the Emirates during the latest transfer window

Ron Vlaar

The Aston Villa captain is out of contract at the end of the season, but his impressive form at the start of this campaign helped Villa get off to a promising start. Paul Lambert remains hopeful of agreeing a new contract with Vlaar to avoid losing him on a free in the summer. The 29-year-old would bring a wealth of experience to the Gunners defence along with a certain calibre, having started all seven of the Netherlands’ World Cup matches in Brazil.

Getty Images

Arsenal: Players linked with a move to the Emirates during the latest transfer window

Loic Perrin

Wenger is reportedly interested in Saint Etienne captain Loic Perrin. The French defender, 29, can also play in defensive midfield and at a price of around £6m would allow Wenger to chase other, bigger name defensive options.

Getty Images

Arsenal: Players linked with a move to the Emirates during the latest transfer window

Virgil van Dijk

The Celtic defender has emerged as a leading candidate to join Arsenal in January with a £7m offer said to be lined up by the Gunners. Wenger’s admission that they could not add another player in the summer means that they are likely to sign a defender, and the belief is that Wenger attempted to sign Van Dijk on transfer deadline day only to fail in his last-minute pursuit.

Getty Images

Arsenal: Players linked with a move to the Emirates during the latest transfer window

Winston Reid

The West Ham defender has been impressive this term and would offer a cheap, if uninspiring choice at centre-back. With his contract expiring in the summer, he could be available for around £4m in January. A possible swap deal with Carl Jenkinson has also been mooted.

GETTY IMAGES

Arsenal: Players linked with a move to the Emirates during the latest transfer window

Mats Hummels

Borussia Dortmund’s talented centre-back is one of the most sought-after players in Europe with both Manchester United and Barcelona interested in his services. Arsenal emerged as a shock potential destination though, with the Gunners rumoured to be willing to pay up to £32m for Hummels, who has suggested that this could be his final season with Dortmund.

GETTY IMAGES

Arsenal: Players linked with a move to the Emirates during the latest transfer window

Morgan Schneiderlin

The Frenchman accepted that he would not be leaving Southampton in the summer and flourished as a result, with Saints flying high in the Premier League. However, Schneiderlin will look to leave the south coast club come the end of the season with Tottenham likely to be the favoured destination to link up with his former manager Mauricio Pochettino, but Arsenal could look to hijack any deal and get one over their North London rivals. Schneiderlin would suit the Gunners playing style, and he certainly has the quality to fit in the current Arsenal first-team – just look at his record over the past two seasons compared to Mikel Arteta and you’d suggest there is only one winner.

Getty

Arsenal: Players linked with a move to the Emirates during the latest transfer window

Edinson Cavani

Cavani has spoken of his desire to move to the Premier league and Arsenal have been identified as a potential destination. The Uruguayan would not come cheap, given that PSG signed him from Napoli for £53m. A January move would be difficult with PSG still in the Champions League.

Getty Images

Arsenal: Players linked with a move to the Emirates during the latest transfer window

Nabil Fekir

French youngster Nabil Fekir has impressed with Lyon this term, scoring goals at a decent return. His father has said that if he leaves the French side, Arsenal would be his preferred destination, despite rumours of interest from Manchester City.

Getty Images

Arsenal: Players linked with a move to the Emirates during the latest transfer window

Julian Draxler

Draxler was a name that was heavily linked during last season’s January transfer window, but any hope of a move appeared to be dashed when he suffered a drop in form that nearly cost him his World Cup place in the Germany squad. Despite that, Arsenal are reportedly still interested.

Arsenal: Players linked with a move to the Emirates during the latest transfer window

William Carvalho

Arsenal have held talks with Sporting Lisbon before but have so far been unsuccessful in their attempts to sign the holding midfielder. It's reported that Arsene Wenger has renewed hope of landing the 22-year-old Portugal international due to Sporting Lisbon's elimination from the Champions League at the group stage and is preparing a £25m bid.

GETTY IMAGES

Arsenal: Players linked with a move to the Emirates during the latest transfer window

Chris Smalling

The England international was discussed by Arsenal when Thomas Vermaelen was linked with a move to Manchester United. Vermaelen went to Barcelona instead but Arsenal are thought to retain that interest in Smalling, despite some questionable performances this season.

Getty Images

Arsenal: Players linked with a move to the Emirates during the latest transfer window

Yohan Cabaye

Arsenal failed with an audacious £10m bid for the Frenchman last year, and he eventually returned home to join PSG in a deal worth in excess of £20m after three years with Newcastle. However, Cabaye has found himself on the fringes of the first-team in Paris, with Marco Veratti, Blaise Matuidi and Thiago Motta favoured in a three-man midfield. Arsenal are still believed to be interested in his services, and a return to the Premier League may not be that far-fetched.

Getty Images

Arsenal: Players linked with a move to the Emirates during the latest transfer window

Sami Khedira

Linked with just about every major club in Europe in the summer, Khedira ended up staying at Real Madrid. He's made very few appearances this term and with his contract up in the summer, the Champions League holders may opt to make a few bucks by selling the World Cup winner. Arsenal would be very keen.

Getty Images

Arsenal: Players linked with a move to the Emirates during the latest transfer window

Christoph Kramer

If Arsenal can't land Khedira, there is another German midfielder of interest. Christoph Kramer, who is on a long-term loan with Borussia Monchengladbach from Bayer Leverkusen has indicated his interest in moving to the Premier League. Arsenal have been linked with a £20m move.

Getty Images

Arsenal: Players linked with a move to the Emirates during the latest transfer window

Paulo Dybala

Arsenal have been linked with a move for Palermo striker Paulo Dybala. The 21-year-old has been banging in the goals in Serie A this term, leading to speculation he's in line for a big move. But the Palermo president has indicated he won't be allowed to leave for anything less that £31m

GETTY IMAGES

Arsenal: Players linked with a move to the Emirates during the latest transfer window

Paul Pogba

The French midfielder is believed to be attracting attention from the Emirates regarding a possible £40m move, and would fill the holding role that has hindered the Gunners for years.

Getty Images

The Gunners continue to be linked with Borussia Dortmund forward Marco Reus after the German club’s chief executive Hans-Joachim Watzke insisted there was no truth in the rumours claiming a deal to Real Madrid in the summer was already done. Reus is available for £20m due to a release clause in his contract and the expectation is that he will leave the Bundesliga side in the summer given their poor form this season that sees them down in the relegation zone.

But a move for Reus’ Dortmund team-mate Ilkay Gundogan doesn’t appear to be on after Wenger confirmed the Germany international is not what he is currently looking for with his focus being taken up with signing defensive targets after the injury to Mathieu Debuchy ruled him out for three months.

One potential solution to the crisis at the back is Mexico centre-back Hector Moreno, with the Daily Express claiming that reports in Spain have linked the Gunners with a move for the Espanyol star. A bid of £6m is reported to have come from Arsenal, although Moreno is also attracting attention from Premier League rivals Tottenham and Manchester United given his strong showing at the World Cup last year, and the fact that Moreno has worked under the guidance of Louis van Gaal and Mauricio Pochettino at AZ Alkmaar and Espanyol respectively immediately puts Wenger at a disadvantage.

Hector Moreno in World Cup action for Mexico (Getty images)

But Moreno does appear to be on his way out of the Spanish club after his agent, Eduardo Hernandez, said: “Moreno is leaving Espanyol. He wants to leave and we're looking for another team in Europe.”

MISSING OUT…

The Daily Express reports that Real Madrid defender Alvaro Arbeloa would prefer to join Chelsea if he is to make a Premier League return after being linked with the Blues as well as former club Liverpool and Arsenal. Arbeloa is said to be keen on a change of scenery having joined Real in 2009 from the Reds, and he has maintained a good relationship with Jose Mourinho since the Portuguese’s days as Real manager. Carlo Ancelotti’s preference to start Dani Carvajal for Real’s biggest games looks set to pave the way for a Santiago Bernabeu departure for the Spain international.

Mario Suarez is wanted by the Gunners (Getty Images)

Wenger is also reported to be interest in making a move for Atletico Madrid’s in-demand midfielder Mario Suarez, but the Spanish club could be about the offer the Spaniard to Inter Milan as part of a bid to sign Mauro Icardi this month. Both Chelsea and Liverpool have been linked with the Argentinian striker who could be sold by Inter in order to raise funds to comply with Uefa’s Financial Fair Play regulations, and the Premier League duo had hoped to hold off any bidding war until the summer. But Atletico’s interest in pushing through a move this month could see them offer Suarez-plus-cash to land the 21-year-old and deal a blow to the Gunners in the process.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies