Arsenal are one of the many clubs eyeing the January transfer window, as Mikel Arteta aims to get his squad in order to remain in the race for the Premier League table and avoid last season’s shortcomings.

The Gunners missed out on the title by five points last term, despite leading the pack for the majority of the calendar, with lack of squad depth one of the primary frailties that denied the north Londoners their first title since 2004.

With the January transfer window upcoming, Arteta and Edu have the power to fix such cracks and steer the club away from a repeat of fate, however after the summer’s spending, sales may need to be sanctioned to balance the books.

The look of the squad has changed since last term’s highs, giving inspiration to some players that could be sold in January to free up finances, here are three players that Arsenal could offload this winter…

1 Fabio Vieira

Last summer, Arteta opted to spend £34m on Porto star Fabio Vieira, who has failed to impose himself in north London as he did in his homeland during his opening 18 months at Arsenal.

It’s been a difficult ride for the enchanting midfielder, who arrived with such promise after contributing to 23 goals throughout the 2021/22 campaign for his boyhood club.

In his first season in the Premier League, the 23-year-old netted one goal and recorded two assists in 22 appearances, with his game time far from promised due to the rise in quality of others in the side, not helped by the Portuguese maestro’s difficulty in adapting.

2021/22 – Porto

2022/23 – Arsenal

7

2

16

6

0.5

0.1

1.3

0.5

14

3

40.1

17.1

This term, Vieira has featured for the U21s on one occasion, moving his claim to a starting spot in Arteta’s XI even further away.

There’s no denying the quality that is there in the budding star, however, his suitability to the English game remains questionable, making him a favourable candidate for the Gunners to offload to save on wages.

Renowned journalist Fabrizio Romano revealed that Marseille are eyeing the midfielder on loan in January, in a move that could subtly mark the end of his time in north London.

Unfortunately for Arsenal, the £34m paid for Vieira is unlikely to be profitable in a future sale, with his market value currently sitting at just €20m (£17m), reinforcing his lack of potency in England.

2 Emile Smith-Rowe

Another midfielder that could depart regrettably is Hale End graduate Emile Smith-Rowe, who seems to be at a crossroads with reference to his career at his boyhood club.

The Englishman was an integral part of Arteta’s squad during the 2021/22 Premier League season, in which he netted ten goals and two assists in 33 appearances in the league, making the attacking midfield position his own in a fairytale story.

Prior to his stellar form that term, the youngster was handed a new contract after Aston Villa bid twice for the 23-year-old, as Arsenal showed how highly they regarded their academy graduate as he was handed the number ten shirt.

Since his 33 league appearances in 2021/22, Smith-Rowe has recorded only 16 league appearances, with the likes of Martin Odegaard ranked higher in the pecking order of the former England U21 international as he battles to remain fit and fight for game time.

It would be a great shame for Arsenal to lose one of their own, although it would arguably be the best option for both player and club, with a way back into the first team looking far out of reach for the Londoner.

Despite lacking sufficient game time over the past 18 months, interest in Smith-Rowe doesn’t look to be slowing down, with journalist Joel Bland suggesting earlier this month that the Hale End graduate is a “long term target” of Newcastle United.

The Gunners were said to have turned down a bid in the region of £30m from Villa back in 2021 and his current market value is said to be €20m (£17m), suggestive of the price the club could part ways with their talent for in a move that could hand Arteta much-needed funds to orchestrate the January window.

3 Aaron Ramsdale

Another player that would be a shame to see exit is Aaron Ramsdale, whose time at Arsenal has taken a detrimental turn over the past few months.

The Englishman was a huge part of the Gunners’ title charge last campaign, contributing to 14 clean sheets in the Premier League, however his frailties were evidently seen by the manager, who opted to welcome David Raya to the club in the summer.

The former Brentford number one was handed his debut on matchday five of the season, subsequently ending Ramsdale’s time as the north Londoners' primary shot-stopper, making for worrying times for the 25-year-old.

It was only in May that the former Sheffield United keeper signed a new contract at the Emirates, making Raya’s rise to prominence confusing, aside from the fact that the boss sees him as a better option between the sticks.

Lauded as “phenomenal” for his performances last season by Arsenal legend David Seaman, the pressure is on for Ramsdale to get consistent game time, with the European Championship coming up next summer.

England manager Gareth Southgate warned the goalkeeper that places aren’t guaranteed for the squad at the Euros, making the 25-year-old’s need for consistent game time even more crucial.

If the Gunners were to offload the Englishman in January another goalkeeper would need to be acquired to support Raya, although the €80m (£70m) market value of Ramsdale could mean additional funds for the club – with that taking the total to £104m, including the valuations of Smith Rowe and Vieira.

With the Spaniard the first choice in the Champions League and Premier League, the FA Cup is the only shot at game time for the former Bournemouth keeper if Raya remains fit and in form, making a potential forced exit a possibility in the near future.