The turnaround plan by Mikel Arteta for Arsenal is now in full swing and reports said the Spanish team manager will be bringing in three new players at the Emirates, possibly two central defenders and a defensive midfielder. In addition, Arteta appears to favor keeping Granit Xhaka on the Gunners' roster.
Formerly the captain for the North London club, Xhaka infamously had a meltdown that saw him fighting with the Emirates crowd back in October. Since then, the Swiss has been rumored to exit the team and the talks grew further with the entry of Arteta as the new coach.
However, the Mirror reported that the Gunners' new boss is more inclined to keep Xhaka where he is now, thus dispelling the rumors that the former skipper will be out in January.
This possibility emerged following the coach's statement that the Swiss international is his favorite and that Xhaka was in fact on his list when the managerial job at the Emirates was first offered to him in 2018.
"When I was going from Arsenal to City to start coaching in 2016 and we were looking in that position, Xhaka was one of the players on my list ... That is how much I liked him. I was happy when Arsenal signed him because I thought he was going to be a terrific player," said Arteta, himself a former Arsenal captain.
The Spaniard added that in his view, the situation between Xhaka and Arsenal has now improved, "and I think the fans have been very, very positive about him, as he has as well."
"I am here to help him, I want him to feel we are right behind him. Not just myself but the whole club," added Arteta, confirming as well that he and Xhaka had the chance to talk, in which the besieged player was made aware of his importance to Arsenal's campaign.
Meanwhile, a report by Metro stated that the Gunners have drawn up a list that contains the names of targeted players that Arteta is hoping to acquire in January. The Spanish boss also confirmed that his upcoming meeting with the club board will determine if the hiring plan for next month will win approval.
It was noted in the same report that Arsenal has conceded too many points in the season and as attested by the club's two clean sheets. Apparently, the same situation was in Arteta's assessment that led to his decision of beefing up the team defensive capabilities.
The names on Arteta's recruitment list are unknown at the moment but one possible candidate could be Dayot Upamecano. However, Red Bull Leipzig is reportedly asking £70 million for Upamecano, a demand that Arsenal appears unwilling to give at the moment.
