Arsenal axe two-man transfer plan due to Edu’s ‘pressing concern’ in January window

Arsenal are no longer prioritising the signing of a right-back or left-winger courtesy of Takehiro Tomiyasu and Gabriel Martinelli’s blistering form with Mikel Arteta now set to focus on the signing of a striker. The Gunners had been making plans to bolster their squad in other departments but the performances of the current starting XI have created a shift in the boardroom.

While there has still been bumps along the way, Arsenal have made huge strides on the field this season under the tutelage of Arteta.

The Spaniard is finally getting the results he desires and much of that is testament to the club’s summer business.

Aaron Ramsdale has been arguably the signing of the season in the Premier League while Tomiyasu, Martin Odegaard, Nuno Tavares and Ben White have all caught the eye.

Many of those additions were criticised and questioned at first glance but now Arteta’s plan is finally coming together.

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But Alexandre Lacazette and Eddie Nketiah are also out of contract at the end of the summer.

As it stands, they seem to be heading for the exit door, meaning Arsenal could have no strikers in six months’ time.

For that reason, the club are targeting Fiorentina frontman Dusan Vlahovic as their race for the forward intensifies.

The thinking would be to make the Serbian international the club’s new No 9, with the team built around his qualities.

Yet Arsenal do have a number of other alternatives in mind in case a move fails to materialise.

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Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Alexander Isak are also on Edu’s radar but a move for either of them will have to wait until the summer.

Arsenal will also need to sign a backup forward that can provide support for their main man.

Arteta has not yet lost all hope that Nketiah could stay at the club.

“We have a special situation in that situation because there are three players with different issues at the moment,” said Arteta on his complex striker situation.

“We have to live with that and so far the players that are here are very committed.”