Arsenal's Arteta Close to New Deal Amid January Transfer Buzz

The summer window has closed, but the market hasn’t gone quiet. It’s just gone underground.

Across the Premier League, the biggest clubs are already moving pieces for January, with managers demanding clarity and sporting directors trying to stay one step ahead of rivals. Arsenal are tying down their project leader, Manchester United are scrambling for solutions, Chelsea are juggling exits and replacements, while Tottenham and Liverpool circle key targets.

This is the part of the season where whispers harden into plans.

Arteta on the brink of new Arsenal deal

At Arsenal, the most important signing of the winter may not even wear a shirt number.

Mikel Arteta is, according to Fabrizio Romano, “very, very close” to signing a new contract at the Emirates. Talks with his representatives are said to be advanced and progressing smoothly, with all parties aligned on the club’s direction and his role at the centre of it.

It would be a statement of continuity from a club that has built almost every major decision around Arteta’s vision. A new deal would lock in the Spaniard for the foreseeable future and give further security to a squad already being reshaped in his image.

That squad building continues. Arsenal have already announced an agreement to sign Andria Bartishvili, a player widely dubbed the next Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, and they remain active in the forward and attacking midfield markets. Kenan Yildiz, Julian Alvarez and Eli Junior Kroupi are all on the radar, while Como’s Nico Paz has also been linked.

There is intrigue at youth level, too. Arsenal are monitoring Rio Ngumoha’s situation at Liverpool with growing interest. With Cody Gakpo established and Bradley Barcola arriving on Deadline Day, Ngumoha faces a crowded path on the left wing. No bid, no fee, just surveillance for now – but the Gunners are watching closely ahead of January.

Madueke interest forces Arsenal decision

One of the more delicate calls looming in north London concerns Noni Madueke.

Atletico Madrid and Juventus are tracking the winger, who has struggled for regular minutes this season. According to reports, both clubs see a loan – potentially with an option to buy – as a realistic route into a deal.

Atletico like his pace and directness, a profile that fits Diego Simeone’s desire for more punch in wide areas. Juventus are keeping tabs as they weigh up ways to inject more dynamism into their attack.

Arsenal now have a choice to make: keep Madueke and push for a bigger role under Arteta, or sanction a move that could turn temporary very quickly. With the winger under a long-term contract, the club hold the cards. The question is whether they want to play them now or wait until the summer.

Manchester United: Kane setback, Truffert priority

Manchester United’s long-running fascination with Harry Kane looks to be hitting another wall.

TEAMtalk report that Bayern Munich are increasingly confident of keeping the England captain beyond this season. The German champions believe their relationship with Kane is strong and that he remains committed to their project, despite United’s willingness to explore a deal running to 2027.

If there was ever hope of a swift Premier League return, it is fading fast.

So United turn to other problems – and left-back has become one of the most urgent. After missing out on Lewis Hall, who has committed his future to Newcastle with a new contract, the club have stepped up their pursuit of Bournemouth’s Adrien Truffert.

The 24-year-old has emerged as a leading target and is viewed as a long-term successor to Luke Shaw. United are closely monitoring him and have already laid groundwork for a potential move. Bournemouth, though, are in a powerful position. Truffert is under contract until 2030, valued at around £60m, and the Cherries are reluctant to sell.

A January deal would be complicated. A summer move looks more realistic. Either way, United’s recruitment plans at left-back now revolve around Truffert as they try to avoid another window without reinforcement in that position.

Chelsea hunt Enzo replacement as big clubs circle

At Stamford Bridge, the focus is on the heart of midfield.

Chelsea are expected to move for a replacement for Enzo Fernandez in January and have already cycled through a list of options. Lamine Camara appears to have slipped down their priorities, with Marc Bernal and Manu Kone among the latest names linked to the club.

Bournemouth’s Alex Scott remains a long-term target and would fit the profile of young, technically gifted players Chelsea have chased under their current ownership.

Any move in that area will have a knock-on effect across the market. Liverpool, for one, could be the beneficiaries if Chelsea look elsewhere for a midfielder.

Liverpool eye Camara, keep Wharton in view

Liverpool’s midfield rebuild is not finished.

Camara, who has drifted away from Chelsea’s immediate plans, could find Anfield as his landing spot. The Reds are also maintaining interest in Adam Wharton, a player whose development has not gone unnoticed at the top end of the Premier League.

Bayern Munich are sniffing around Florian Wirtz, and that pursuit could trigger a wider chain reaction among European clubs hunting creative midfielders. Liverpool want to be ready when the dominoes start to fall.

Tottenham: Ausilio talks and Richarlison’s standstill

Tottenham are preparing for change off the pitch and dealing with frustration on it.

The club are said to be keen on appointing Piero Ausilio as their new sporting director ahead of the winter window. Ausilio, who has spent more than 20 years at Inter, is closing in on a move to Spurs, according to reports. His long-standing working relationship with Roberto De Zerbi is already reshaping things back in Italy.

Inter have promoted Dario Baccin to sporting director, and he is eager to make his mark. One of his first potential targets is Brighton midfielder Yasin Ayari, whose contract runs until 2027. That length and security make him particularly attractive. The same report suggests Ayari would also have appealed to Ausilio himself – a reminder of how interconnected these roles and targets have become.

On the pitch, or rather away from it, Richarlison’s future remains tangled.

Tottenham were prepared to let the Brazilian forward leave, and a move to Vasco da Gama was on the table until the final hours of deadline day. UOL journalist Bruno Braz reports that Vasco were willing to structure a permanent deal that would have allowed Richarlison to return abroad in January, including a clause giving him an early exit route after just a few months. Tottenham were reportedly satisfied with the financial package.

The deal collapsed because Richarlison would not accept a permanent transfer. His preferred option was to terminate his Spurs contract, then join Vasco until the end of the year and reassess in January. That stance has left him in limbo after failed moves to Everton and Trabzonspor as well.

He has reacted on social media after Roberto De Zerbi dashed any hopes of a Tottenham recall, and now faces up to four months without competitive senior football. His situation will come back into sharp focus when the window reopens. For now, he is stuck.

West Ham’s quiet business

Away from the headline names, West Ham continue to move their younger players into senior football.

The club have confirmed that Preston Fearon has joined Forest Green Rovers on a three-month loan. Ryan Battrum has also departed temporarily, signing for National League side Southend United on a one-month deal.

These are small moves in a noisy market, but they matter. They shape careers and deepen squads further down the pyramid while Premier League giants plot their next blockbuster deal.

The window may be shut, but the game behind the game is already in full swing. Contracts, clauses, and quiet conversations are setting up a January that could reshape title races, rebuild projects, and decide which clubs are truly ready for the next phase of their plans.