Mikel Arteta eyes new signings, with Cedric Soares, Mohamed Elneny, and Nuno Tavares drawing attention

Interest in Arsenal's trio of Cedric Soares, Mohamed Elneny, and Nuno Tavares has surged for the January transfer window.

The Gunners aim to be active in the market but face the requirement to offload players before making new signings to ensure compliance with Financial Fair Play regulations.

Cedric, primarily a right-back, has featured sparingly this season, starting only one game. With six months remaining on his hefty £100,000-a-week contract, Turkish sides Besiktas and Trabzonspor are eyeing him. Additionally, Villarreal from Spain have been monitoring him since summer.

Elneny, also with six months left on his contract, is attracting attention from Trabzonspor and clubs in Saudi Arabia. Al-Shabab and Al Fateh, managed by former West Ham boss Slaven Bilic, show interest in the midfielder. They might delay their pursuit until summer when he could potentially become a free agent.

Meanwhile, left-back Nuno Tavares is presently on loan at Nottingham Forest but has had limited game time, featuring in just three matches this season, the last being in September. There's potential for his loan deal to be cut short due to interest from European clubs.

Mikel Arteta faces a significant challenge following a disappointing stretch, securing only one victory in Arsenal's last five Premier League matches. The team's struggle to score goals in the forward positions stands out as a pressing concern. Edu Gaspar is poised to rectify this by focusing on signing a striker while also bolstering other areas of the squad.

Here are three potential transfer targets for Arsenal this month:

Ivan Toney – Brentford

Toney has long been the primary target for the club, but his acquisition won't be an inexpensive affair. Brentford is holding out for a starting price of at least £60 million, supplemented by an additional £20 million in add-ons.

The English striker showcased his prowess by scoring 20 goals in the previous Premier League season. As part of facilitating the arrival of this 27-year-old standout, there are discussions about the potential sale of Nketiah.

Martin Zubimendi – Real Sociedad

The highly-coveted Real Sociedad talent has been consistently associated with a potential shift to the Emirates. Football.london suggests that he features among the midfield alternatives Arsenal is considering for the upcoming January transfer window.

Zubimendi's contract includes a substantial £53 million release clause. Arsenal might pave the way for acquiring the Spanish international by generating funds through player sales, with Partey being a plausible departure. The 30-year-old midfielder has only 18 months remaining on his current contract, and Arsenal had entertained the idea of his departure during the previous summer transfer window.

Jorrel Hato - Ajax

Arsenal's interest in the versatile 17-year-old talent from Ajax, capable of playing at center-back or left-back, has emerged due to his standout performances in an otherwise struggling Ajax side this season. The Athletic reports that Hato is on Arsenal's radar, seen as a potential player to provide cover for both Timber and Tomiyasu.

The report also notes that Arsenal sees a similarity between Ajax's style of play and their own, suggesting that this alignment could facilitate Hato's swift adaptation and impact halfway through the season. However, the financial aspect poses a significant hurdle for Arsenal's January signings, considering their substantial spending during the summer transfer window.

Dusan Vlahovic - Juventus

If Arsenal find themselves compelled to seek a more affordable option than Toney, Juventus' forward Dusan Vlahovic might capture their attention. This long-standing target for the Gunners has been linked to a potential move to the Emirates, as per reports from Italian outlet TV Play suggesting that Arsenal might initiate a pursuit for Vlahovic in January.

According to the report, Arsenal is prepared to offer up to £35 million for the 23-year-old striker, currently leading Juventus with six goals in 15 appearances this season.