Arsenal in regular talks to seal their best signing since Declan Rice

Arsenal come into the January transfer window in a totally different place than this time last year.

The winter window of 2025 didn’t see the Gunners sign anyone, even if there were mass protests among the supporters for a new striker to be acquired.

There has always been a sense that an elite number 9 would take Mikel Arteta’s project to the next level but despite Gabriel Jesus’ ACL injury last winter, they opted against finding a replacement.

The summer eventually arrived and Andrea Berta delivered Viktor Gyokeres. The former Sporting striker looked like one of the best centre forwards in Europe during his time in the Portuguese capital, notably scoring 54 goals in 52 games last season.

He has not shown the same ruthless streak this term. The Swede is without a non-penalty goal since finding the net against Burnley back in November.

Despite that, Arsenal are top of the Premier League and Champions League. Those two things, combined with the lavish spending of last summer, mean they are likely to keep their powder dry this month.

Still, there could be some excitement on the transfer front at some point.

Arsenal enter race to sign Champions League winner

The January transfer window has not been rife with rumours of incomings at the Emirates Stadium but perhaps unsurprisingly, there are reports that they will look to further bolster their defence in 2026.

Rennes wonderkid, Jeremy Jacquet, who is cut from a similar cloth as William Saliba, is on their radar, as too is Crystal Palace captain Marc Guehi.

The centre-back nearly joined Liverpool on deadline day last summer but the Eagles pulled the plug late in the day. Since then, title rivals Manchester City and Arsenal have emerged as contenders for his signature.

In attack, not much is likely to be done, but an elite left winger remains a missing piece of the puzzle.

Well, according to TEAMtalk, one wide player on their shortlist this year is PSG superstar Bradley Barcola.

They report that Barcola is a target for Arsenal, Liverpool, Chelsea and Manchester City and they have all made enquiries about the Frenchman’s availability.

It further states that all four of those English clubs have “all been spoken to” by PSG, with the Premier League sides said to be ‘in regular contact’ about signing him.

Sources have told TEAMtalk that Barcola wouldn’t be available this winter but that a summer move away from Paris could be on the cards.

Why Barcola would be such a good signing for Arsenal

Cast your mind back to the summer. Martin Zubimendi and Gyokeres have just joined, there is a huge excitement about the season.

But wait, what’s this? A new deal for Leandro Trossard?

The Belgian had only scored ten goals in 2024/25 and with Arsenal looking for a new winger, someone in the ilk of Rodrygo, the club decided to hand the winger a new deal.

While it did not extend his terms in London, it did give him a healthy pay rise. It was a decision that caused plenty of debate but it’s been more than justified.

He is now arguably in the form of his Arsenal career, scoring seven and assisting six goals this season. That being said, there is a feeling that the Gunners need an elite winger, someone capable of changing a game and replacing an ageing Trossard long term.

Enter Mr Barcola, a Champions League winner and, in the words of Como Scout Ben Mattinson, “one of the best left wingers in Europe”. Why has he been heralded as such? Well, while the 23-year-old may have only scored five goals and assisted four times so far this term, he was in rampant form last season.

The PSG sensation scored 21 times, three of which came during their triumphant Champions League campaign. He also assisted 21 goals. This is a dynamic forward who could offer plenty to this Arsenal side.

He’s a game-changing signing and while the Gunners made plenty of new additions during Berta’s first summer in charge of recruitment, you have to suggest that Barcola could be the most impactful arrival since Declan Rice entered the building.

Rice turned down advances from Manchester City to sign for Arsenal in the summer of 2023 and he has not looked back.

The former West Ham captain has been transformed into a box-to-box machine. He can score goals, he can assist goals and he’s one of the best set-piece takers in the land. As Jamie Redknapp said in an interview with the midfielder this week, he’s now in the Ballon d’Or conversation.

Rice has enabled Arsenal to go to the next level. He’s undroppable, there’s no one quite like him in the squad. Should Barcola join then you could say the same.

While Bukayo Saka has locked down the right wing, the left-hand side of the attack has felt open for a number of years now. It’s why fans were pleading with the club to sign a direct left winger over the summer.

Barcola can play on either side but the young attacker did most of his work on the left last season. From that role, he bagged 18 and assisted 15. He’s truly elite.

While some may question the quality of Ligue 1, the Frenchman’s numbers from last are better than Martinelli and Trossard have ever managed over the course of a single season.

For context, the Belgian’s best campaign in front of goal saw him score 17. Martinelli’s best saw him find the net on 15 occasions back in 2022/23.

Like Rice, this has the potential to be a transformational signing, one that makes Europe take notice, one that elevates the ceiling of this Arsenal squad, rather than just the floor.

Watch out defenders if Barcola does indeed head to north London in 2026.

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