Arsenal Have Clear January Transfer Priority After £91m Summer

Introduction

After a busy summer transfer window that saw the club spend over £91m on new players, Arsenal now have a clear priority for the January transfer window: signing a new central defender.

The Gunners have been linked with a number of central defenders in recent weeks, including Brighton's Ben White, Lille's Sven Botman, and RB Leipzig's Dayot Upamecano.

Why Arsenal Need a New Center-Back

There are a number of reasons why Arsenal need to sign a new centre-back in January.

First, the club's current center-back options are not good enough. David Luiz and Sokratis Papastathopoulos are both aging and error-prone, while Rob Holding has been injured for much of the season.

Second, Arsenal's defense has been poor this season. The Gunners have conceded 21 goals in their first 13 Premier League games, which is the joint-worst record in the league.

Third, a new center-back would allow Mikel Arteta to play a back four, which is his preferred formation. Arsenal have been playing a back three for much of the season, but Arteta has said that he wants to switch to a back four in the future.

Who Arsenal Could Sign

Arsenal have been linked with a number of central defenders in recent weeks, including:

Ben White (Brighton): White is a 23-year-old English defender who has been one of the best centre-backs in the Premier League this season.

Sven Botman (Lille): Botman is a 21-year-old Dutch defender who has also been impressive in Ligue 1 this season.

Dayot Upamecano (RB Leipzig): Upamecano is a 22-year-old French defender who is one of the most highly-rated young defenders in Europe.

Conclusion

Arsenal have a clear priority for the January transfer window: signing a new centre-back. The Gunners have been linked with a number of players in recent weeks, but it remains to be seen who they will ultimately sign.