Journalist: Arsenal’s January transfer plans revealed with more exits likely | OneFootball

Arsenal Balancing Patience and Possibility in a Quiet Window

Arsenal’s winter has settled into something more contemplative than dramatic. While rivals posture and posture again, the club appear content to let circumstances guide them rather than forcing events. As reported by The Athletic, this week has offered a snapshot of how Mikel Arteta and his hierarchy are managing both the present and the future, with Oleksandr Zinchenko’s uncertain situation and the delicate handling of Ethan Nwaneri providing the clearest examples.

Zinchenko Situation Reflects Wider Caution

There is a certain irony in Zinchenko’s name resurfacing just as Arsenal themselves show little appetite for movement. The Ukraine international, currently unwanted at Nottingham Forest after a loan spell that has failed to convince, could yet find a route to Ajax. Forest head coach Sean Dyche was characteristically blunt, saying, “We have spoken to the player, made it clear in his situation. He is aware of that, so we will see what happens.”

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For Arsenal, this is less about regaining a player and more about maintaining relationships and pathways. Zinchenko’s career, once defined by versatility and tactical intelligence, now sits in a holding pattern. Facilitating a move makes sense, not least because it aligns with Arsenal’s broader preference for clarity over chaos.

Nwaneri Loan Viewed as Developmental Step

The more sensitive conversation surrounds Nwaneri. Still just 18, soon to be 19 in March, he has already signed a long-term contract and carries the quiet weight of expectation. According to The Athletic, a loan is being considered as a positive step rather than a setback.

The context matters. Arsenal did not expect to sign Eze when Nwaneri committed his future last August. That late summer decision, “sparked by the opening-game injury to Kai Havertz that he has only just returned from,” has inevitably reduced opportunities. Arteta has chosen to use Nwaneri as a No 8, a role crowded by Eze, Martin Odegaard, Declan Rice and Mikel Merino.

Arteta, though, remains “a huge believer in Nwaneri’s talent.” The obstacle is not trust but time. A loan, particularly one offering regular football, could accelerate his readiness for Premier League demands.

Transfer Plans Tilted Toward Summer

This January feels more like an administrative window than a transformative one. Arsenal are “not currently aggressively pursuing anything,” a stance that explains why Marc Guehi and Jeremy Jacquet have moved elsewhere without resistance. Attention has shifted to summer planning, with Real Madrid teenager Victor Valdepenas emerging as a potential target.

Valdepenas, 19, has already debuted in La Liga and is “highly thought of at Madrid.” Tempting him away would be difficult, but Arsenal’s interest suggests long-term thinking rather than immediate need.

Outgoings Limited by Squad Stability

Beyond Nwaneri’s possible loan, there are “currently no plans to allow any first-teamers to leave.” Stability, it seems, is the guiding principle. Arsenal are choosing patience, trusting that continuity now will pay dividends later.

Our View – EPL Index Analysis

From an Arsenal supporter’s perspective, this report reads as reassuring rather than underwhelming. There is comfort in a club that does not flinch at every transfer window, especially after seasons defined by relentless squad churn. The handling of Nwaneri feels particularly important. Fans remember how easily young talent can stagnate without minutes, yet also how damaging rushed exits can be. A loan framed as development, not exile, strikes the right tone.

There will, of course, be anxiety. Supporters always wonder whether patience edges into passivity, especially when competitors strengthen. Seeing Guehi and Jacquet move elsewhere may sting slightly, even if the logic is sound. Yet there is also recognition that Arsenal’s squad, shaped heavily in the summer, does not need constant patching.

Valdepenas is the kind of name that excites the imagination. Young, technical, already trusted by Real Madrid, he fits the profile Arsenal fans have grown to admire. Whether that interest becomes concrete matters less than what it represents, a continued belief in building rather than buying fixes.

Ultimately, this feels like a club comfortable with its direction. Not flawless, not complacent, but calm. For supporters, that calm can be both soothing and unsettling, but it suggests Arsenal believe their biggest gains will come from refinement, not reinvention.