Arsenal tipped to sign six players in January transfer window - this is who they should sign

Arsenal find themselves in a promising position heading into the second half of the Premier League campaign. Despite slipping to a 1-0 defeat at the hands of Aston Villa over the weekend, the Gunners are still just one point adrift of Liverpool at the summit of the table, and will be optimistic about their chances of maintaining a substantial title challenge as the new year gets underway.

But with January just around the corner, it also remains to be seen whether or not Mikel Arteta will stick or twist when it comes to his squad and their recruitment plans. A number of players have been linked in recent times, and speculation is only set to mount as the transfer window approaches.

With that in mind, we've taken a look at some of Arsenal's most probable signings below, and assessed whether or not we can expect to see deals completed in the coming weeks or not...

Ivan Toney

Arguably the most talked about potential transfer on the Gunners' radar right now, and one that would represent a fine piece of business if they can scrape together the funds to pull it off. Toney is, of course, still serving a ban for betting-related offences, but he will return to action in the new year, and when he does, he looks set to be heavily in demand among the Premier League's heaviest hitters.

If there is one piece of puzzle still missing for Arsenal under Mikel Arteta, it is the lack of a striker who will regularly score them 20+ goals per season. Toney, you fancy, would solve that particular problem fairly swiftly.

Douglas Luiz

Another name that has been thrown around fairly frequently, Luiz has once again emerged as a possible target for Arsenal in recent weeks. If the question is simply, 'should the Gunners sign him from Aston Villa if they opportunity presents itself?', then the answer is a resounding 'yes'. Luiz continues to impress for Unai Emery's side, and has been a key player for the Villans so far this term.

If, however, we're asking whether or not there is a realistic possibility that a transfer will happen next month, then the likelihood is that it will not. Villa are said to be demanding around £110 million for their asset, and while that figure could almost certainly be brought down a little, the chances of Arsenal being able to stump up that kind of cash in the immediate future feels slim. Perhaps one to revisit in the summer.

Dusan Vlahovic

Ivan Toney is not the only striker linked with Arsenal at the present moment in time. Vlahovic has regularly been touted as an alternative to the Brentford man, and on the surface, would make for a high-profile solution to their striking deficiencies. The main issue here, then, is that the Juventus star himself has seemingly put pay to the prospect of a January move away from Turin.

Speaking recently, he said: "I play in one of the most important teams in the world. I am honoured and proud, for now I see myself here. I still have two-and-a-half years left on my contract, but we are in no hurry. [Juve sporting director Cristiano] Giuntoli and my agent are already talking. I'm very happy to be here." Feels like a bit of a non-starter, in truth.

Pedro Neto

Another Premier League player who has been linked with the Gunners on multiple occasions, were it not for a serious of unfortunate injuries, Neto might well have already secured himself a move to a top six club by now. As it is, however, he continues to thrive for Wolves when fit, and it is understandable that Arsenal are still said to be keeping tabs on his situation at Molineux.

That being said, there are probably other areas of his squad that Mikel Arteta will feel he needs to strengthen more pressingly than his options on the wing, and for that reason, Neto could very well be put on the back burner for now.

Sacha Boey

With injuries to both Takehiro Tomiyasu and Jurrien Timber to contend with, it wouldn't be entirely out of the question for Arsenal to go and sign defensive cover in January. Boey has established himself as a key member of Galatasaray's backline, although it remains to be seen whether the Gunners would be willing to part with a chunk of cash partway through a campaign when they do have players to return.

Martin Zubimendi

Another option in the centre of midfield, Zubimendi currently plays for Real Sociedad, and has also been linked with Barcelona in recent times. The Catalan giants have reportedly pulled out of the race for his signature, however, and as a consequence, the door for Arsenal to make their move may just have opened a touch.

You get the distinct impression that Zubimendi very much represents a Plan B for the Gunners, however, and on the basis of that, perhaps they will wait until the summer to see whether their preferred targets are available before making a decision on whether to swoop or not.