The January transfer deal that Mikel Arteta and Arsenal can make to resurrect the title race

The transfer window opens in 43 days. Clubs will be hoping to offload deadwood, make some money, cut down losses, and coaches will be looking to strengthen their squads to improve their teams' performances.

One coach who needs this transfer window to arrest his season is Mikel Arteta. The Spaniard started the season with hopes of finally toppling Manchester City to win the Premier League title, but, just like the defending champions themselves, they are letting Liverpool run away with the title.

With 11 games into the season, Arsenal trail Liverpool by nine points. No one predicted Liverpool would win the league, let alone have an easy ride. Though the gap between the Gunners and the Reds is significant, it can still be closed with 27 games to go. Mikel Arteta needs the transfer window to right the wrongs.

The team’s creative spark and goals rest on Martin Ødegaard and Bukayo Saka. Amongst the front four, only these two players consistently produce good performances when fit. Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard blow hot and cold on the left side of attack, and the same can be said about Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus through the middle.

At Liverpool, Luis Díaz on the left is on fire and complements what Mohamed Salah produces on the right, but the same can’t be said about Arsenal. Saka is overburdened and needs help on the right. On the transfer market, the only elite left-winger who seems available is Rafael Leão.

The Portuguese won’t come cheap, but he would be worth it if Arsenal manage to sign him this January.

The Gunners can take advantage of his strained relationship with AC Milan coach Paolo Pioli and make a move for him. The Rossoneri coach has been benching his star man, citing his failure to track back and help the defense. Rafael Leão had a release clause of £147 million, but that clause expired last summer, so any interested clubs will need to negotiate with AC Milan.

Arsenal could offer Gabriel Martinelli as part of a deal to reduce the price the Italians would be willing to accept for the star player, who is unhappy with how the coach has made him a scapegoat for the team's defeats.

Rafael Leão was a happy man under former Milan coach Stefano Pioli, and even last season, when the team underperformed, he was directly involved in 29 goals in all competitions. His quality has never been in doubt, as the world witnessed when he ran circles around the Real Madrid defense after being reinstated into the Milan team for the crucial UEFA Champions League game at the Bernabéu.

Arsenal are at a crossroads. The team risks ruining everything they’ve built over the last three seasons and should spend big to get the player who could salvage their title-chasing season. A club that spent £72 million on Nicolas Pépé in 2019 shouldn’t find it difficult to pay around £100 million for a player like Rafael Leão, who, aside from his footballing ability, has the potential to become a global football brand.

When Mikel Arteta saw Declan Rice as a necessity, the club backed him with a reported £100 million. Fans can dream that the same thing could happen with Leão.