The genius Arsenal and Fulham swap transfer deal that makes total sense for both clubs

To swap is to be human. It is, seemingly, as baked into our shared instinct as the compulsion to collect pebbles on a beach, or the need to kick the fluffy heads from dead dandelions. The act of bartering is almost as old as the art of conversation itself, and for good reason. You have something I need, I have something you need; let's swap and then we'll both have something we need.

Which brings us to Arsenal. (And Fulham, but we'll get to them in a moment.) This January could prove to be make or break for the Gunners. That's not even hyperbolic posturing either. With the Premier League title race bunched together in the manner that it is, and with Manchester City looking decidedly fallible - although that could swiftly change now Kevin de Bruyne is back in action - Mikel Arteta's men might never have a more realistic opportunity to reclaim a trophy that has eluded them for a full two decades.

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The need to strengthen this month is, therefore, overt, with a smattering of positions supposedly on Arsenal's transfer wish list. A centre forward is perhaps the most obviously desired acquisition, while there is widespread talk of bolstering the left side of defence too. But there are also whispers that the Gunners could look to reinforce the centre of their midfield.

While Declan Rice has made himself nigh on indispensable in recent months, Thomas Partey's prolonged injury concerns have reiterated the need to bring in another defensively-minded talent to compliment their £105 million summer signing. Several names have been mentioned, including, perhaps a touch speculatively, Joao Palhinha. (This, for those keeping track of such things, is where Fulham come in.)

The Portugal international came agonisingly close to leaving Craven Cottage earlier in the year, and despite him having signed a new contract following the last gasp collapse of a proposed move to Bayern Munich, rumours still persist over his future in west London. To that end, Arsenal are one of several clubs who are understood to be keeping tabs on his situation from a distance, but the likelihood of them being able to afford any kind of meaningful bid this winter is slim. Unless, of course, they had some kind of makeweight to sweeten the deal.

Fulham, to their detriment, have never properly replaced Aleksandar Mitrovic. The Serbian striker left the Cottagers for Saudi Arabia over the summer in less than amicable circumstances, and while Raul Jimenez has rediscovered his goalscoring touch to a certain extent, Marco Silva's men still, for the most part, look blunter than they once did. As such, an ideal January transfer window would probably involve the recruitment of a new centre forward, and a player like Arsenal academy graduate Eddie Nketiah could fit the bill nicely.

Now, it goes without saying that there are some obvious caveats to this. For one thing, the Gunners are not exactly flush with striking options, and therefore, any move to sanction Nketiah's exit would likely depend on them being able to bring in suitable reinforcements from elsewhere first.

But, in the time-honoured tradition of the swap, this is an agreement that could, hypothetically, suit all involved. Arsenal, for their part, would get the midfield general they have been looking for ever since Partey's injury woes first reared their head, while also making use of an academy-grown asset who has repeatedly been linked with an exit in recent windows as a considerable makeweight in a cash-plus-player package. Meanwhile, Fulham would go a long way towards solving their own striking troubles, while still making a tidy profit on a player who is evidently destined for bigger and better things. The fact that they reportedly have a deal in the pipeline for promising Brazilian midfielder Andre certainly wouldn't hurt matters either.

In truth, the chances of this ever happening are probably quite slim, but maybe, just maybe, like a good pebble on a sprawling beach, it is one to consider.