Arsenal have been given the chance to field new signings for the crucial North London Derby fixture following the postponement of Sunday's match.
The Gunners were set to play against Tottenham Hotspur tomorrow, but it has been called off due to Mikel Arteta’s side being unable to field the required number of players to take part.
Edu has reportedly been working hard to secure deals for Juventus midfielder Arthur Melo and Fiorentina forward Dusan Vlahovic in the January transfer window.
With the game being pushed back, it gives the Gunners the opportunity to secure deals for both players in time for when the North London Derby is rescheduled.
The match between Arsenal and Spurs would have had a major impact in the race for Champions League qualification at the end of the season, as there is only a two-point gap between both teams.
Arsenal have been poised to sign Arthur on loan for the remainder of the season, with the only barrier preventing a deal being Juventus signing a replacement for the Brazilian, according to the Daily Express.
The Gunners are in desperate need of a midfielder because as it stands, Albert Sambi Lokonga is the only available central midfielder within the first team.
Granit Xhaka’s red card against Liverpool in the Carabao Cup means that he is unavailable for the next two games due to a suspension.
Meanwhile, Thomas Partey and Mohamed Elneny are still away with their national teams at the African Cup of Nations.
The club have also been linked with a move for Vlahovic and football.london understands that the Gunners are pushing hard for the Fiorentina striker and would like to complete the signing in the January transfer window if possible.
It certainly would have been a tough task for Arteta to field a weakened side in the North London Derby, but the postponement has given Edu an extra incentive to get both of the deals for Arthur and Vlahovic over the line in this transfer window, so Arsenal can make a strong push for Champions League qualification.
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