Transfer deadline day is on the horizon and Arsenal are still in the market to make additions before 11pm on Friday (January 31).
Pablo Mari was the Gunners first signing of the window on Wednesday (January 29). The centre-back initially joins on a loan until the end of the season - with a fee of £4million - but Arsenal have the option to make the move permanent in the summer.
The club are still searching for defensive reinforcements, however, as a move for Cedric Soares edges closer. This is also believed to be an initial loan deal - £1million loan fee - with the player's contract due to expire at the end of the season when he will become a free agent.
football.london looks at the best and worst case transfer scenarios that could unfold at Arsenal in the coming hours.
Best case scenarios
Cedric Soares signs
Before the transfer window opened, it was clear that Arsenal needed more bodies in defence. Calum Chambers' season-ending injury drew attention to the lack of centre-backs but there were issues across the backline.
Sead Kolasinac and Kieran Tierney's absences were buffered with the fact Bukayo Saka played there in the past, but the Gunners were short at right-back. Cedric signing would fix that, however, as Hector Bellerin would finally have a backup that is natural in the position.
Ainsley Maitland-Niles had improved there under Mikel Arteta but not as a traditional right-back. With Bellerin and Cedric, Arteta may be able to properly demonstrate his ideas in all competitions as he will no longer have to compromise by playing an inverted right-back. The knock-on effect from this would then allow Maitland-Niles to push into central midfield - a position he has been eyeing for seasons.
The Portuguese would be joining Arsenal with an injury but it will not keep him out for too long. Injuring his knee ligaments against Crystal Palace on January 21, he was initially set to be out for three weeks. With Arsenal's break taking place from February 2 to February 16, he will have time to recover.
Southampton manager Ralph Hasenhuttl has all but confirmed that Cedric will leave ahead of deadline day.
"From our side yes," the Austrian said when asked if the arrival of Kyle Walker-Peters has opened the door for Cedric to leave in his press conference live stream.
"The fact is that he's out of contract in the summer. He is injured at the moment so it will take three or four weeks until he can play again.
"For the club and for him it's best and we say 'Okay, if you want to leave, you only have two or three months on your contract and it's better to go and we are concentrating on developing other players."
Dani Ceballos' loan is cut short
Dani Ceballos just hasn't been the right fit for Arsenal. On his home debut against Burnley, he was brilliant at creating chances, evading tackles and regaining possession but struggled to show much of this afterwards.
Instead, he became a player that constantly slowed the Gunners down and couldn't meet the pace of the game.
Reported to be looking to cut his loan short, this wouldn't hurt Arteta much. An extra space in an already-congested midfield will open up and the Spaniard will have a better opportunity mould players who are the future of Arsenal. Maitland-Niles has already been moved to midfield in his cameo against Bournemouth where Joe Willock starred as a No.10.
"I really like Joe in that position (No.10.) I think he can be an outstanding player playing there and he showed (that) tonight." Arteta said after the win.
Ceballos leaving Arsenal won't just benefit the youngsters at the club but the 23-year-old himself too. He is favoured by Spain coach Luis Enrique but will still need to play regular football to earn a place in the squad for this summer's European Championships.
The midfielder is not a bad player but cutting ties would be best for all parties involved.
Worst case scenarios
Barcelona steal Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang
Having made his stance on staying at Arsenal public on January 9, it'll be highly unlikely for Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to leave north London before the deadline.
Despite this, things can change quickly in football and should Barcelona ramp up another pursuit - however unlikely - allowing the club captain to leave now would be a catastrophe.
One of Arsenal's most influence players, his presence isn't just needed in the final third even though he has scored 43% of their Premier League goals this season. On the pitch, his contributions stretch to the middle third where he and whoever is stationed at left-back make their choreographed runs to be freed by either Granit Xhaka or David Luiz.
Without possession his effort also help tremendously as he acts as one of the first players to press the opposition.
His influence off the pitch could be even more important, however. During his three-match ban his connection with the club's youngsters was clear as he repeatedly took to social media to encourage Gabriel Martinelli and Bukayo Saka in particular. Taking the responsibility to mentor these players isn't just something done on the internet though.
The club captain carries this over when with his teammates and would be a massive loss.
Although a move this month is unlikely, Arsenal must start negotiations over a contract extension in the summer. The 30-year-old's current deal expires in 2021 and rather than letting it run down like former players have done to left for free, the Gunners need to be bold. Either they land on a deal acceptable for both parties or they may have to sell to recoup some of the fee they shelled out for Aubameyang in 2018.
Cedric's deal falls through
As Arsenal's transfer business seems to be shaping up so Arteta can build a balanced squad for the second half of the season, the deal for Cedric falling through halt those plans.
With no natural backup for Bellerin, Arteta may be forced into having two varied approaches to matches. One where Arsenal's attacks down the right are equally as potent as their ones down the left and another where they have to be slightly more conservative with Maitland-Niles acting as an inverted full-back.
"When we are analysing the opponent and there are some errors that happen on the pitch we have to correct them and try to help the players as much as possible and we can ask Ainsley (to do) a lot of things but he's not a full-back," he said after the Sheffield United draw.
Although he has proved he can excel there, it is now clear that Arteta doesn't plan for him to play there on a long-term basis. Coming on in midfield against Bournemouth, gave an extra glimpse into how the Spaniard views Maitland-Niles' future.
Therefore, Cedric making the move to Arsenal isn't just crucial to settle the defence but also for how Arteta will get the Gunners playing with the ball and how he moulds players into new positions.
