With Mikel Arteta in the driving seat to become Arsenal's next head coach, the Spaniard could soon see is squad change in the January transfer window.
Two weeks away from the window opening, the Gunners are struggling in various parts of the pitch. The full-back areas have become like hazard zones with injuries striking Hector Bellerin, Kieran Tierney and Sead Kolasinac as a balance in midfield is still yet to be found.
Although the only game he has managed at senior level was when he deputised the suspended Pep Guardiola for Manchester City against Lyon, Arteta may still arrive at the Emirates with ideas on how to his wants to play.
Should be come with clear ideas, this may allow him and the Arsenal hierarchy to handle January with some ease.
Sharing the same principles as Guardiola, the Barcelona product may look to bring return to north London implementing a 4-3-3 system.
Coupling this with some of the problem areas at Arsenal currently, here are a few options that could help strengthen the Gunners to mount a challenge for European football in 2020.
Max Aarons
Arsenal's issues at right-back were evident before the season began. Bellerin hadn't returned from injury yet, Ainsley Maitland-Niles was standing in and Calum Chambers - who just finished a season playing in midfield for Fulham - was his backup.
Maitland-Niles' form dropped as did his confidence and although Chambers was an adequate replacement, he wasn't an attacking threat. Since then, Bellerin has had another injury setback after withdrawing during the pre-match warm-ups at West Ham and Maitland-Niles has been relied upon again.
Rather than depending on an auxiliary right-back, Arsenal must find a player that can fill Bellerin's shoes when needed.
Winning the Championship Young Player of the Year and getting into the Team of the Year in his debut season, Max Aarons has continued to impress in the Premier League. Although Norwich have struggled at times - as any newly-promoted side would - the 19-year-old has been confident since making the jump to the top flight.
Against Arsenal for instance, he had no problem darting down the touchline or inside towards the box and even forced a great save from Bernd Leno. Not scared to take people on but also eager to defend, as he showed when clearing Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang's missed penalty, the Gunners would do well to snap him up so young.
He will still have to develop as he is only 19 but Aarons has a solid base to be a quality right-back and Arteta will know the importance of full-backs having witnessed Guardiola's overhaul of those areas at City.
Houssem Aouar
Another important area for Arsenal to tackle in January is the midfield. Arteta deciding whether he will adopt the same methods as Guardiola with a sitting midfielder and two roaming No.8.s or not will be crucial.
If he chooses to go down that path then Houssem Aouar could be the man he looks to. The 21-year-old has been ascending for the past few seasons and a step up to the Premier League in the near future would not be a surprise.
Although Lyon have struggled this season, Aouar has primarily played as a No.8. and is technical and physical enough to excel in this position. Rather than mistaking physicality for strength, the agility he pairs his vision and passing with is what could help Arsenal massively.
The Gunners have tried a 4-3-3 this season but with Unai Emery getting the personnel wrong, they failed to impress. Matteo Guendouzi, Joe Willock and Dani Ceballos are options as No.8.s but Aouar being a natural creator that can find pockets to exploit is what Arteta will be looking for.
As for the other three, they have looked best when advancing with the ball but have lacked the cuteness needed higher upfield. In Aouar, Arteta would find a midfielder with both skill sets, a player that can continue developing and someone to fit the mould of Manchester City's creators.
Dayot Upamecano
Centre-back has been a problem position at Arsenal for years and although Arsenal have William Saliba ready for the summer, there are issues that need to be fixed now.
The current Arsenal defence is far too error prone and nowhere near as imposing enough. Sokratis is often invites pressure when the ball is at his feet, Calum Chambers is susceptible to balls in behind and David Luiz struggles to get his positioning right.
He may still be young, but at RB Leipzig, Dayot Upamecano has had a much more consistent season than any of Arsenal's centre-backs. Averaging 2.3 tackles and 1.4 interceptions, he has helped his side climb to the top of the Bundesliga. In north London, the most reliable centre-back in this sense is Chambers with 1.8 tackles per game but he needs a partner that can compliment him well.
Arsenal have lacked a seamless centre-back partnership since Per Mertesacker and Laurent Koscielny paired each other, with one enforcing and the other sweeping behind.
Rather than playing Chambers next to two ageing centre-backs who can do neither, having Upamecano would be a huge step up. It may be difficult to adapt in the current climate at Arsenal but it would lay a good foundation for wen Saliba rejoins the side in the summer.
