With Thomas Partey suffering from an ankle injury, Jorginho suffering from not being quite good enough to start for a top Premier League anymore, and Kai Havertz suffering from being a forward rather than a midfielder, it's become clear in recent weeks that Arsenal perhaps need some midfield cover.
That has been apparanent to the club itself too, as Arsenal have sent scouts far and wide across Europe and South America to assess potential options ahead of the January transfer window.
To give the Gunners a hand, we've decided to assess each midfielder they've been linked with recently and rank them.
Mikel Arteta and Edu, you're both welcome.
7. Pablo Maia
21-year-old Pablo Maia has been a mainstay of the Sao Paulo starting lineup over the last few seasons, thanks in large part to his tactical flexibility.
Naturally a holding midfielder, Maia has also slotted in out wide, at full-back and even centre-back for Sao Paulo, something which will be music to a manager like Arteta's ears.
The downside to signing Maia, however, is his disciplinary record. The Brazilian has racked up an astonishing 14 yellow cards and two red cards during the 2023 season alone.
Fit? 5/10
6. Gabriel Moscardo
Another player who caught Edu's eye during a recent scouting trip of Brazil was Gabriel Moscardo.
Despite being just 18 years old, Moscardo is already a key player for Corinthians - usually doing his best work in a deep-lying midfield role similar to the one Rodri plays at Man City.
Previously linked with Chelsea too, a transfer to a major European club is seemingly imminent for the youngster, however January may be a bit too soon for him to make such a move.
Fit? 6/10
5. Javi Guerra
With three goals and an assist since breaking into the Valencia starting XI, it's fair to say that Javi Guerra looks like a serious player.
The 20-year-old's form has caught the eye of a number of top clubs from around Europe, with Arsenal being among the teams to have scouted him recently.
Having exploded onto the scene in one of Europe's top leagues, as expected, it will take quite a lot money to sign Guerra - £86m to be exact.
It would be a huge gamble to take on a player who hasn't played a whole lot of senior football.
Fit? 6/10
4. Arthur Vermeeren
If you're planning on playing FM24 this year, then Arthur Vermeeren is a played you need to get acquainted with.
The 18-year-old already has a Belgium senior cap to his name and is inarguably the most exciting young player to come out of the Belgian Pro League in a very, very long time.
Vermereen has been monitored by the likes of Arsenal and Manchester City and genuinely looked destined for greatness.
Fit? 7/10
3. Quinten Timber
To answer your question: yes he is related to Jurrien Timber.
To answer your other question: he is very related given that he is Jurrien's twin brother.
That alone isn't why Quinten has been linked with Arsenal - this isn't some Donnarumma's brother at AC Milan-style deal we're proposing here - he's also a pretty damn good footballer in his own right.
The midfielder is the dynamic heart of a very impressive Feyenoord outfit and, if signed, would provide Arsenal's midfield with a bit of energy that it's currently lacking - due to the reliance on slow pokes such as Jorginho and Partey (no offence).
Fit? 8/10
2. Andre Trindade
A player that's been heavily linked with Liverpool, Arsenal recently started to monitor Andre Trindade's form for Fluminense and they'd have undoubtedly been impressed with what they've seen.
The midfielder is ready-made for the Premier League, boasting both a brilliant passing range and also an ability to read and snuff out danger in the middle of the park.
He's so good, in fact, that he has inspired Fluminense to just their second ever Copa Libertadores final appearance this season.
Fit? 9/10
1. Douglas Luiz
Signing one of the best midfielders in the Premier League, Declan Rice, during the summer proved to be a pretty good bit of business, so why not repeat the trick in January?
Arsenal have long held an interest in Douglas Luiz, and judging by his recent form, it's easy to see why.
The Brazilian has been one of the best players in the league thus far this season, providing both goals and defensive stability to a high-flying Aston Villa outfit.
Fit? 10/10
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This article was originally published on 90min as Arsenal's midfield transfer targets in the January window - ranked.
