After a demoralizing loss to Manchester United at home in the FA Cup, Arsenal fans are fed up and clamoring for player signings.
Injuries have plagued a third consecutive title charge, but Mikel Arteta's Arsenal runs the risk of stagnating this season. Calls for a striker, winger and creative midfielder continue to grow louder as Arteta and the powers that be are under immense pressure to deliver a trophy this season.
It's well publicized how different it is doing transfer business in January compared to the summer, but time is running out on this process to deliver the goods. Arsenal in the past have shown they can do good business, but they're have also been a fair share of transfers that never played an integral part in winning silverware.
Let's look back the best and worst Arsenal January transfer window signings under Mikel Arteta.
Ranking the Best and Worst Arsenal January Transfer Window Signings
Best
Leandro Trossard
Easily the best permanent January signing of Arteta's tenure, Trossard was the backup plan after a failed move for Mykhailo Mudryk.
The Belgian has 37 goal contributions (22 goals, 15 assists) in 97 appearances for the Gunners since coming over in Jan. 2023. Highlights of his time in north London include a hat-trick of assists against Fulham away, a deflected equalizer in the dying minutes of the Community Shield against Manchester City and his goal against FC Porto in the second league of the Champions League round of 16 which Arsenal went on to win after a penalty shootout.
Jorginho
Certainly not the first player to move from the Blues to Arsenal and not the last, Jorginho came over in Arsenal's first title challenge under Arteta. The move was highly criticized not just because he played for a rival club, but because the club arguably needed a more high profile signing like Moises Caicedo or, eventual signing later that summer, Declan Rice.
He's had his ups and downs for Arsenal. Highs include his strike that lead to a game-winning goal against Aston Villa that ricocheted in off the back of his head, but he's had lapses in judgement on the ball notably leading to a Son Heung-min equalizer in the north London derby last season.
He still plays his fair share of minutes and Arsenal arguably looked their best with him anchoring midfield during their second title charge.
Martin Ødegaard
Fans might not remember, but Ødegaard actually had a loan spell at Arsenal before joining the Gunners permanently ascending to club captain. The Norwegian joined Arsenal on loan in Jan. 2021 seeking more first team minutes after only making nine appearances for Real Madrid after a successful spell at Real Sociedad. Ødegaard scored his first goal for the north London club in the Europa League against Olympiacos and even scored in his first north London derby against Tottenham Hotspur.
Ødegaard made his move to the club permanent the following summer eventually taking over the captaincy role from Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. He's been an integral part of Arteta's team ever since.
Worst
Auston Trusty
Trusty, an American defender, came over from the Stan Kroenke-owned Colorado Rapids in MLS. Trusty never made an official appearance for Arsenal having gone back on loan to the Rapids in Jan. 2022. He went back out on loan the following season to Birmingham City before permanently moving to Sheffield United.
Pablo Mari
Pablo Mari was a loan signing in Jan. 2020 from Flamengo as Arteta searched for defensive reinforcements. He was made a permanent signing later before eventually joining Udinese on loan in Italy.
Fans are certainly enjoying the defensive solidity Gabriel and William Saliba have provided in recent memory, but Mari was part of an inconsistent defense that leaked goals.
Cedric Soares
Another loan signing that eventually became a free transfer, Cedric wasn't meant to be a long term solution. But, he also wasn't a solid stop gap at right back either. Again, for those who know Arsenal's defense now, it wasn't too long ago that makeshift back lines couldn't string together clean sheets.
Cedric ended up being replaced permanently on the right by Ben White as the English defender made the position his own.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Ranking the Best and Worst Arsenal January Transfer Window Signings.