Arsenal ready to continue big spending in January

It may have seemed like a long time since Arsenal were labelled as big players in the transfer market, but the undoubted buzz caused in and around the Emirates by the record signing of Mesut Ozil has more than made up for the wait.

In recent years, Arsene Wenger’s men had been seen as a selling club, finding cut-price gems from Europe before reluctantly agreeing to sell them to big-spending, title-winning rivals years later.

But following the £40m deal to bring the German international from Real Madrid, a deal that already looks a snip with four assists to his name in just two games, Arsenal fans can’t help but feel that it represents a watershed moment.

And that’s certainly what the press seem to think too, if today’s reports of further big money deals being lined up in January are anything to go by.

Wenger is reportedly keeping a keen eye on a couple of Ozil’s international teammates, Borussia Dortmund’s Marco Reus and Schalke’s Julian Draxler.

Both are midfielders in the Wenger mould. Solid in possession, confident dribblers and capable of picking an incisive pass, the pair would undoubtedly fit the bill at the Emirates.

With Ozil, Lukas Podolski and Per Mertesacker already in North London, persuading another German international to join the party should not be too difficult.

But with Arsenal well-stocked in the midfield department, particularly with Mikael Arteta and Santi Cazorla set to return from injury, and both players expecting to cost £30m plus, Wenger will likely have to decide on which one of the two he desires most, with any remaining funds likely to be used to bring in more competition in attack for Olivier Giroud.