Arsenal transfer plan could take season spending past £300m

Arsenal have informed Eintracht Frankfurt of their interest in French winger Jean-Matteo Bahoya, with the Bundesliga club valuing the 20-year-old at £61m

The January transfer window is fast approaching, but Arsenal could be one of the most quiet teams when the market reopens. The Gunners are in a robust position with their squad, having splashed out significantly during the summer.

Consequently, Mikel Arteta boasts a deep squad, able to rely on quality alternatives when injuries hit his team. With Arsenal leading the Premier League and performing well in both the Champions League and Carabao Cup, their attention will likely be diverted elsewhere during the winter months.

Any potential transfers are expected to be either departures or future-focused signings, allowing Andrea Berta to scout for more favourable deals in other markets. This includes the 2026 summer transfer window, which presents further opportunities for squad rotation.

READ MORE: Man City are still Arsenal’s closest challengers in title race of polar oppositesREAD MORE: ‘I was Premier League hero but time travel prank made me laughing stock – I was angry’

While some big names may depart, Arsenal have already identified targets for next year, including a promising left winger. Jean-Matteo Bahoya of Eintracht Frankfurt is reportedly on their radar, with Sky Sports Germany suggesting that Arsenal are keenly interested in the 20-year-old.

It’s reported that the north London club have expressed their interest in the winger to Frankfurt, but any move seems more likely for next summer rather than January. Bahoya, who has a contract with the Bundesliga side until 2029, currently carries an asking price of €70million (£61.2million).

That is because Arsenal spent £256.6m on new arrivals in the summer – if a deal for Bahoya is completed, their total spending would rise above £300m. But they may still be able to agree a deal in January for a summer move – pushing the deal onto next season’s accounting books instead.

The France Under-21s international signed for Eintracht Frankfurt back in 2024 from Angers, costing them €8m (£7m) at the time. In just over one year since, the young winger has made 59 appearances for his club, scoring six goals and assisting five times.

As a right-footed left-winger, he is more than comfortable causing problems on the inside and outside of the opposition full-backs, showing plenty of potential for the future. The potential signing for Arsenal could see them add in a player who may not make an immediate impact, given the strength in depth out wide.

The left-wing slot is currently being battled for by Gabriel Martinelli, Leandro Trossard, and Eberechi Eze, putting plenty of competition for the one place. It’s something that is necessary, given the amount of games across all competitions, plus the potential for injuries.

However, all three fit into different stages of their career in terms of their age profile. Trossard is in his early 30s, with a usual career expectation being that he is in his peak, but coming towards the latter end of that in the coming years.

Eze is 27, which is expected to be the start of a player’s peak, while Martinelli is still just 24 and at the start of what is the usual peak with career trajectory. In adding someone like Bahoya, Arsenal would be signing someone at the start of their career, capable of making a long-term impact if he continues to develop.

Given the current state of the squad, with top players performing at their best, these seem to be the kind of deals Arsenal are prepared to make. The Gunners have recently agreed deals to sign Ecuadorian twins Edwin and Holger Quintero from Independiente Del Valle, who are both 16, and won’t sign until 2027 when they turn 18.

The club has already announced a pre-agreement to sign Victor Ozhianvuna from Shamrock Rovers, another 16-year-old with a promising future. It’s a clear indication of Berta’s next priority shift, which is ensuring the club remains sustainable with talent coming through to replace others as their powers wane.

Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.

Sky Sports discounted Premier League and EFL package

This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more

£43

£35

Sky

Get the deal here

Sky has slashed the price of its Essential TV and Sky Sports bundle ahead of the 2025/26 season, saving members £192 and offering more than 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more.

Sky will show at least 215 live Premier League games next season, an increase of up to 100 more.