Arsenal

Arsenal coach Mikel Arteta has expressed his disappointment after Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang's sending off against Crystal Palace was upheld after an appeal, per BBC Sport.

A red card was shown after VAR informed referee Paul Tierney a tackle by Aubameyang was dangerous, with the striker sliding in on Palace's Max Meyer after 65 minutes of Saturday's 1-1 Premier League draw at Selhurst Park.

According to BBC Sport, Arteta said he's disappointed to lose his captain for three games after the "completely accidental" challenge:

"It's a big shame and a big loss for us, but he mistimed the tackle and we have to accept it.

"It's an action that is completely accidental, in my opinion. He's been superb under me, he's working so hard. He's scoring goals and has probably been the most important player so to lose him is really bad news for us.

"Players have to step up. You know, when one of your big players is not there, they have to take responsibility."

Aubameyang will be absent for the Premier League games against high-flying Sheffield United and Chelsea, and he'll also miss the FA Cup match against Bournemouth.

There appeared to be no malice in the 30-year-old's red-card tackle, but the video replay showed the forward make forceful contact with Meyer's ankle.

Aubameyang apologised to Meyer via an Instagram post (h/t Goal), saying: "Hopefully Max Meyer gets well soon, I really didn't want to challenge him so hard and I appreciate that the boys fought hard to take that win, but unfortunately we come back with a draw. We keep going."

A statement from officials regarding the tackle stated a red card was issued as "the intensity of the challenge endangered the safety of the opponent," constituting "serious foul play," per Goal.

The forward has 16 goals for Arsenal in the Premier League and UEFA Europa League this season, and Arteta will now look to Alexandre Lacazette and Nicolas Pepe to supplement Aubameyang's regular contributions in the final third.      

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said on Wednesday there is "no truth at all" to speculation the Gunners are interested in signing John Stones from Manchester City.

Stones has been linked with a move to the Emirates Stadium, although the Premier League champions are said to be unwilling to sell the centre-back, according to Chris Wheeler of the Daily Mail.

Arteta told reporters in his pre-match press conference that he knows Stones well from his time as assistant manager at Manchester City but is not considering a January move:

"No truth at all. John is a player that I really like and we followed him before we signed him when I was at City. I worked with him for many years and I know him well, and obviously when I look at centre-backs he has got many attributes that I like from one. But we are not interested in him."

Arsenal do have issues in defence with Calum Chambers (ACL) and Kieran Tierney (shoulder) long-term injury victims, while Sead Kolasinac will miss Saturday's visit from Sheffield United, per PA Sport's Mark Mann-Bryans:

Kolasinac ruled out of Sheffield United game with a thigh injury. With Tierney also out, likely Saka could come in at left-back. #AFC

— Mark Mann-Bryans (@MMBonF1) January 15, 2020

The Gunners have also struggled at the back in 2019-20, conceding 31 goals in 22 Premier League games, and look in need of reinforcements in the January window.

Arteta has prioritised signing a "box-to-box midfielder and a defender" in the January transfer window, according to Sam Dean at the Daily Telegraph.

He added that he is hoping to strengthen his squad but will not rush into any signings: "Yes, but it has to be the right player, in the right context that financially we can compete and we can attract and all these factors, if you put them together, are not easy in this market."

Stones has only made nine Premier League starts for Manchester City in 2019-20 because of injury and a lack of form, but manager Pep Guardiola does not appear to have lost faith in the 25-year-old:

"He can be one of the best"

Pep Guardiola insists John Stones will return to his peak if he stays fit.

Mire: https://t.co/IgwnMuqhpi pic.twitter.com/YrElvQKs4u

— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) January 4, 2020

The centre-back made his first Premier League start in over a month on Sunday in Manchester City's 6-1 win over Aston Villa and will be hoping to keep his place for Saturday's visit from Crystal Palace.     

Arsenal are interested in signing Athletico Paranaense midfielder Bruno Guimaraes and will make an offer near the end of the season, according to the club's president Mario Celso Petraglia. 

The 75-year-old told O Jogo (h/t Lucas Sposito at Sport Witness) that the Brazilian club have already received an offer from Benfica but expect Arsenal to make a move for the defensive midfielder:

"Yes it's true. Yesterday came the official offer from Benfica to sign Bruno Guimaraes. Let's study Benfica's offer. On Monday we will meet the club board to assess this situation. Arsenal are interested, but will only make an offer towards the end of the season."

Benfica have offered €20 million (£17 million) for the 22-year-old defensive midfielder who has a release clause in his contract of €40 million (£34 million), per Sposito.

The 22-year-old has already made a name for himself at Athletico Paranaense and is regarded as one of the best young midfielders in Brazil:

Bruno Guimarães & Renan Lodi - two amazing youth products of Athletico Paranaense. 🔴⚫️

The future of Brazilian football. 🇧🇷 pic.twitter.com/7EeLjC7H3L

— Football Talent Scout - Jacek Kulig (@FTalentScout) January 5, 2020

His performances have not gone unnoticed in Europe where he has reportedly attracted the attention of a host of top clubs.

Arsenal, Chelsea, Atletico Madrid and Benfica and are all interested in the youngster, according to Globo Esporte (h/t Sposito).

Guimaraes said in December that he would be interested in a move to Atletico Madrid, per Marca (h/t Football Espana):

"Atletico Madrid are my preference for my transfer, but I also have other proposals. I don't know what can happen, but what I can say is that I did my part on the pitch. Now I have to put my future in the hands of those who run the business side."

However, Petragilia has told O Jogo (h/t Sposito) that Diego Simeone's side have "already informed that they are not interested."

Arsenal are expected to do business in the January transfer window and are targeting a box-to-box midfielder and a defender, according to Sam Dean at the Daily Telegraph. However, they are expected to "pursue loan deals" rather than permanent transfers.

The Gunners invested heavily in summer 2019 bringing in players such as Nicolas Pepe, Kieran Tierney, David Luiz and Gabriel Martinelli, and manager Mikel Arteta has said he is not expecting a busy January transfer window:

"I'm not expecting big things"

Mikel Arteta has an update on Arsenal's January transfer plans

More: https://t.co/Nz6WixV2OY pic.twitter.com/ES9ZSyILrY

— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) January 9, 2020

Arteta may have to wait until the summer to make significant changes to his squad but is likely to face plenty of competition if he does want to bring Guimaraes to the Premier League.

Sokratis Papastathopoulos has backed out-of-form Arsenal striker Alexandre Lacazette to fill the void left by Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in their upcoming fixtures after the club's leading scorer this season was sent off at Crystal Palace on Saturday.

The Gunners remain unbeaten in their last three following their trip to Selhurst Park, but another failure to win from a leading position this season left Mikel Arteta's men in 10th in the Premier League.

The Greece centre-back said Lacazette can step up despite having not scored since December 12, per Goal's Charles Watts: "He's a machine. A goal machine. Laca's a very good player. In some games, from the outside, you can't see what he can do. Maybe he is struggling a little bit, but we have to see also how the game is and which guy he has behind him."

Lacazette started his fourth consecutive Premier League game in Week 22 and set up Aubameyang to score the opener early on. The captain was sent off in the 67th minute for a foul on Max Meyer following a review by the video assistant referee:

Aubameyang's suspension will have him miss league games at home to Sheffield United and away to Chelsea as well as their FA Cup fourth-round fixture at Bournemouth on January 27. His 14 goals in the league are joint-second behind Jamie Vardy's 17.

An ankle injury restricted Lacazette's involvement at the start of the season, and a tally of six goals in 19 appearances across all competitions (15 starts) doesn't inspire a great deal of confidence.

The 28-year-old joined Arsenal in 2017 after scoring 113 goals in his last 183 appearances for Lyon, but he's so far failed to score more than 19 goals in a single season for the north Londoners.

Sokratis added: "I think Laca is coming better and better. I think he is a very good player, a massively important player for us. We are with him every time, he is with us and we will show altogether in the future a lot of things." 

Arteta can ill-afford to direct much frustration at Aubameyang for his red card considering they now share a rare piece of Arsenal history, per OptaJoe:

3 - Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is the third Arsenal player to score and be sent off in the same Premier League match, and the first since Mikel Arteta vs Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park in October 2013. Repeat. #CRYARS pic.twitter.com/2Gbh7Z8JpY

— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) January 11, 2020

Lacazette took to Twitter after Saturday's game and showed sympathy for his dismissed team-mate:

Never easy for a player to get sent off. We didn’t get the result we wanted but we’ll use this to keep learning and improving. Thanks for your support 💪🏾♣️🎭 pic.twitter.com/5t1nHxY79y

— Alexandre Lacazette (@LacazetteAlex) January 11, 2020

Whereas Aubameyang is accustomed to playing out wide or as a No. 9, Lacazette forces Arteta's hand given he's featured almost exclusively as a central striker this campaign.

The Frenchman has two Premier League assists this season to Aubameyang's one despite having made 10 fewer starts, and only the Gabon international has more direct goal involvements (15) for Arsenal in the competition.

Football writer Jonny Singer didn't appear to place much faith in Lacazette shouldering the greater attacking burden:

Good point from 1-1 with 10 men. Terrible point from 1-0 up against a team that can’t attack. We stopped playing, can’t deal with any pressure. Lacazette can’t last 60 mins, let alone 90. The midfield can’t cope without Torreira

— Jonny Singer (@Jonny_Singer) January 11, 2020

Arsenal sit mid-table in the Premier League after 22 games and were braced for tough fixtures against Sheffield and Chelsea that have been made all the more complicated by Aubameyang's absence.

Arsenal shouldn't expect many new signings, if any, during the January transfer window. Manager Mikel Arteta believes it will be hard to get deals over the line despite the club's best efforts.

Arteta offered a bleak assessment about the prospect of signings after watching the Gunners draw 1-1 away to Crystal Palace in the Premier League on Saturday. The Spaniard told TalkSport (h/t Jake Polden of the Daily Mirror): "At the moment there is nothing coming up. The club is working on a few things but you know how difficult this window is and I'm not expecting many things."

Rather than count on the hope of new signings, Arteta is content to look to the players he has to help boost Arsenal's season: "I'm expecting big things from the players I have at the moment, the players that are recovering from injuries. That's the biggest expectations from my side, they're there."

There's no doubt injuries at key positions have stretched the Gunners. Hector Bellerin remains out at right-back, with his absence forcing midfielder Ainsley Maitland-Niles to continue playing out of position.

Arsenal are also without left-back Kieran Tierney, with the former Celtic man recovering after dislocating his shoulder in December. Tierney and Bellerin's absences have put a strain on an already-suspect defence dealing with the loss of versatile Calum Chambers, who faces a lengthy spell out following surgery to repair a ruptured ACL.

There are also issues in midfield after Lucas Torreira needed to be replaced at half-time against the Eagles. Arteta confirmed Uruguayan enforcer Torreira suffered a "muscle injury," per Max Jones of the club's official website.

Losing Torreira is a blow because there isn't another natural ball winner for the Arsenal engine room. The former Sampdoria man has been revitalised since Arteta took charge and restored him to his natural holding role:

🇺🇾 ¡Felicidades Lucas! 🦁

🏆 You have named @LTorreira34 as your Player of the Month, with our Uruguayan midfielder claiming 37% of the total votes cast 👏 pic.twitter.com/6ER14hmlSE

— Arsenal (@Arsenal) January 8, 2020

Torreira remains key because his ability to sit deep and screen the defence allows the full-backs to get forward and help the rest of the midfield lead Arteta's high press.

Arteta may not be able to turn to a similar type of midfielder, but he can supplement the numbers by getting Dani Ceballos back up to speed. The Real Madrid loanee has been dealing with a hamstring problem since November but is back in training.

Arteta has challenged Ceballos to give him a selection dilemma. If Ceballos plays, it's likely to be further forward, according to the Arsenal chief, per Metro: "I like him more when he's closer to the box rather than always coming deep to receive the ball. He's a very creative player, a player who in the final third can cause problems."

Turning to Ceballos or academy graduate Joe Willock would underline Arteta's commitment to looking for internal solutions to improve his team. The same policy may be needed up front after leading goalscorer Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was red-carded against Palace.

Aubameyang opened the scoring but was dismissed after VAR judged his tackle on Max Meyer worthy of a red. The striker apologised afterwards but faces a suspension:

💛 @Aubameyang7 #CRYARS pic.twitter.com/pbY1MSZnq9

— Arsenal (@Arsenal) January 11, 2020

Coping without Aubameyang won't be easy despite the presence of Alexandre Lacazette. The Frenchman has been a proven goalscorer for most of his career but has found the net just five times in the league this season.

Arsenal's only obvious cover for Lacazette comes from 18-year-old Gabriel Martinelli and Eddie Nketiah, 20.

Up front is just one area where the Gunners could use a new signing. Arteta may be confident about what he has, but Arsenal look thin for a squad still hoping to finish fourth and also having the UEFA Europa League and FA Cup to play for.

Mikel Arteta has been counting the cost of losing two of his most important players, holding midfielder Lucas Torreira and prolific striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, after Arsenal's 1-1 draw with Crystal Palace on Saturday.

Torreira was withdrawn with an injury during the break at Selhurst Park. Aubameyang was shown a red card in the 67th minute after a VAR review upgraded his initial booking for a reckless challenge on Palace midfielder Max Meyer.

Arteta offered an update on Torreira's condition following the game:

Mikel Arteta on Torreira's injury: "It's a muscle injury and we'll have to assess that with the doctors." #CRYARS

— Dan Mountney (@JournoDanM) January 11, 2020

Torreira's departure blunted the Gunners, who were in firm control for most of the opening 45 minutes. Matteo Guendouzi replaced the Uruguayan, and Arsenal's pressing game suffered after the restart.

Arteta's decision to put Torreira back in his natural defensive-midfield role has made the Gunners tougher to beat. Torreira has provided a platform for Granit Xhaka and Mesut Ozil to boss possession further forward.

Fortunately for Arsenal, Torreira didn't appear seriously hurt, per James Olley of the London Evening Standard:

Just seen Lucas Torreira boarding the team bus to leave Selhurst Park unaided, even stopping to sign autographs so would suggest first signs are his injury isn’t too serious.

— James Olley (@JamesOlley) January 11, 2020

Guendouzi is similarly neat in possession, but he lacks the tackling capability of Torreira. The former entered the game with the visitors protecting a slender 1-0 lead given to them by Aubameyang's 12th-minute goal.

However, the task of building on the lead became insurmountable once Arsenal's leading goalscorer was dismissed by referee Paul Tierney, who had initially deemed the incident with Meyer only worthy of a yellow card.

There were shades of Arsenal legend Arsene Wenger's infamous selective vision in Arteta's first response when asked about the foul, according to Darren Lewis of the Daily Mirror:

Mikel Arteta to BT Sport after the Aubemayang tackle (which was right in front of him and replayed on the Selhurst Park big screen afterwards): "I haven't seen it." #learnedfromWenger

— Darren Lewis (@MirrorDarren) January 11, 2020

However, Arteta soon accepted the culpability of his skipper once he'd viewed the challenge:

Mikel Arteta on Aubameyang's red card: "I've just seen it and it looked nasty to be fair. Auba isn't like that. It's a massive blow to lose him." #CRYARS

— Dan Mountney (@JournoDanM) January 11, 2020

It's a fair assessment of what was an ill-judged decision from Aubameyang. He was late and went over the top of the ball when trying to dispossess Meyer on the touchline.

Aubameyang made studs-first contact with the playmaker's ankle. Afterwards, further detail was provided on why VAR had prompted a change of Tierney's ruling:

Official VAR clarification on Aubameyang's red card: "The VAR looked at the incident and determined that the point of contact and the intensity of the challenge endangered the safety of the opponent and recommended upgrading the yellow card to a red card for serious foul play."

— James Olley (@JamesOlley) January 11, 2020

Arteta may be understating the case regarding the impact of Aubameyang's impending absence, even though he called it a "massive blow." The 30-year-old has shouldered the goalscoring burden for most of this season.

Aubameyang netted his 16th goal in all competitions when he opened the scoring against the Eagles. Of those goals, 14 have come in England's top flight, with the number scored on his travels only underlining Aubameyang's significance:

No player has scored more Premier League goals away from home this season (9) than Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

Arsenal have scored 12 in total. pic.twitter.com/PDm1RvlUFQ

— Squawka (@Squawka) January 11, 2020

Replacing Aubameyang's goals won't be easy, especially since fellow striker Alexandre Lacazette is still struggling for form. The Frenchman has scored just five times in the league and last found the net during the 2-1 home defeat to Brighton and Hove Albion on December 5.

Getting Lacazette back among the goals now becomes a priority. Arteta will also want more goal involvements from club-record signing Nicolas Pepe, while 18-year-old Brazilian Gabriel Martinelli has shown some quality as a finisher.

Aubameyang faces being banned for at least Arsenal's home game against Sheffield United on January 18. The Blades have conceded just 21 times this season, and they will pose a daunting challenge to a forward line missing its talisman.

If Aubameyang's scoring instincts are missed for longer, along with Torreira's tenacity and defensive nous, the Gunners will slip further out of the race for a top-four finish. They could also find their place in the FA Cup in jeopardy, with a tricky trip to Bournemouth looming in the fourth round.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has challenged Dani Ceballos to force his way back into the team.

The midfielder, on loan from Real Madrid, has not featured under the new boss having been injured since November.

Per Goal's Charles Watts, Arteta confirmed the 23-year-old is ready to play again:

"I know him really well from Spain. I watched him many, many times. He always wants the ball, he has big personality to play. I like him.

"He is getting much closer to the fitness levels that I expect from him to be competing with his team-mates. Obviously, he had a long-term injury and he had an adaptation to this league.

"But he is a player that can fit our style, and now he needs to make a step forward and make things difficult for me and my selection. Now he is ready to step in."

Ceballos joined the Gunners in the summer on a season-long loan from Real, where he struggled to get on the pitch under Zinedine Zidane.

The Frenchman handed him just 22 appearances in the 2017-18 season. When Zidane returned to Madrid last March, Ceballos featured in only three of their final 11 matches of the season, having played 31 times under Julen Lopetegui and Santiago Solari.

Ceballos quickly impressed at the Emirates Stadium with an outstanding performance against Burnley on his full debut, in which he set up both goals in a 2-1 win.

Football statistician Dave O'Brien shared the numbers behind his showing, while Football.London's James Benge was in awe:

Dani Ceballos’s game by numbers vs. Burnley:

90% pass accuracy
25 final third passes
4/4 take-ons
3 key passes
3 fouls won
2 assists

Dream debut. 🇪🇸 pic.twitter.com/N9YyDLCP87

— Statman Dave (@StatmanDave) August 17, 2019

Will happily fork out £100 cash to keep Dani Ceballos beyond this season. One of those performances where you're looking around at the people sat near you, struggling to believe what you've just seen.

— James Benge (@jamesbenge) August 17, 2019

However, as the team proceeded to struggle, he had difficulty reaching that level again. He last featured on November 2, before a hamstring injury kept him out for the remainder of 2019.

Ceballos has since made the bench in the Gunners' first two matches of 2020, though.

Reach PLC football editor Tom Marshall-Bailey was hoping to see him in Arsenal's 1-0 FA Cup win over Leeds United on Monday:

Has only just returned from a lengthy spell on the sidelines but surprised Ceballos isn’t getting a runout tonight. Still feel he has a lot to offer Arsenal despite many almost seeming to forget about him. Seems like the perfect fit for what Arteta wants his midfield to do/be.

— Tom Marshall-Bailey (@TomMarshall_B) January 6, 2020

The Spaniard is a dynamic and creative player who looks to progress the ball up the pitch with impressive dribbling skill, and he works hard to press opponents and regain possession, too.

Arsenal have been crying out for a player in that mould, particularly since Aaron Ramsey left for Juventus last summer, so Ceballos can carve out a place for himself if he can rediscover his best form.  

Arsenal midfielder Mesut Ozil has said the club's new manager Mikel Arteta is trying to reinstall the classic "virtues" of the club.

Arteta stepped in as boss in December and has won two of his first four games in charge of the club, beating Manchester United and Leeds United in their previous encounters.

Under former head coach Unai Emery, Ozil fell out of favour and struggled to get minutes, although since Arteta came in, the playmaker has started four games in succession.

Speaking about the new manager, Ozil said he's pleased to see that Arteta's coaching falls in line with the classic Gunners mantras, per James Olley of the Evening Standard:

"It is basically getting us back to the old Arsenal virtues. Having the possession, being in control of the game, having the ball all the time.

"These are the things that he is working on with us, and you can see it—everyone is smiling, laughing, enjoying their time at the moment and this has made us be successful now.

"We are really enjoying everything at the moment. You can see we have a structure on the pitch now. Everyone knows what their job is on the pitch and we are very happy to have won these two games [against United and Leeds]."

Although Ozil appears to have earned the full trust of Arteta early in his tenure, his performances remain inconsistent.

Per BBC 5 Live Sport, in the 1-0 win over Leeds, the 31-year-old struggled to make an impact on the contest early on:

Mesut Ozil had 13 touches in the first half.

ONE came in the attacking third. He was taking a corner 🙁

📲: https://t.co/yQ4AOijRWq#ARSLEE #FACup pic.twitter.com/c1R7PHt2HJ

— BBC 5 Live Sport (@5liveSport) January 6, 2020

However, when he was taken off in the second period, the Emirates Stadium crowd showed their appreciation for the Arsenal No. 10:

Excellent to see controlled aggression from the Arsenal side in this second half as Mesut Ozil is replaced by Joe Willock to a resounding round of applause. Forner Gunner Luke Ayling is replaced by Leeds. Good to see knowledgeable Gooners give him a deserved clap

— Layth (@laythy29) January 6, 2020

Ever since Ozil arrived in north London in 2013, he's been a conundrum for all coaches, including Arsene Wenger and Emery.

Although the midfielder boasts incredible natural talent, technical skill and a vast passing range, often he's been difficult to fit into a cohesive unit. Ozil's defensive work has been questioned, while he's also frequently struggled against high-profile opponents.

Per The Tactical Times, it's encouraging for Arteta that he's been able to get more from Ozil off the ball:

At the top of Mikel Arteta's CV achievements section it should read: 'I had Mesut Ozil pressing from attacking midfield within 2 weeks'.

— The Tactical Times (@Tactical_Times) January 1, 2020

The early signs have been positive for Ozil under the new manager, as it appears the coach is willing to use the German in his preferred role. The challenge for the midfielder will be to reward that faith with some strong displays.

Arsenal are in action in the Premier League again on Saturday when they visit Crystal Palace for what could be a potentially difficult encounter. Arteta will be hoping Ozil's quality can be decisive in the match at Selhurst Park.  

Mikel Arteta believes Granit Xhaka has been talked into performing a U-turn over the idea of leaving Arsenal during the January transfer window.

The Gunners chief recounted how conversations with the playmaker may have helped Xhaka, who has been linked with Hertha Berlin, decide to stay in north London.

Arteta said he spoke with Xhaka about his relationship with Arsenal fans and feeling wanted by the club, per Tommaso Fiore of Sky Sports:

"I wanted him to hear from me my opinion on him, and that I was ready to support him and that I was ready to push the club to be supportive of him too, because I thought he could be a really, really good player for us and he could enjoy playing under me in this football club. I tried to convince him that way. He thought about it, he had a very positive response afterwards, and I think he changed his mind."

Arteta was aware Xhaka had endured his issues with sections of the club's fans. However, Arteta said dealing with problems like these is a fact of life in the modern game: "Every club has its own issues. Some things come within the club, some within the media, some from social media."

Gauging Xhaka's feelings was important after he clashed with home supporters when Arsenal were held to a 2-2 draw by Crystal Palace back in October. The Switzerland international later apologised and explained that he'd been affected by social media abuse aimed at his wife and daughter, but the incident ultimately cost Xhaka the captaincy.

Losing the armband happened under Unai Emery, who was sacked in November and briefly replaced by interim chief Freddie Ljungberg. The Swede made way for Arteta in December, and the Spaniard quickly made it clear he wanted Xhaka to stay. 

Arteta's proclamation of faith in Xhaka led to a swift upturn in the player's form:

Granit Xhaka for Arsenal vs. Bournemouth:

• Most touches (109)
• Most passes completed (89)
• Most passes in opp. half (59)
• Most passes into final third (20)
• =Most tackles made (2)
• =Most interceptions (2)

A new start with Mikel Arteta? pic.twitter.com/GDgWeg2h4q

— Squawka (@Squawka) December 26, 2019

Yet despite the immediate impact, rumours persisted Xhaka would soon leave Arsenal. The 27-year-old's agent even went as far as publicly confirming Hertha's interest:

Granit Xhaka’s agent Jose Noguera to Blick: “I will say it frankly and honestly, we are in agreement with Hertha BSC and would like to go to Berlin.” The Arsenal midfielder will likely become Hertha Berlin’s record signing in January. #AFC #hahohe

— Ronan Murphy (@swearimnotpaul) December 27, 2019

Reports of offers from the German top flight soon surfaced from various sources:

Arsenal are demanding €40m for Granit Xhaka, with Hertha BSC having bid €35m so far, according to Sky in Italy.

How much is he worth? 💰 pic.twitter.com/PSX0sCD0Q6

— GOAL (@goal) December 28, 2019

Hertha Berlin’s offer to Arsenal for Granit Xhaka is a loan with a €30m option to buy, according to L’Équipe. More follows.

— Get French Football News (@GFFN) December 30, 2019

Nothing concrete ever materialised in regard to Xhaka's mooted switch to the German capital. Instead, he has become the fulcrum of Arteta's changing and improving Arsenal side.

His technique, range of passes and renewed application have been vital to the pressing and possession Arteta has emphasised since taking over. Xhaka's improvement was underlined by his terrific display during the 2-0 win over Manchester United on New Year's Day.

Granit Xhaka's https://t.co/ooXzmfX2Vp rating of 7.42 vs Manchester United last night was his highest in a Premier League game for Arsenal since last March (also vs Manchester United) pic.twitter.com/HFlA7zQMRx

— WhoScored (@WhoScored) January 2, 2020

His distribution was efficient, while the former Borussia Monchengladbach man rarely wasted a chance to harass United players, lead the press and win the ball. In tandem with Lucas Torreira, who has excelled since being restored to the holding role by Arteta, Xhaka has helped form the kind of consistent and secure midfield base the Gunners have lacked for too long.

Keeping him in the fold maintains the strength and quality in Arsenal's engine room. It also offers further endorsement of the positive steps Arteta has taken during his initial days in the job, proving he can motivate under-performing players and sell them on his ability to rebuild the Gunners.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has reaffirmed his intention to keep Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang at the club in January despite speculation of a transfer to Barcelona or Inter Milan.

Robert Warlow and Art De Roche of Football.London cited recent links with both European giants and provided comment from Arteta after he was quizzed on Aubameyang's future at the Emirates Stadium.

The Gunners boss told reporters on Thursday: "My intention is to keep Auba because with him we are closer to winning football matches. He's very happy here. We're not thinking to sell. There's nothing concluded on the table."

A transfer to either Barca or Inter seems unlikely at this juncture considering each club has a world-class striker leading their lines in Luis Suarez and Romelu Lukaku, respectively.

Aubameyang spoke to the club's official matchday programme before Monday's 1-0 FA Cup win over Leeds United, and he hinted at his frustration with rumours of a departure, via ITV:

Arsenal captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang addresses recent speculation about his future in his programme notes 💬🔴 pic.twitter.com/0YUgzEb0sT

— ITV Football (@itvfootball) January 6, 2020

He added: "I would like to react to some of the rumours that are going around about in the media. People like making up stories and they should focus on what's happening on the pitch. They talk too much and it does my head in!"

Questions were asked of Arsenal's £56 million signing after he recently went on a run of just four goals in 11 top-flight games, coinciding with the club's miserable patch of only one win in 15 matches. 

Aubameyang now has 13 league goals to his name this season and is one of only two non-English players in the division with more than 10—Liverpool's Senegalese star, Sadio Mane, is the other—per The Independent:

Top goal scorers in the Premier League this season:

1️⃣ Jamie Vardy = 1️⃣7️⃣ 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿
2️⃣ P E Aubameyang = 1️⃣3️⃣ 🇬🇦
2️⃣ Danny Ings = 1️⃣3️⃣ 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿
4️⃣ Tammy Abraham = 1️⃣2️⃣ 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿
4️⃣ Marcus Rashford = 1️⃣2️⃣ 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿
6️⃣ Harry Kane = 1️⃣1️⃣ 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿
6️⃣ Raheem Sterling = 1️⃣1️⃣ 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 pic.twitter.com/a5pglNzmzF

— Indy Football (@IndyFootball) January 2, 2020

The Gabon international scored in each of his first two Premier League appearances under Arteta, who has led Arsenal to successive domestic wins for the first time since September.

The former Manchester City assistant has swiftly earned something of a reputation for his tough-love approach as a manager in north London.  

The Spaniard recently expressed his willingness to let his players know when he's unhappy, something that may not have been as forthcoming with his predecessor, Unai Emery:

Honesty's the best policy.

👔 @m8arteta pic.twitter.com/6TQSsjLwiX

— Arsenal (@Arsenal) January 7, 2020

Arteta clinched his first Premier League win as a manager when Arsenal defeated Manchester United 2-0 at home on New Year's Day, but the Gunners will be on the road when they visit Crystal Palace on Saturday.