Three players Arsenal need to loan out in January, including 20-year-old likened to Tomas Rosicky
Arsenal have enjoyed a superb first half of the season, sitting top of the Premier League table and reaching the last 16 of the Europa League.
After the World Cup brought the season to a halt, the Gunners will now be busy on two fronts.
Not only will Arsenal hope to keep up the good work on the pitch, but they’ve also got the January transfer window to content with.
While the Gunners will likely look to bolster their ranks, they’ve also got to think about which players could do with getting experience elsewhere.
Here are three players we reckon Arsenal should send out on loan in the January transfer window.
Albert Sambi Lokonga
Mikel Arteta currently has Thomas Partey and Granit Xhaka as first-choice in midfield, with Mohamed Elneny as back-up.
Arsenal also have Lokonga, but he still hasn’t really done enough to convince Arteta to give him more game time.
The 23-year-old has made just six appearances in the Premier League this term, with just two of those being starts.
Lokonga’s contract runs until 2026, and he’s still young, so he can certainly develop further.
However, he’s going to struggle to get more game time at Arsenal, particularly if the club does sign another CM.
With that in mind, Arteta should look to send him out on loan, ideally to a top-flight team in England or Europe.
Marquinhos
Marquinhos has exceeded expectations since arriving at Arsenal in the summer.
The 19-year-old has already made five senior appearances for the Gunners, registering one goal and one assist.
Marquinhos has also featured for Arsenal’s Under-21s, where he has four goals and two assists.
Put simply, he is too good for the U21s, but he may struggle to get regular game time at first-team level.
Therefore, a loan – again, to another top-flight team in England or Europe – would be the best port of call.
Catalin Cirjan
Unlike Lokonga and Marquinhos, Cirjan remains in the Under-21 picture, but he’s surely due a step up soon.
The 20-year-old midfielder has made 46 appearances for Arsenal at U18 and U21 level.
Cirjan has sadly endured a difficult time over the past year, having suffered multiple knee injuries.
However, he’s now back in action, and has been featuring plentifully in first-team training. He went to the mid-season camp in Dubai too.
A January loan move to an EFL side would see Cirjan get competitive senior football and hone his skills further.
Cirjan, who has been compared to Tomas Rosicky, will hopefully give Arteta food for thought over the coming months.
