Fabrizio Romano warns Arsenal must avoid January transfer for star Mikel Arteta loves despite Paolo Maldini comparison.

Arsenal should not pursue ace Mikel Arteta in January, despite the comparison to Paolo Maldini.Mikel Arteta continues to formulate his strategies for the January transfer window at Arsenal, where reinforcements are required in a number of positions.As Mikel Arteta established himself at London Colney prior to his debut summer at Arsenal, the Spaniard was confronted with an incalculable number of obstacles. Sincerely, the Gunners’ playing staff had fallen short of its former caliber.

In December of 2019, Arteta took over for Unai Emery of the north Londoners, who were eleventh in the Premier League standings. Contributing to the Gunners’ eighth-place finish and FA Cup triumph were eight victories in the second half of the season, which included triumphs over Manchester United, Liverpool, West Ham, and Newcastle.

Attempt to mold Arteta’s squad had begun its run to a strong finish to the 2019–20 season with the acquisitions of Gabriel Magalhaes, Thomas Partey, Willian, and Martin Odegaard. Fans will nonetheless recall Arsenal’s unsuccessful attempt to acquire Chris Smalling.

After experiencing setbacks at Manchester United, the center-back’s career was rejuvenated by a fruitful loan stint at AS Roma. His strength and speed rendered him an ideal candidate for Italian football, and Arteta was evidently a fan.After months of rumors and conjecture, AS Roma completed the transfer permanently for £18 million. Three years later, the Gunners have two of the league’s finest central defenders and are among the elite in the Premier League.

Ahead of the January transfer window, it is now anticipated that Smalling will depart Roma after four years with the club. Despite the fact that clubs in the Saudi Pro League are monitoring him, rumors indicate he may seek to return to England.Arsenal are currently not even tangentially associated with any interest in signing the 33-year-old. However, there is a reason why Arteta and Edu Gaspar should abstain entirely from the notion of acquiring an experienced defender to enhance the depth behind William Saliba and Gabriel.Smalling, who assisted Roma in winning the inaugural UEFA Conference League in his previous 85 appearances over the past two seasons, has been confined to the bench for the majority of this campaign.

Smalling, also referred to as “Smalldini” in Italy, has been sidelined with knee tendonitis since the third match of the current campaign. It is anticipated that the defender may be sidelined until the new year due to his hesitancy to experiment with different therapeutic approaches that could assist in his recovery.

After experiencing a series of misfortunes, Arsenal will prioritize averting players with a history of sustaining injuries in their transfer strategy. Last season, a lengthy injury to Saliba prevented Arteta and the club from claiming their first Premier League championship since 2004. This fact will be remembered by many.