Atletico Madrid forward Joao Felix continues to be linked with a January transfer to Arsenal, with Mikel Arteta and Edu keen to further strengthen the squad in order to boost their title push

Arsenal stepping up Joao Felix transfer talks as Arteta looks to bolster squad. (Photo by Denis Doyle/Getty Images) (Image: Denis Doyle/Getty Images)

The January transfer window could be a season-defining month for Arsenal, who are hoping to win their first Premier League title in 19 years.

Mikel Arteta’s side currently sit five points clear of second-placed Manchester City but injuries to Emile Smith Rowe and Gabriel Jesus mean the Spaniard’s attack is in need of some reinforcements during the winter window. One name that has been mooted as a potential target is Atletico Madrid frontman Joao Felix.

Now, the Telegraph have reported that Arsenal are stepping up their pursuit of Felix, who is available to sign on loan this month. Atletico are said to be demanding a hefty loan fee for the Portuguese international and it is claimed that the size of this fee will determine whether or not Felix joins Arteta and Co.

Felix has struggled to live up to his price tag since signing for Atletico for a whopping £113 million back in the summer of 2019, netting just 34 goals in 130 appearances for the Spanish giants. Still, at just 23-year-old, the talented forward clearly still has plenty of room to improve and Arsenal’s attacking style may be exactly the kind of setup to help get the best out of his attacking potential.

Another attacker that has been heavily linked with a move to north London is Shakhtar Donetsk winger Mykhaylo Mudryk and football.london understands that they saw an offer in the region of £55million including add-ons rejected by Shakhtar, whilst fresh reports have claimed that the Gunners made an improved offer for Mudryk.

The second bid is said to still be short of the Ukrainian side’s asking price, according to Goal, and Shakhtar’s deputy sporting director Carlo Nicolini has explained that the 22-year-old will cost similar to the £85 million Manchester United paid for Brazilian winger Antony last summer.

Speaking to CalcioNapoli24 earlier this week, Nicolini said: “Given that we have no need for transfers, we said in due time that we evaluate the player stronger than some other profiles, such as Antony.

“This is the benchmark. The problem is that Italian clubs don’t take advantage of opportunities, like Milan with Enzo Fernandez, who is now worth over 100 million.

“When you arrive in time on a player you have to sink the shot, otherwise the prices change.”

Source: dailylifeworld.com