Arsenal Nears Arteta Deal as Premier League Teams Plan January Moves

The summer window has shut, but the market hasn’t gone quiet. It’s just gone underground. Across the Premier League, the big hitters are already moving pieces for January, and the picture is starting to sharpen.

At Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester United, Liverpool and Tottenham, the conversations haven’t stopped. They’ve simply changed tone.

Arsenal lock in the project – and hunt the next wave

Arsenal’s most important signing of the season may not wear a shirt number.

Mikel Arteta is “very, very close” to agreeing a new contract, with talks at an advanced stage and both sides aligned over the future. Fabrizio Romano reports discussions are progressing smoothly and that the Spaniard is expected to commit his future to the Emirates.

It is the kind of clarity Arsenal have craved for years. A manager with a defined style, a squad increasingly shaped in his image, and now a long-term agreement on the table. It underpins everything else they are trying to do.

On the recruitment side, Arsenal have already struck a deal for Andria Bartishvili, the latest winger to be labelled “the next Khvicha Kvaratskhelia”, and they are not stopping there. Kenan Yildiz, Julian Alvarez and Eli Junior Kroupi remain on the radar, while Como’s Nico Paz has also been linked.

The Gunners are also casting an eye over Liverpool’s Rio Ngumoha. With Cody Gakpo entrenched on the left and Bradley Barcola arriving on Deadline Day, Ngumoha’s pathway looks crowded. Arsenal are monitoring his situation ahead of January, waiting to see if an opportunity opens.

Another decision looms over Noni Madueke. Limited minutes have drawn the attention of Atletico Madrid and Juventus, who are both weighing up loan moves with a possible option to buy. Arsenal must choose: fight to carve out a bigger role for the winger under Arteta, or let him leave temporarily and risk his value exploding elsewhere. With Madueke tied to a long-term deal, they hold the cards, but not for ever.

Manchester United hit a wall with Kane and pivot at left-back

At Old Trafford, the long-running Harry Kane dream is fading again.

TEAMtalk report that Bayern Munich are increasingly confident of keeping the England captain beyond this season. The German champions believe their relationship with Kane is strong and that he remains committed to their project, even as his contract ticks down towards 2025. United had been prepared to explore a deal running to 2027; that now looks remote.

So United turn to a different problem: left-back.

After missing out on Lewis Hall, who has committed to Newcastle with a new contract, the club have zeroed in on Bournemouth’s Adrien Truffert. The 24-year-old, signed from Rennes and under contract at the Vitality Stadium until 2030, has emerged as a leading candidate to succeed Luke Shaw in the long term.

United have already laid some groundwork and are closely tracking Truffert’s progress. Bournemouth value him at around £60m and have no intention of selling mid-season, which makes a January move highly complicated. A summer deal, though, is starting to feel like the next major structural decision in United’s rebuild.

Chelsea reset their midfield plan

Chelsea’s midfield remains a moving target.

With Enzo Fernandez expected to be replaced in January, the club are reshaping their shortlist. Lamine Camara, once a prominent name, may no longer be the priority. Marc Bernal and Manu Kone have emerged as fresh options, while Bournemouth’s Alex Scott stays on the radar as a long-standing target.

The brief is clear: energy, progression, and a profile that can anchor the next phase of Chelsea’s evolution. The list is long, but the room for error is shrinking.

Liverpool watch the market – and Bayern’s interest

Liverpool sit in a familiar position: contenders on the pitch, opportunists off it.

Camara, who may no longer be at the top of Chelsea’s list, could find Anfield as his next serious destination. The Reds also continue to track Adam Wharton, one of the most admired young midfielders in the country.

At the same time, they are keeping an eye on Bayern Munich’s interest in Florian Wirtz. The German playmaker has admirers across Europe, and Liverpool’s long-term planning has often involved staying close to such situations, even if they are not yet ready to move.

Tottenham’s Richarlison saga and a new powerbroker

Tottenham’s window never really closes; it just changes characters.

Behind the scenes, Spurs are working on the expected appointment of Piero Ausilio as their new sporting director. After more than two decades at Inter, where he worked closely with Roberto De Zerbi, Ausilio is set to step into a pivotal role in north London ahead of the winter window.

His impending departure from Inter has already triggered movement in Milan. Dario Baccin has been promoted to sporting director and is keen to stamp his authority. One of his early ideas? Brighton midfielder Yasin Ayari, who is under contract until 2027 and seen as an attractive, controllable asset. The same reports suggest Ayari was also a player Ausilio himself liked, which hints at the type of profile Spurs may chase once he arrives.

On the pitch, the Richarlison situation continues to twist.

Tottenham were prepared to let the forward leave for Vasco da Gama on deadline day, with the Brazilian club ready to structure a permanent deal that would have allowed him to move abroad again in January. Vasco even proposed a clause giving him an exit route after just a few months, and Spurs were reportedly satisfied with the financial package.

The move collapsed not because of money, but because of Richarlison’s stance. He did not want a permanent transfer. His preferred option was to terminate his Tottenham contract and then join Vasco only until the end of the year, reassessing his options in January. That idea never materialised.

The result is a stalemate. A proposed exit to Everton fell apart. So did a move to Trabzonspor. Now, with no agreement in place and the Brazilian window shut, Richarlison looks set to go up to four months without competitive senior football, stuck in limbo until January offers a way out.

His frustration has already spilled onto social media, especially after Roberto De Zerbi dashed any hopes of a fresh opportunity under him. For a player of his intensity, the coming months will test more than just his patience.

West Ham’s quiet churn

Away from the headline acts, West Ham have been busy in a different way, fine-tuning the edges of their squad.

The club have confirmed that Preston Fearon has joined Forest Green Rovers on a three-month loan, while Ryan Battrum has moved to Southend United on a one-month deal. Small moves, but important ones for player development and squad management as the Hammers navigate a heavy schedule.

The summer may be over, but the boardrooms are already living in January and beyond. Arteta’s pen, United’s left-back conundrum, Chelsea’s midfield rethink, Liverpool’s watchful waiting, Spurs’ new sporting director and Richarlison’s stand-off – all of it feeds into one question.

Who will be brave enough to make the first big move when the window swings open again?