Things were going very well for Arsenal a couple of weeks ago, but two losses in the space of a week mean they will sit a disappointing fourth place on Christmas Day, nine points behind leaders Chelsea.
Not only are the Gunners slipping off the pace of a title challenge, their key stars are also being linked with moves away. Alexis Sanchez is attracting the interest of Manchester City (among other clubs) and has just 18 months left on his current deal, while Mesut Özil finds himself in a similar position. Finding long term replacements for these two could be done in January.
At the back, Arsenal are generally solid, but an injury to the exceptional Shkodran Mustafi has left them a little leaky. They have not kept a clean sheet since October 22nd in the league, and a sturdy addition to the defensive ranks could be wise heading into the new year.
Here at The Boot Room we take a look at three potential targets for Arsene Wenger over the next month…
Jordan Pickford
Arsenal undoubtedly have one of the best goalkeepers in world football at their disposal in Petr Cech, but at 34 and in average form, it may be wise for Arsene Wenger to start looking for a long term replacement.
One name which has come up in the search is 22-year-old Sunderland stopper Jordan Pickford. The youngster has impressed this season with a series of good performances and top saves, keeping Sunderland within touching distance of 17th place when the squad is mostly of Championship level.
The rumours linking Pickford to Arsenal suggest that the young stopper would be sent straight back to Sunderland on loan, before joining up with the squad for good in the summer.
This may just be a great option for the Gunners, who need a quality long term replacement for Cech but not immediately. Pickford would represent a fine signing for the future.