Things aren’t looking well for Arsenal right now. The Gunners suffered a rare defeat to Fleetwood in the fourth round of the EFL Cup. Despite equalizing the score 1-1, the Gunners lost 5-3 on penalties.
This unfortunate outcome might have forced manager Mikel Arteta to seek reinforcements ahead of the January transfer window.
However, the Gunners have been denied the chance to strengthen their frontline on two fronts.
Paris Saint-Germain have decided to extend the contract of French winger Desire Doue, while Club Brugge have made it clear that Nicolo Tresoldi is not for sale, especially in January.
Desire Doue has been playing for Paris Saint-Germain since 2024. His original contract will expire in June 2029. That is why clubs like Arsenal, Chelsea, and Manchester City were aiming to strike a deal with Doue as soon as possible. However, PSG had other plans. The club is in talks with the 21-year-old winger to extend his contract until 2031 or 2032, as per TEAMtalk.
While an official update is yet to be made on the potential deal, Paris Saint-Germain are ready to do whatever it takes to secure the long-term future of one of their most important young players. Besides, Doue has a great international record as well. He was part of the French U23 squad that won the silver medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Doue was also part of Les Bleus squad that made it to the semifinals of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Despite receiving a setback for Doue, Arsenal continued to be optimistic about a potential deal with Tresoldi. The Italian striker has shown his brilliance in the Belgian Pro League. He scored 7 goals in 9 matches for Club Brugge, who are the defending champions of this tournament. His performance attracted the attention of multiple clubs like Manchester City, Liverpool, and Chelsea, who showed their interest in the 21-year-old striker. However, it was Arsenal that was leading the race to secure the Italian.
Unfortunately, Club Brugge would have none of it. As per Goal.com, Club Brugge made it clear that the doors for a potential move for Tresoldi are closed. This means that irrespective of offers, the Italian will not leave the club until the end of the next season. This comes as a major setback for Arsenal, who aimed to strengthen their attacking lineup by January.
However, it is not completely over for the Gunners yet. They are aiming to secure the transfer of Portuguese forward Gustavo Varela. His performance for Monza has made everyone take notice. Arsenal is facing tough competition from clubs like Napoli and Juventus, who have also shown their interest in the young forward. However, the Gunners are determined to bring him to the Emirates by January, come what may.
Apart from Varela, the Gunners are also interested in the American winger Mathis Albert, who has stunned everyone with his performance at Borussia Dortmund. Mikel Arteta would like nothing better than to end 2026 on a golden note, especially in terms of recruiting young, reliable attackers for the Gunners.
