Monday's Arsenal transfer rumours: Gelson Martins and Mesut Ozil
Monday 21 January 2019 08:57, UK
The latest Arsenal news and transfer rumours on Monday January 21, including Gelson Martins and Mesut Ozil.
Arsenal are said to be battling club legend Thierry Henry for the signature of Gelson Martins from Atletico Madrid, according to O Jogo.
Martins was heavily linked with a move to the Emirates Stadium last summer before opting to move from Sporting Lisbon to Spain with Atletico Madrid.
However, the 23-year-old has only started one La Liga game this season, making a further seven appearances off the substitutes' bench.
The report suggests Arsenal are once again interested in the winger but they are set for a battle for his services with Monaco manager and Gunners legend Henry also reportedly keen to sign the player.
Meanwhile, Arsenal fear Hector Bellerin will miss the rest of the season with an anterior cruciate ligament injury, according to the Daily Mail.
The Spanish full-back, who was making his first start since suffering a calf injury last month, went down in the second half after overstretching as he tried to dispossess Chelsea's Marcos Alonso in Saturday's game at the Emirates.
However, head coach Unai Emery has ruled out bringing in a replacement for the defender.
"We have Ainsley (Maitland-Niles), playing with good 'pieces'," Emery said. "He played well today and can help us playing at right-back or right winger. Also Lichsteiner is another player who can play there. We have the players. I don't forget Jenkinson who has played some matches and can be used if we need him."
Finally, Emery has claimed Mesut Ozil still has a role to play over the coming weeks for Arsenal.
Ozil was once again left out of Emery's starting line-up and he did not appear from the bench in the 2-0 win over Chelsea.
"Today I have the confidence with him if he played," Emery said. "I think he could do like we wanted. The next matches we are going to need every player and also his quality."