Arsenal have three more January names on the list. The Independent reports that the Gunners are looking at Atletico Madrid’s Alex Baena, RB Leipzig’s Antonio Nusa and Bournemouth’s Eli Junior Kroupi as possible wide signings, according to the BBC’s Wednesday gossip column, which summarises the papers. No fee is reported for any of the three.

The Independent describes Baena as a 25-year-old Spain midfielder, Nusa as a 21-year-old Norway winger and Kroupi as a 20-year-old French forward. Three different profiles, which suggests a search for options rather than one named target. The same column carries Endrick, whom talkSPORT links with a January move, so the list is getting long.

Kroupi is the name with the longest paper trail

The BBC’s gossip column of 2 November says the Mirror reported that Arsenal want Kroupi in January but face competition from Bayern Munich and Paris St-Germain for him. The same item says the Mirror also links Juventus winger Kenan Yildiz, 21, with Arsenal, though Mikel Arteta is focused on adding striking options. So the Mirror reads Kroupi as a striker signing, while the Independent lists him among the wide options. Both can be true if Arteta wants someone who can play across the front line.

Kroupi is the sensible one to chase. He is the only name of the three that two separate papers have tied to Arsenal in the past ten days, and with Bayern and PSG reported to be in the frame, he will not come cheap. Nusa and Baena look more like back-up plans.

The fee and the contract

Credibility check

Two national papers, relayed as gossip by the BBC, report interest. That is the lowest stage: none of it is a bid or talks, and no fee is named.

Arsenal’s own contract work is moving in parallel, with TEAMtalk reporting new deals for Rice, Odegaard and Timber before January.

When the window opens

Arsenal’s website says the January window opens on 1 January 2027 and closes at 11pm UK time on 1 February. Arsenal’s next league game is at Newcastle on Saturday 21 November.