Arsenal news live: Arsenal want Isco, Gunners eye new Thierry Henry, Martinelli & Partey latest

Arsenal news and gossip is coming in thick and fast and Sportarena is on hand to bring you all the very latest from Emirates stadium.

Arsenal eye ‘new Thierry Henry’

Arsenal are reportedly positioned themselves in bid to landing exciting young Slavia Prague forward Abdallah Sima.

According to Italian outlet Calciomercato, claimed that the Gunners officials have ‘put his name in the notebook’, and intend to go and watch Sima up close at some point.

It also adds that Italian champions Juventus also interested in signing the 19-year-old forward, who has been labelled the ‘new Henry’ due to his frightening pace and eye for goal.

The young forward has scored 13 goals in 18 appearances this season and is available for £45million.

Arsenal identify Madrid star Isco as creative player to solve their problem

Arsenal are reportedly eyeing out of favour Real Madrid attacking midfielder Isco as a potential answer to their creativity problem.

The Gunners have struggled for goals this season and are in the market for a playmaker in the January transfer window with both Dominik Szoboszlai and Houssem Aouar are reportedly their primary target.

However, the Gunners have missed out on Dominik Szoboszlai after completed his move to RB Leipzig from Salzburg on Thursday, while Houssem Aouar is being heavily linked with Paris Saint-Germain.

And according to Spanish outlet SPORT, claimed Arsenal have joined a list of teams considering a move for Spaniard Isco, who has fallen out of favour at the Bernabeu under Zinedine Zidane.

Everton, Juventus, Sevilla and AC Milan are also said to have interest in the 28-year-old attacking midfielder.

But it is Arsenal who are growing increasingly desperate to find some creativity which he could provide with technical director Edu Gasper recently admitting that is a priority.

The Brazilian told an Arsenal fans’ forum this week: ‘It’s quite clear what we need.

‘We need a player with creativity in the middle, we don’t have that in the squad right now.’

Mikel Arteta provides injury update on ‘special’ Arsenal star Gabriel Martinelli

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has revealed that Gabriel Martinelli is ‘very close’ to being able to make his eagerly anticipated first team return and is confident that the Brazilian’s natural enthusiasm will play a key role in turning his side’s season around.

The Gunners held Southampton to a 1-1 draw at the Emirates on Wednesday and in doing so prevented creating some unwanted history by avoiding a fifth straight home defeat.

Despite that encouraging point, achieved with his side down to 10 men for the third time in five matches, Mikel Arteta’s men remain perilously close to the relegation zone ahead of testing back-to-back fixtures against Everton and Chelsea.

Martinelli joined north London club as a virtual unknown 18 months ago from Ituano and scored 10 goals in all competitions before succumbing to a knee injury which has prevented him from playing in the first team since March.

The 19-year-old did feature for the Under-23s earlier this month against AFC Wimbledon and Mikel Arteta cannot wait to introduce Martinelli to a side which has scored just 11 goals from 13 Premier League games this season.

‘Martinelli is very close to being available and fit to be part of us as well, which is great news,’ said Mikel Arteta ahead of Saturday’s clash with Everton at Goodison Park. ‘We will see what happens.

‘Gabi is pure enthusiasm, energy, belief, charisma and goals. And this is him. He’s around the training ground and he’s around our training sessions and the energy is different because he goes 100 miles per hour.

‘He’s got this passion and his way of playing and he is a threat. He’s a player that we’ve been missing because he brings something special to the team.

‘He’s contagious with his attitude and I think it’s going to be a big boost when we have him.’

Granit Xhaka

The Swiss international will miss the game against Carlo Ancelotti’s side as he serves a suspension for his red card against Burnley on Sunday.

The 26-year-old was dismissed for grabbing Clarets midfielder Ashley Westwood by the throat in the second half of the game against the Clarets last weekend.

It means he is out for three games, the first of which came against the Southampton in midweek.

Xhaka must also watch on from afar for the Everton clash and he will complete his ban by being forced to sit-out Arsenal’s Carabao Cup quarter-final clash with Manchester City at the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday, December 22.

The Swiss should return for the Boxing Day clash with Chelsea at Emirates stadium.

Thomas Partey

Since limping off in the north London derby against Tottenham Hotspur almost a fortnight ago, summer signing Thomas Partey has not featured.

The 27-year-old powerful midfielder has missed the clashes with Dundalk, Burnley and Southampton, meaning Arsenal have deeply missed the quality and aggression he brings to the engine room.

It is unclear what the exact nature of the injury is but the former Atletico Madrid ace is totally ruled out of Everton clash this weekend.

Gabriel Magalhaes

The 22-year-old defender also misses Saturday’s game due to suspension after he was shown a red card in midweek.

The Brazilian star received his marching orders midway through the second half for a second bookable offence.

After Xhaka, Gabriel was the second Arsenal player to be sent off in four days.

The Gunners summer signing apologised to his teammates over social media for the incident, saying: ‘I keep my head up to continue helping my teammates! #gunners’

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