A claim has emerged on Arsenal and their attempts to bolster their squad before the deadline for the January transfer window...

What's the talk?

Fabrizio Romano revealed this morning that Arsenal were not actively working on a deal for Ibrahima Bamba but as deadline day rumbles on, a claim contrary to those original reports has been provided by journalist Chris Wheatley.

He reacted to a cryptic Instagram post from Ibrahima Bamba, which read “He who laughs best laughs last. Life is made up of choices.”, by Tweeting:

"Chelsea and Arsenal among the clubs who have shown interest in the Vitória de Guimarães midfielder."

Earlier this month, it was reported that the Portuguese side value the central midfielder at a fee of £26.5m and it remains to be seen whether or not the Gunners are willing to match that.

Quick reaction

Arsenal have confirmed, on deadline day, that Egypt international Mohamed Elneny has suffered a knee injury and is set for a significant spell on the sidelines heading into the second half of the campaign.

Edu could now react to this latest injury blow by acting on his interest in Bamba and securing a deal ahead of their Premier League rivals Chelsea before the end of play today.

The Vitoria midfielder has been in fine form in Portugal this season and his statistics in the Portuguese top-flight suggest that he could be a good long-term prospect for the Gunners, whilst also replacing Elneny in the short-term.

He has averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.99 and made 3.7 tackles and interceptions per game in 17 appearances in the division, whilst winning an eye-catching 70% of his individual duels.

The gem, who was once dubbed one of Vitoria's "intriguing" pieces by writer Zach Lowe, has showcased his defensive quality and ability to dominate opposition players on the deck in spite of his young age and this indicates that the youngster could be a powerful addition to Mikel Arteta's team.

Elneny has won 67% of his ground duels in the Premier League this term, after winning 60% of his battles in 2021/22, and this suggests that Bamba, who is also an accomplished passer with a success rate of 85% this season, could be an ideal replacement for the Egyptian.

The 20-year-old could replace Elneny's calm passing and dominant defensive play on the deck, whilst also offering a long-term future at The Emirates as he is a youngster with the scope to develop in the years to come.