Arsenal can still complete one late signing thanks to Premier League rule as deadline revealed

Despite Arsenal having a quiet January transfer window, the club still have enough time to complete one more deal amid links to Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.

The transfer window might have shut for business - but Arsenal still have a short extension to complete one more deal. Alex Oxlade‑Chamberlain, who has spent the past few months training with the Under‑21s, remains eligible to be signed owing to a Premier League rule.

The midfielder's initial deadline to secure a new club is Thursday, February 5. An exception applies if a team leaves any of its 25 senior squad slots unused, when submitting their list on February 5, in which case the date for adding a player extends to March 26.

Arsenal currently have 21 of their 25 senior places filled. Cristhian Mosquera and Myles Lewis‑Skelly are registered as u-21s players.

Oxlade‑Chamberlain is being floated as a potential short‑term fix for Arsenal, especially with Mikel Merino facing a lengthy spell out after suffering a foot injury in the loss to Manchester United that will require surgery.

The ex‑Liverpool and Gunners midfielder has been a free agent since departing Besiktas last summer. Hours before Monday's deadline, the Gunners boss Mikel Arteta refused the possibility of signing Oxlade-Chamberlain as a short-term option.

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Arteta admitted the club are exploring all possibilities, saying: "Of course. I mean, when you lose a big player like this in the squad with four months to go and all the competitions to play for, you need to look.

"We need to do everything that we possibly can, to see if we have a player that is available. And, if we don't, we keep what we have.

"At this level, especially for four months, you have to be a player that has the capacity to adapt immediately and impact the team.

"That's not easy. But if it were easy, we wouldn't be here.

"So, we need to find solutions and try."

Oxlade‑Chamberlain - who spent six years at Arsenal between 2011 and 2017 - has been building up his fitness and even featured in a first‑team session in late January.

Elsewhere, the Gunners managed to agree a double deadline day move for Evan Mooney and Jaden Dixon from St Mirren and Stoke City, respectively.

Meanwhile, Louie Copley, Ethan Nwaneri, Will Sweet all left on loan, while Maldini Kacurri, Oleksandr Zinchenko and Osman Kamara departed on permanent transfers.