Arsenal latest: Free agent edges towards transfer as Mikel Arteta sent first-team plea

Arsenal will be desperate to return to winning ways in the Premier League as football.london brings you two big stories surrounding the Gunners

Arsenal will shift their attention to the Premier League after their mid-week Champions League clash with Club Brugge.

Mikel Arteta will be eager for his side to bounce back from last weekend's gut-wrenching 2-1 defeat at Aston Villa, where they conceded a goal in the 95th minute.

Despite still being top of the Premier League table, the Gunners' position is far from secure. Their six-point lead has been cut down to a mere two points, with Manchester City and Villa hot on their heels.

A win against Wolves at home this Saturday is therefore crucial if Arteta hopes to break Arsenal's 21-year title drought.

The festive period is set to bring a flurry of fixtures for an already injury-stricken squad, with the January transfer window also on the horizon. And football.london now brings you two key stories surrounding the title contenders.

Gabriel Jesus plea

Gabriel Martinelli lavished praise on fellow Brazilian Gabriel Jesus this week while pleading for the Arsenal forward to be awarded some minutes on the pitch following his return to action. After suffering an ACL rupture in January 2025, Jesus has been back among the first team.

Jesus, 28, was a vital part of the team in his debut season at the Emirates Stadium after his £45million transfer from Manchester City in 2022, before injuries and a dip in form disrupted his career.

Martinelli, however, is confident Jesus will play a crucial role for Arsenal this campaign. Speaking about Jesus' comeback ahead of the Club Brugge game, he said: "It's really good, I love him!

“I always say that he is one of the best strikers in the world. I’m really happy to have him back.

“It’s great to have him back, not just on the pitch but off it too because you spend less time with the team when you are injured.

“He’s great to play with, he loves to link up and rotate. I hope he gets some minutes in the next game and can show his talent.

“He’s so experienced. He’s played so many games for City, for us, for Brazil. And he’s still so young, I say that to him. It’s really good to have him back, I’m really happy and I hope he can show his talent.”

Tomiyasu's fresh start

Former Arsenal defender Takehiro Tomiyasu is reportedly on the verge of joining Ajax. The Japanese international left north London in July as a free agent after recurring fitness issues, having managed just six minutes of first-team football last season.

The 27-year-old recently underwent knee surgery for the second time in three years. But despite not playing in 14 months, Ajax are now closing in on the Japan international, with Fabrizio Romano claiming on Wednesday the agreement is in its final stages.

It's claimed that Tomiyasu, who joined Arsenal from Bologna in 2021 for £17m, will be handed a short-term deal until June, with the club deciding later whether to renew his contract.