Arsenal are reportedly the "closest" club to signing a rising star who manager Mikel Arteta personally wants.
Arsenal injury problems
The north Londoners are aiming to challenge Man City for the Premier League crown once again, and have made a fine start with seven wins out of a possible 11 in the top flight. It took the same amount of matches for Arteta to suffer his first defeat of the new campaign, with Newcastle clinching a controversial 1-0 win over the Gunners at St. James' Park last weekend.
Arsenal are looking in fairly good stead, but there are real concerns surrounding their lack of depth going forward. Arteta recently lost both Gabriel Jesus and Eddie Nketiah to injury, Arsenal's only two recognised strikers, with Nketiah sidelined for their win over Sevilla on Wednesday after picking up a knock against Newcastle.
Arsenal are now also waiting to discover the extent of Bukayo Saka's latest injury problem, coming after the England star limped off with a late knock at the Emirates Stadium against Sevilla in the Champions League.
The winger joins Emile Smith Rowe, Martin Odegaard, Jurrien Timber, Thomas Partey and Takehiro Tomiyasu who are suffering various issues right now, and while some are more serious than others, you could make a case that Arsenal should consider January as a possible solution.
Arsenal "closest" to signing Oscar Gloukh
The north Londoners are targeting Brentford star Ivan Toney already, while reports have suggested that Wolves winger Pedro Neto is wanted by Arteta as well. Now, according to a report out of Spain, it is believed the Arsenal manager has another talent in his sights.
Indeed, Arteta apparently "seeks" to sign Oscar Gloukh from Red Bull Salzburg. The 19-year-old, who has played a starring role for Salzburg this term, is on Arsenal's transfer agenda ahead of the winter window.
The teenage midfield sensation has been linked with both Real Madrid and Barcelona, but as things stand, Arsenal are the team "closest" to getting him.
Gloukh has scored four goals and assisted four others in 19 appearances across all competitions so far this term, with the Israeli international attracting interest across Europe as a result.
Gloukh is a "special" talent
Salzburg's rising star has already been praised for his sky-high potential by former Israel star Gil Vermouth, who called the midfielder "special".
"I would have told him not to leave Maccabi Tel Aviv," he said last year.
"Do another season and then leave. Now, I would recommend he leave. If a club signs him and invests in him and takes him on as a project, then there is a chance of success. Gloukh is something special. He needs to examine his options, sit down with his parents and coaches, and decide."
Meanwhile, former Spurs defender Alan Hutton, commenting on Rangers' links to the player for Football Insider, called Gloukh a "really talented" player.
"It has to be a sure thing if you’re that size of transfer fee so I do think it would be a risk for Rangers to go ahead and pay that sort of money, even though all indications point to him being a real talented football player."