5 players that could leave Arsenal in the January transfer window

We've barely even stepped into January and already the Arsenal rumour mill has gone into overdrive.

The Gunners squad is in need of a massive overhaul, and while Mikel Arteta can be pleased with his side's upturn in form over the past few weeks, shifting the deadwood at the Emirates Stadium undoubtedly remains his biggest challenge at the club.

With Sead Kolasinac and William Saliba already securing temporary moves away from north London, we've taken a look at some of the other players who could be set to follow suit in heading for the Emirates exit door over the coming weeks.

Mesut Ozil

Potential Destination: Fenerbahce
Potential Transfer Fee: Free

Could this finally be in the end of the most boring transfer saga in Premier League history?

Well, we say transfer saga, it's not really been a transfer saga at all, more Arsenal's inept contract department handing out a ludicrously huge deal to a player whose influence on the first team was already beginning to wane, then suddenly regretting it.

The German has been strongly linked with a move to MLS, however, a switch to Turkey seems to be most likely, and if the Gunners can shift him off the wage bill now instead of waiting for his contract to expire in the summer, they can count it as good business - kinda.

Sokratis Papastathopoulos

Potential Destination: Olympiacos, Genoa
Potential Transfer Fee: £2m

We've already mentioned two defenders who've rubber stamped temporary deals away from the club this January, now to those who cold be set to secure permanent moves away.

For all Arsenal's transfer team have been an utter shambles in recent years, their splurging of cash on useless centre-backs has undoubtedly been their signature piece.

Sokratis Papastathopoulos was signed from Borussia Dortmund for £18m in 2018, and in truth he looked past his best from the moment he arrived at the club.

Greek side Olympiacos are said to be interested in snapping up the 32-year-old, and if Arsenal can get absolutely any of the fee back they paid for him they can count themselves lucky.

Shkodran Mustafi

Potential Destination: Barcelona
Potential Transfer Fee: £5m

Onto the next episode of useless centre-backs that Arsenal paid ridiculous money for - probably needs some work on the title but it's a work in progress.

This could literally just be a copy and paste job from the above section. In fairness to Shkodran Mustafi, he perhaps wasn't past his best when he arrived at Arsenal, he just never really had a best.

Barcelona have been linked with the centre-back in recent months, and while they've denied they're pursuing him any further, an injury to Gerard Pique and their lack of financial clout might mean they've not got many better options - incredibly.

Calum Chambers

Potential Destination: Fulham
Potential Transfer Fee: £7m

For all we've mocked Arsenal centre-backs, Calum Chambers is a rare breed in that he's actually not a bad defender, he just doesn't seem to be fancied by Arteta - or any Gunners boss since he arrived in north London for that matter.

The 25-year-old (yes, only 25!) has twice been shipped out of the club on loan deals to Fulham and Middlesbrough, and he's impressed during both spells.

However, both Boro and the Cottagers have been relegated in the respective season he spent with the pair and so a permanent deal hasn't been viable - now we've said that out loud his whole Gunners situation makes a bit more sense.

Fulham are rumoured to be sniffing around him again as they look to bolster their defensive options and it could be a great bit of business for all parties involved.

Reiss Nelson

Potential Destination: Leeds
Potential Transfer Fee: Loan

Arsenal's academy has produced more than its fair share of promising youngsters over the past few years, yet, for all the excitement that surrounds their arrival in the senior setup, the majority tend to fizzle out just as fast.

Reiss Nelson has been in and around the Gunners first-team squad for some time now, though he's yet to really produce a match-winning display that suggests he's here to stay.

A loan move to Leeds has been rumoured, and a change of scenery and the opportunity to play more regular football may be a good option for all involved.