Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has blocked two outgoings from North London this January.

That's according to new reports that claim the champions are having to fend off interest from European giants for some of their biggest stars who have started the season slowly.

With the Gunners now top of the league and in a strong position to go deep in the Champions League, it appears that Arteta wants to keep the squad that won him the Premier League last term.

Arsenal won't be selling in January

It may only just be November, but Arsenal midfielder Martin Zubimendi has been linked with an Emirates Stadium exit this January since the transfer window last closed.

The 2026 World Cup winner signed for Arteta last summer ahead of the likes of Liverpool, Real Madrid and Barcelona in a huge coup for the club, but has already found himself fourth in the pecking order in midfield, following the emergence of Myles Lewis-Skelly as an option in the engine room and the signing of Bruno Guimaraes over the summer.

Now, Sport Witness have reported that Arteta has had to block Zubimendi leaving in the winter window along with Piero Hincapie, whose start to the season has been interrupted by injury and the excellent form of fellow left-back, Riccardo Calafiori.

Hincapie originally joined on loan from Bayer Leverkusen in the same window as Zubimendi, becoming a valuable first-teamer by the end of the season and starting in the Champions League final ahead of Calafiori, before the Gunners made his signing permanent.

Now, reports from Spain have claimed that Barcelona would like to bring the versatile Ecuadorian to Catalonia in the midst of their defensive crisis – but that Arteta doesn't want to deplete his squad and sanction the sale.

The Gunners boss is equally “reluctant” to let Zubimendi go, having invested a lot of effort in his signing and fought off heavy competition, with FourFourTwo understanding that Arsenal see his role potentially increasing as the season progresses.

Last term, the Basque controller was almost ever-present alongside Declan Rice in the middle of the park, before suffering burnout and dropping to the bench in favour of Lewis-Skelly – with Arteta recognising that he could well push himself into the first-team picture once again, if the reverse happens this season.

The Premier League champions understand that to compete for the biggest prizes this season, they will likely need to bring in players in January rather than sell, having left themselves somewhat short in attacking areas over the summer.

Gabriel Martinelli, Gabriel Jesus and Leandro Trossard all left before the season began, with just Christos Tzolis replacing the trio and Eberechi Eze given more of a chance to play on the left wing.

Arsenal travel to Slavia Prague as Champions League action continues tonight.