While Arsenal have spent January finding as many new ways as possible to keep themselves in the headlines, rivals Tottenham Hotspur have been remarkably quiet.

It's awfully similar to how things were in the summer as Arsenal dealt with the potential sale of Alexis Sanchez and the eventual sale of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain all while breaking their transfer record for Alexander Lacazette.

Things carried on into the season after Sanchez stayed and have moved straight on into the winter transfer window.

This month has once again been dominated by Sanchez - although it's now Manchester United that he's set to move to rather than Manchester City - while replacements look to arrive in the forms of Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

Spurs, however, have seemed quite content to stick with what they've got, with Mauricio Pochettino eager to keep his team together and settled.

They did sign defender Davison Sanchez at the end of the summer window, taking their time to mull over the deal before eventually pulling the trigger on a £42 million move for Ajax's player of the season.

Winter hasn't seen much of anything though - not that much was expected anyway - but now things are heating up over one potential move.

That alone would excite Spurs fans, but the fact that it's over an Arsenal target is even better.

That target is Bordeaux's Brazilian wonderkid Malcom, with Tottenham hatching a plan to lure him to the club before Arsenal can make a move in the summer.

The Mirror reports that, much like they did with Dele Alli's transfer from MK Dons, Spurs are happy to complete a deal in this window and immediately loan the player back to his current club - something that has received a boost with the news that Malcom would prefer a move to Tottenham.

It's a deal that would be far more tempting for Bordeaux, too, allowing them to deal with the player's future while not upsetting the season by losing their most exciting player.

Arsenal would be unable to offer the same kind of agreement. The imminent sale of Sanchez leaves Arsene Wenger's side in need of immediate additions to a squad that's already looking off the pace in the race for the top four.

Aubameyang and Mkhitaryan represent the required experience, too, able to provide what they need now; Arsenal surely don't have time for the patience needed with a 20-year-old talent.

It's certainly the safer option for Arsenal, but one they could end up regretting immensely should Malcom still end up in North London.