"We are trying actively" – Arteta provides latest update on transfer plans
Today at 09:39 AM
Mikel Arteta has confirmed that Arsenal are “actively” seeking reinforcements, though he remained tight-lipped about the specific type of player he's after.
With Bukayo Saka sidelined as he recovers from hamstring surgery and Gabriel Jesus out for the season with an ACL injury, the Gunners are stretched thin in attack, especially with fixtures piling up every three days.
A new striker is already on the summer shopping list, but there's talk of Arsenal accelerating their plans, even if it means paying over the odds this month. That said, January is a notoriously tricky window, and RB Leipzig's swift rebuff of rumoured interest in Benjamin Sesko shows how tough it is to pry key players away mid-season.
Ahead of Saturday's clash with Aston Villa, Arteta was pressed on whether Arsenal can genuinely compete for the title without bolstering the squad.
“At the moment, we don’t have them,” he replied. “We are trying, as I said, actively to find the best possible solution. But we will have to wait and see what we can do.
“Obviously, it [the profile of player] is not something that I’m going to discuss here. We have lost two massive players for us in the front line and we need some support.”
That use of the word “need” sparked a further question from the media who reminded the Spaniard that earlier in the window he’d used the word “want” when referring to targets.
“Obviously, we have more necessity now because of what happened in the last few weeks, that’s obvious,” said Arteta.
As for how hard it is to operate in the January market, he added: “I think it’s more a question for [interim Sporting Director] Jason [Ayto]. I don’t know, but I think we have to do what we think is right and we can do as well and that’s it.
“It’s clear that we would like to improve the squad, especially with what happened, can we do it or not? That depends on a lot of factors.”
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