Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has refused to rule out incomings in the January transfer window amid growing injury worries at the club.
The Gunners’ season has been hampered by multiple injury problems to several members of the squad, leaving Arteta short of options for most matches.
In their win over Brighton last weekend, the Spaniard was forced to deploy midfielder Declan Rice as a makeshift right-back, with Ben White and Jurrien Timber sidelined with injury.
Cristian Norgaard also had to fill in at center-back during the EFL Cup quarterfinal win over Crystal Palace last week due to injury problems to the club’s defenders.
Despite spending over £250 million on recruits in the summer, Arteta believes the Gunners must strengthen once again as they look to challenge for trophies on all fronts.
“I don’t know, we’re going to be really aware of the situation and the timescales of certain players, going from the front line to the back line.
That’s the depth that you need. When you look across the other clubs as well, they have 24, 25 squad players, so there’s nothing special in our squad”, Arteta said when asked about the club’s January transfer plans.
“The thing is that we have more injuries than expected, some of them not avoidable, I would say, but we want to be better and we know how important having the right availability with players is going to be in the season.”
Arsenal are top of both the EPL and the UEFA Champions League, while they have also reached the last four of the EFL Cup.
The Gunners are looking to secure a first major title since winning the FA Cup in 2020 – in Arteta’s first season in charge.
“Depending, as I said, on the availability of certain players. The window is there. We’re Arsenal. Now, we have to be looking at it.
“OK, what do we need? We have to be actively looking. And then can we do it or not? That’s a different story, but our job is to always be very prepared because something can happen”, he continued.
Arsenal end their 2025 campaign with a clash against the in-form Aston Villa at the Emirates later tomorrow, as they hope to consolidate their position at the top of the standings.
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