Arsenal’s Arteta keen to strengthen attacking options in January window | Football news
The manager says the club are looking for a new striker to boost their title bid.
Manager Mikel Arteta says he is consulting with his Arsenal players over new signings as the club scrambles to land a striker before the January transfer window closes.
Serious injuries to strikers Gabriel Jesus and Bukayo Saka have increased concerns about the Gunners’ lack of scoring threat as they try to catch Premier League leaders Liverpool.
Arsenal is the only club in the Premier League’s top six without a double-digit scorer. Kai Havertz is their top scorer with eight goals in the first division this season.
Gunners boss Arteta was asked on Friday about the need for reinforcements ahead of his side’s trip to struggling Wolves on Saturday. “We lost two very, very important players, Bukaya Saka and Gabriel Jesus, so we lack goals, we lack people, we lack options in the front line. It’s clear,” he said.
“If we can get the right player, that’s what we’re actively looking for. Any player? No – someone who makes us better and has an impact on the team.”
With the transfer window closing at 23:00 GMT on February 3, Arteta added: “Ideally we need help because we’ve already been very short and we’re even lower. But the team is still dealing with it. We have to do what is good for the club.”
The Spaniard said he consults with his players about potential signings as they can often give him valuable information based on computer data.
“So how did this player behave when he didn’t score in six or seven games? That’s what I’m interested in,” he said. “Watch the interview with a player who hasn’t scored in six games, then what kind of goals he scored, against which teams, in which contexts.
“Is it the first half, the second half? Is it just the right leg. Are they headers? Always only in open spaces? Does he like the physical contact of this league? There’s a lot of stuff, so when you have a player who’s spent a lot of days with it, that’s really valuable information. I always do that.”
Premier League table after the 22nd round 👀 pic.twitter.com/SprwFXd21F
— Premier League (@premierleague) January 21, 2025
Arteta believes Arsenal, who have finished second to Manchester City in the last two seasons, are a realistic challenger to Liverpool, who are six points clear at the top with a game in hand.
Last weekend, Arne Slot’s team scored twice in stoppage time beat Brentford while Arsenal took a 2-0 lead in the draw against Aston Villa.
“The margins are really, really small,” Arteta said. “You could see how things could have gone last weekend and the milestones are minimal and the difference certainly looks very different.
“We have to be in it. We have to do what is in our hands, and we still have a long, long way to go.”
Ready? 🫵 pic.twitter.com/SUMSGwyFLT
— Premier League (@premierleague) January 24, 2025
