Arsenal prepared to make January signings to reinforce title challenge

Mikel Arteta thinks his current squad is ‘exposed’ due to injuries and says club will do what is needed to become ‘stronger’

Mikel Arteta has said Arsenal will be prepared to enter the transfer market next month, as the club’s decision-makers work to finalise their list of potential targets.
Arteta believes his squad is currently “exposed” because of injury issues and suggested that the recovery of those absent players could determine Arsenal’s transfer activity in January.
Arsenal are currently without versatile defenders Takehiro Tomiyasu and Jurrien Timber, while key midfielder Thomas Partey also remains absent. Tomiyasu is set to represent Japan at the upcoming Asian Cup, while Partey is expected to be at the African Cup of Nations with Ghana.
The injuries have left Arsenal short in defensive positions, although finances are tight after their enormous summer spend of more than £200 million on Declan Rice, Kai Havertz and Timber.
Arsenal could therefore have to wait for offers for their fringe players before being able to move for another high-profile addition.
Asked if Arsenal would be able to sell any players in January, Arteta said: “Well, at the moment it is very difficult. We are really short. We have positions that have been very exposed for the last six weeks and hopefully we are going to get players back.
“In what condition and when? That is a question mark as well, because we have some long-term injuries still for certain players that give us a lot of versatility, and that is an issue.
“We have certain targets, ideas if things happen. As well, we don’t know how the squad is going to look in two weeks – and you always have to be prepared for that.
“But it is a very, very tricky market that shifts very quickly. And it is quite unpredictable as well, and you have to be prepared. We will be prepared and we will try to make the right calls.
“If there is something we can [do to] improve the squad and needs appear, and we cannot fulfil it with players here, we are always going to be open to doing that because we want to be stronger.”
Arteta added: “We will be very prepared and act as quick as the moment appears.
“And if there is a moment when something is available for us to make us stronger, do it, and then as well be very cautious keeping the players that we need to maintain the long run that we still have ahead of us.”
Arsenal have consistently been linked with signing a new striker but Arteta said he prefers for the goals to be shared across the forward players, as has been the case in recent seasons at the Emirates Stadium.
Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli, Gabriel Jesus and Martin Odegaard have all contributed regular goals for Arsenal without hitting the same numbers produced by, for example, Erling Haaland at Manchester City and Mohamed Salah at Liverpool.
“I would prefer that those goals are shared because I think it is more probable that this is going to be consistently maintainable,” said Arteta. “This is what we have done. The amount of goals we share in the squad is really positive. We want more goals. We want more goals from our strikers, that is for sure. I think we have got them within the team.
“Every manager would want a player that can score 50 goals guaranteed every season. But if you don’t have it, it means as well that they have other qualities that empower the qualities of the players next to them. That is really important as well.”
Arsenal invested heavily in January last year, signing Leandro Trossard, Jakub Kiwior and Jorginho for a combined fee of more than £50 million.
They have historically not been active in the winter window, though, as it is not regarded internally as the best time to find value in the market.