Arsenal: Mikel Arteta confirms talks with players over January signings
Mikel Arteta has revealed he is consulting with his Arsenal squad over new signings as he underlined the need to bring in a forward before the January transfer window shuts.
Arsenal are in the market for attacking reinforcements after Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Jesus both picked up injuries.
Arteta has confirmed the Gunners are “actively looking” to bring someone in, adding “ideally we need some help”.
Arsenal are long-term admirers of RB Leipzig striker Benjamin Sesko, although the German club have stressed how he is not for sale this month.
“If we can get the right player, that’s why we are actively looking at it,” said Arteta. “Any player, no. Someone that makes us better and has an impact on the team.
“It is clear that in the period that we lost them, ideally we need some help. We were short already and now we are even shorter. The team still copes with that. We have to do what is right for the club.
“That’s an option. It doesn’t just depend on Arsenal, on Mikel or our will. It depends on the market and a lot of different factors.”
Arsenal’s need for a new signing was mentioned by midfielder Declan Rice earlier this month, when speaking after the north London derby win.
Rice said he would not be “surprised” if the club were looking to add reinforcements given left-back Kieran Tierney came on as a winger in the 2-1 win over Tottenham.
Arteta is aware of the mood in the squad and has revealed how he speaks to them about prospective signings to learn more about them.
“Especially if they know them because that’s getting us away from the computer and what the data is saying and it is real,” he said.
“I have seen it, I sense it. A player can score a lot of goals, great. How does this player react when he hasn’t scored for six or seven games? This is what I am interested in.
There are a lot of things. So when you have a player that has spent a lot of days with him, that is really valuable information to have
Mikel Arteta
“Watch an interview with a player who hasn’t scored for six games, and then what kind of goals does he score? Against which teams in which context? Is it first half or second half? Is it only with his right foot, only headers, only in open spaces? Does he like the physical contact of this league?
“There are a lot of things. So when you have a player that has spent a lot of days with him, that is really valuable information to have.”
Arsenal’s solutions to finding a new forward this month are limited by the fact they have used up both their domestic loans.
Goalkeeper Neto joined them on loan from Bournemouth in the summer, while Raheem Sterling arrived from Chelsea.
Arsenal could free up a domestic loan spot by sending one of those players back to their parent club, but asked if that was a possibility, Arteta said: “We are not thinking about [that].”
