Mikel Arteta confirms Arsenal are open to new signings in January

December 27th 2023, 19:01

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has insisted the club is ready to make new signings in the January transfer window.

The Gunners have Thomas Partey, Jurrien Timber, Fabio Vieira and Takehiro Tomiyasu sidelined with injuries.

Arsenal spent more than £200 million in the summer transfer window and made their record signing of Declan Rice worth £105 million from West Ham.

Havertz from Chelsea and Timber from Ajax were other signings that Arteta made to challenge from the title again this season.

With the matches coming thick and fast in the Premier League and the Champions League in the second half of the season, Arteta is determined to bolster his squad with new additions.

Arteta told a pre-match press conference on Wednesday:

“At the moment, it is very difficult. We are really short.

“We have positions that we have been very exposed for the last six weeks and hopefully we are going to get players back. In what condition and when?

“That’s a question mark and as well because we have some long-term injuries still for certain players that give us a lot of versatility and that’s an issue.”

west ham 3-1 arsenal havertz artetaArteta added: “We have certain targets, ideas if things happen. As well, we don’t know how the squad is going to look in two weeks’ time and you have to be always 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 that we can (do to) improve the squad and that needs appear, and we cannot fulfil it with players here, we are always going to be open to do that because we want to be stronger.”

The injuries to Timber and Tomiyasu are long term injuries so Arsenal can be expected to sign a defender next month.