Mikel Arteta says Arsenal will target players with a winning mentality when the January transfer window opens and is hopeful that the club can get deals over the line quickly.
Despite the Gunners recruiting five players in the summer, the Spaniard hasn’t hidden his desire to further strengthen this winter, especially with Gabriel Jesus sidelined by injury for the foreseeable future.
It’s reported that the main focus will be adding more firepower but Arteta has made clear that personality will be as crucial as physical quality. Adding bodies for the sake of it will not be on the agenda.
Facing the media ahead of Arsenal’s clash with West Ham, he said: “We knew the importance of getting players early in the summer and that is what we want to do in January.
“This is idealistic but sometimes it is not realistic. Obviously, if you ask my opinion, as quick as possible we want the players in.
“We don’t need a body, we need players that make the team better.
“I think personalities that have the mentality that want to win and we have to focus on that. We have to be very strict with what we have done and the policy we have had to make the team successful.
“Can we afford not getting the player that we want? That is my question.
“We can afford to get a striker for sure if we want one, I don’t know if he plays in League Two, League Five, Spain, Portugal or Africa. We can get a striker, I can guarantee you that.
“But what we cannot afford to do is get a player here that is not for us. This is what we cannot afford, that is for sure.”
In the short term, Arsenal will have to close out the year making do with existing options. That means Eddie Nketiah will likely lead the line with returning World Cup stars Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli likely to lend support from the flanks. The striker has Arteta’s full backing.
“We have more faith in Eddie every single day,” said Arteta.
“We see every day what he brings to the team, what he is as a human being and the way he is developing as a player. We got a great response last year when we needed him and he did really well for the team.
“He is ready. That is why he signed his contract. He is a key player in our squad and he is going to have chances to play.”
Let’s hope Eddie does step up consistently for the rest of the season. I reckon we still need a strong alternative to get us through the tough parts of the remainder of the season. Plus get Saka, Saliba and Martinelli signed up to get that off our minds.
Eddie did pretty well last season, in goalscoring terms. But as some have pointed out Jesus barely scores anyway, it’s the constant pressing, making space, taking players on, and linking with the wide forwards is what we’ll miss. Especially that instant chemistry that’s developed with Martinelli (much like Odegaard Saka on the opposite side).
I feel like Jesus will be our Firminho. But that does lead to scrutiny and I feel for him because of this inevitability. If we are scoring plenty then no one will question him, but the minute we begin to struggle to find the net, everyone will point the finger at Jesus. But he can’t do everything. And if he is going to be so key to our build up play, it will mean he is not always perfectly placed to score goals. Such is life. And such is football. We live in a world where Odegaard gets criticised the… Read more »
Barring injury, Eddie should be well able to play every league game for the next 10 or so weeks. He’s 23 and barely played this season. His fitness should be peak.
I wouldn’t risk him against Oxford in the cup though – we’ll have to navigate that with a false 9.
We can surely all relate. We could all find someone in the world who would agree to marry us, but finding the right one, that’s the tricky part.
What I guess I’m saying is, we all should do our best to marry an Odegaard rather than a Willian.
Boa sorte Edu and Co, bring us the love of our lives and not a messy divorce a couple of years down the line!
As a divorcee, this hits too close to home my brother.
Oh smeg, you nailed that one! I’m in the same boat!
I have asked this before and never gotten a response just down votes, I’d like clarity on why and how are otger clubs allowed or are able to sign players outside the window but we haven’t able to do so?
Genuinely asking.
I think that is why it’s called a “Transfer” window.
You can sign a player anytime, but they can only transfer to your team when the window is open.
Plus, except a player is surplus to requirements… most teams are focused on the league and aren’t open to offers.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transfer_window have a read.
Ta. So if players can be signed at anytime but moves between clubs during the transfer window, is it not advantageous to sign them then. Borussia Dortmund does this alos quite a bit. It seems to Be an optimal strategy.
I understand that it requires the participation of the selling club. I always fascinated on how clubs are alwsys on a rush towards the window closing and wonder why was it not done earlier.
I guess the paperwork is done during the period, and the rest of the nittygritties eg work permit, personal terms, medicals etc can be done past the transfer window deadline. My reasoning though.
You’re right, Christopher Nkunku to Chelsea recently.
True. Again there is alwsys down votes to this question but never an explanation.
Imagine that the words he spoke were a message to an agent or player we are currently negotiating with.
It’s a form of flattery.
The offer is already tabled, and we want them to understand it’s not a simple ‘take it or leave it’ ( although that’s what it is) – it’s ‘we don’t want anyone. We want winners. If you think you’re a winner, prove it by signing for us, as you’ll be one pretty soon. But if you just want the money, João, take the United offer…..’
United is money, boredom and depression. The perfect place for wasting talent and frustration. But a lot of money of course…
That’s going to be Chelsea moving forward
Always has been lol since Roman took over
Not Ronaldo basically
Your time to shine, Eddie. Do us proud. Make yourself indispensable.
Let’s hope Eddie has his big boy pants on until we can get somebody decent in (last time I said that he had a blinder so here’s hoping).
Must sign winners? That’ll put an end to any Ronaldo speculation then.
I don’t think there ever was any Ronaldo speculation outside the foetid mind of Piers Moron.
We’re certainly going to be light on the bench today if we need a goal with the forward options likely to be Vieira, Marquinhos, and Cozier-Duberry.
Mudryk and Felix would do very nicely (no pressure then Edu) but I doubt we would – or financially could – sign both. Mudryk seems much more likely. Felix perhaps just a loan.
Felix would be an absolute bust in the premier league because he’d have to work hard
The little I’ve seen of him he seems like a busy enough player. Not the case?
If work-rate is the only issue, then great. I would fully trust Mikel to reignite his career and find that lost spark.