Mikel Arteta drops January transfer hint after Arsenal injury crisis forces change in plan

Arsenal's transfer plan heading into the January window could take a sharp U-turn as Mikel Arteta's squad continues to be riddled with injuries

Mikel Arteta has not ruled out signing players in January as the Arsenal boss continues to deal with further injuries to a number of his key players.

The Gunners manager has not had an easy time this season regarding injuries. Although his team top both the Premier League and Champions League tables, Arteta hasn’t always had his best squad available - especially in the past month.

When Arsenal drew 2-2 with Sunderland in early November, Viktor Gyokeres, Martin Odegaard, Noni Madueke, Gabriel Jesus, Kai Havertz and Gabriel Martinelli were all sidelined with various issues.

Those absences mostly affected Arteta’s attack, but the Spaniard is now experiencing problems with his back line, with William Saliba, Gabriel and Cristhian Mosquera all looking set to miss the clash with Aston Villa.

With the rate of injuries appearing drastic, Arteta was asked whether the current situation opens the door to bringing someone in when the January transfer window opens.

He responded: “No, I mean we always have to be prepared. The moment that we have an option to touch the squad, to improve the squad or to protect the squad, depending on what happens, I think we need to be open for it.

“From what is going to happen from here till the window is closed as well is football. So we don’t know, but we’re certainly going to be alert and we know where the risk can come in terms of the squad, and be ready just in case we have to do something.”

The winter window also gives teams the option to let players leave and streamline their squads ahead of the long stretch from January until May.

Asked whether Arsenal can afford to do that with their injury troubles, Arteta said: “Well, at the moment, obviously we haven’t had the situation, as we mentioned before, that players are out of the squad for three or four weeks in a row.

“So, at the moment, we know that with the squad we have, we are fulfilling it with the players that are fit. So at the moment, it’s very clear that there’s no option to do that.”

What looks to have prevented the injuries from seriously affecting Arsenal’s performance is their success in the summer transfer window.

Arteta signed eight players in the summer. These included Gyokeres as their much-needed striker, a series of attack-minded additions such as Eberechi Eze and Noni Madueke, and a host of defensive reinforcements including Mosquera and Piero Hincapie, who is on loan from Bayer Leverkusen.

The Gunners are often praised for having one of the best squads in Europe. Their depth has not only allowed them to rotate seamlessly across different competitions, but also minimised the damage caused by unavailable players.

Arsenal are set for one of the toughest games of the season on Saturday as they travel to Villa Park to face a Villa side flying high in third, having lost just one of their previous nine league matches.