Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has stated that the club is ready to address their injury woes by “actively exploring” the possibility of signing new players when the transfer window opens next month.
Arteta may have to manage without as many as four defenders for the crucial Premier League clash against Aston Villa at the Emirates on Tuesday.
Defenders Jurriën Timber, Riccardo Calafiori, Ben White, and Cristhian Mosquera all missed Arsenal’s tense victory over Brighton on Saturday, keeping them two points ahead of title challengers Manchester City at the top of the league.
This season, Arteta’s squad depth has been significantly tested, with numerous players sidelined due to injuries.
Following a summer spending spree exceeding £250 million ($336 million) to bring in eight new players, the Spaniard hasn’t dismissed the prospect of acquiring additional talent in January.
“The transfer window is an opportunity we must consider as Arsenal — we need to assess our requirements and actively seek potential signings. Whether we can follow through is another matter,” he remarked.
“Our responsibility is to stay prepared for any eventuality, and we hope for positive outcomes.”
“When observing other teams, they usually have 24 or 25 squad members. Although we’ve faced more injuries than anticipated, often unavoidable, we strive for improvement and recognize the significance of maintaining player availability this season.”
Aston Villa recently ended Arsenal’s 11-match unbeaten league streak with a last-gasp 2-1 win on Dec. 6.
The teams will face each other again within a month, with Villa looking to join Arsenal and City in the race for the title.
Unai Emery’s squad, having achieved a club record 11 consecutive wins across all competitions, will enter Tuesday’s match knowing a victory would see them level on points with Arsenal.
When asked if Villa were legitimate title contenders, Arteta said, “Given their performance and consistency, as well as what Unai has accomplished with the team, they absolutely deserve recognition.”
“However, each opponent that visits us must feel pressured, and we aim to replicate our dominant display against Brighton for most of the game.”
“We anticipate a challenging match. We’ll analyze our previous game against Villa and I have some strategies in mind for improvement. The way we lost last time was harsh, but we’ve learned and can channel that experience as motivation.”
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