Mikel Arteta said on Friday that he is discussing new signings with his Arsenal players as the club rushes to secure a striker before the January transfer window closes.
With injuries to forwards Gabriel Jesus and Bukayo Saka, concerns have heightened regarding the Gunners’ lack of goal-scoring power as they aim to catch up with Premier League leaders Liverpool.
“We lost two very, very important players, Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Jesus so we lack goals, we lack people, we lack options in the front line. It’s clear,” he said.
Arsenal is the only team among the Premier League’s top six without any player reaching double figures in goals—Kai Havertz currently has eight in the league this season.
When asked about the urgency for new players before his team’s match against struggling Wolves on Saturday, the Gunners manager responded that he seeks input from his players on potential transfers, as they can often provide valuable insights that complement computer analysis.
“So how has this player acted when he hasn’t scored for six or seven games? This is what I’m interested in,” he said.
Arteta is confident that Arsenal, who have finished as runners-up to Manchester City for the last two seasons, are genuine title contenders against Liverpool, who are six points ahead with a game in hand.
In their last match, Arne Slot’s team scored twice during stoppage time to defeat Brentford, while Arsenal squandered a 2-0 lead in their draw with Aston Villa.
