Mikel Arteta teases January reinforcements for Arsenal amid injury crisis - sportsnewsfoot

Arsenal could look to bring in fresh talent in January after an injury-stricken start to the 2024/25 campaign.

The Gunners began the new season with high hopes after coming close to stealing the Premier League trophy away from reigning champions Manchester City at the end of the last campaign. However, after 15 games, they find themselves in third place behind Liverpool and Chelsea.

Injuries have negatively impacted Mikel Arteta’s side – with captain Martin Odegaard sidelined for close to two months with an ankle injury and Ben White ruled out after undergoing surgery.

Riccardo Calafiori, Takehiro Tomiyasu, Gabriel and Oleksandr Zinchenko have all also missed games through injury this season.

But, luckily for Arteta, the January transfer window is now just weeks away and could offer the opportunity to welcome new talent to the Emirates.

“The window gives us an opportunity to strengthen the team if we feel that is needed and we feel that we have the capacity to do that as well,” Arteta recently told reporters. “We are on it and just have to assess the situation because it is changing every week. I’m positive that in a few weeks we’re going to be in a better place.”

Arsenal’s winter window has been complicated by the surprise departure of sporting director Edu. However, the Brazilian’s former understudy Jason Ayto will head up recruitment before a new transfer specialist is appointed, with freshly departed Manchester United director Dan Ashworth a reported target for the Gunners.

Arteta also gave an update on Calafiori – who missed the last two Premier League games through injury.

“We need a cage there because ­Riccardo wants to train and play,” he continued. “We need to calm him down because he is so willing. It is the way he is. Because of the injuries he had to play more than we wanted. And then he got an issue in his groin.”

Arsenal return to action on Wednesday when they host Monaco in the Champions League. The Gunners currently sit in 10th position in the competition’s standings but could rise up the table to gain automatic qualification for the next round.

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