Premier League leader weapon Coach Mikel Arteta said on Thursday that they will aim to strengthen their squad during the January transfer window but must identify players with the right qualities.
Arsenal enter the World Cup break with a five-point advantage over the champions City of Manchester after 14 games but there won’t be Gabriel Jesus people with long-term trauma in Qatar and undergoing surgery for a knee problem.
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“We will be active [in the January window] and that means we’re looking to strengthen the team,” Arteta told reporters before the game against West Ham on December 26.
“This squad still doesn’t have the luxury of not having to maximize all the time. But it has to be the right player.
“We know where we are in terms of squads and numbers. We will be extremely cautious about what we want to do in the transfer window.”
Arteta said the loss of Jesus is a heavy blow, with no specific timeframe for when he will return to action.
winger Reiss Nelson is likely to be sidelined for a while due to a hamstring problem while the midfielder attacks Emile Smith Rowe coming back from a groin injury.
“With Gabi [Jesus] it’s hard to set a timeframe. Knowing him, I don’t want to give any dates,” Arteta said.
“With Reiss, he’ll be out for a while [weeks]. Emile is near. He had a setback but he was close.”
France focus back William Saliba will also miss the match as he is yet to return from international duty.
