Arsenal won't panic about signing striker despite mounting injuries and form issues – Reporter's Notebook Football News
Arsenal are awaiting the extent of Gabriel Jesus' injury for Sunday's FA Cup third round tie against Manchester United but will not panic when it comes to potential recruitment this transfer window.
January is always a “reaction window” for the Gunners, with Mikel Arteta insisting the club will “look internally first”.
Arsenal have players capable of playing all over the forward areas, with Raheem Sterling back fit and Ethan Nwaneri set to return.
It's clear that Arsenal will have their targets and are exploring both long-term and short-term deals. The club will decide whether to achieve these goals based on the player's situation.
The long-term goal would be to immediately improve the quality of the first team, while the goal of a short-term deal may be to improve the team's competitiveness.
Arsenal are considered to be very well positioned in terms of the Premier League's profit and sustainability requirements. But there are several reasons why that doesn’t necessarily mean they can — or will — enter the market and spend big money during this window.
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Jamie Weir and Sam Blitz provide verdict on a classic FA Cup tie that saw Manchester United advance on penalties after Arsenal missed several great chances
First of all, Arsenal must not only abide by the rules of the Premier League, but also be bound by the rules of UEFA. These are already stricter than domestic regulations, and starting from next season, the amount they spend on wages, transfer fees and compensation cannot exceed 70% of their total income.
Secondly, Arsenal's model, like other big clubs, is to prioritize the summer transfer window. Recruitment planning can be completed up to three years in advance, meaning targets and budgets can be set well in advance even without a sporting director since Edu's abrupt departure last November.
Interim athletic director Jason Aitor continues to lead the recruiting staff following Edu's departure. The search for a permanent sporting director is underway and Aito is a candidate to fill the position long-term.
Finally, players such as Thomas Partey and Jorginho are out of contract in the summer and will need to be replaced in the next window. Budgets must take this into account, either through new deals or funding replacements.
Is Arteta to blame for Arsenal's high-profile problems?
Mikel Arteta's Arsenal missed several chances
Another string of missed chances saw Gabriel Jesus pick up a potentially serious injury and lose a home penalty shootout to an ailing opponent. Things couldn't be worse for Arteta and Arsenal in Sunday's FA Cup tie against Manchester United.
The defeat, just five days after they beat Newcastle 2-0 in similar circumstances in the Carabao Cup semi-final first leg, further highlighted Arsenal's problems in attack.
How could it become like this? Who is to blame? What needs to happen next?
Read Nick Wright's full analysis of Arsenal's problems here.
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