Arsenal CEO Vinai Venkatesham has vowed to take advantage of any ‘opportunities’ this January as he and the Gunners transfer team continue to execute their ‘very clear’ transfer plan.
Currently sitting top of the Premier League, five points ahead of the chasing pack, Mikel Arteta’s side look somewhat thin in places across their squad, with Gabriel Jesus’ injury leaving Eddie Nketiah as the only recognised striker and Emile Smith-Rowe’s injury having forced Gabriel Martinelli and Bukayo Saka to start all 17 Premier League games to date.
In midfield, too, there are concerns, but Venkatesham has assured fans that the club are looking at making moves this January to address the current shortcomings as they look to win their first Premier League title since 2004.
“We’ve got a very clear plan, headed up by Edu [Gaspar] about what we want to do to strengthen the squad”, he explained. “Every transfer window of course we are going to look at what opportunities are out there.”
🗣️ “We’ve got a very clear plan, headed up by Edu [Gaspar] about what we want to do to strengthen the squad. Every transfer window of course we are going to look at what opportunities are out there.”
Arsenal Chief Executive Officer Vinai Venkatesham on transfers.💰 pic.twitter.com/0IRpS1u3TK
— Football Daily (@footballdaily) January 11, 2023
Arteta has already called for reinforcements several times this season, and did so again after his side’s 3-0 win over Oxford United in the FA Cup third round.
“The problem is that we have only one striker and to cope for that many months until Gabby (Jesus) is back is not easy”, the Gunners boss explained at full-time “But we have to get the most out of the players that we have at the moment. If we can have some reinforcements, great.”
However, they continue to push for a deal for talented Ukrainian winger Mykhaylo Mudryk, with the general consensus that an agreement is close to being reached between the Gunners and Shakhtar Donetsk.
The 22-year-old, who has not been shy in consistently publicising his desire to move to Arsenal this winter, is currently with his current teammates in a mid-season training camp in Turkey as he returns from his side’s winter break.
