Mikel Arteta will not be able to operate with total freedom in the January transfer market thanks to Raheem Sterling and fellow Arsenal struggler Neto.
The Gunners loaned Sterling from Chelsea and Neto from Bournemouth in the summer, but neither player has managed to make an impact up to this point in the season. Sterling has been given just 146 minutes in the Premier League, while Neto is yet to see action in any competition.
With only two Premier League loan spots to fill under current regulations, the presence of Sterling and Neto in Arteta's squad means they will be unable to make another temporary signing from the English top-flight this winter.
And that could be a serious hindrance given how tough it is to make significant permanent signings midway through a campaign. Arsenal reportedly have big plans for their squad, with a new No. 9, cover out wide for Gabriel Martinelli and Bukayo Saka, and a refreshment in midfield all on Arteta's agenda.
But whether they will be in position to tick any of those expensive missions off their to-do list next month is another matter.
RB Leipzig striker Benjamin Sesko, Athletic Club winger Nico Williams and Wolves forward Matheus Cunha are all believed to have admirers at the Emirates Stadium, but serious pursuits may have to wait until the summer.
Thankfully for the Gunners, they will still be able to make loan acquisitions from outside the Premier League in January. But with another title bid on the line, Arteta may have been keen to tap into a more familiar market.
Sterling's spell in north London has started off on a frustrating note but he could see more of the pitch over the coming weeks, with Saka set to miss a number of games after tearing his hamstring.
Although more often utilised on the left flank, Sterling will be one of the main candidates to take Saka's place on the right. And Arteta is ready to use all the options at his fingertips to get through what promises to be a testing period without his star man.
"We [need to] really dig in to make sure that we utilise every player in the best possible potential, and everybody has to feel part of it," said the Spaniard. "You need to rediscover players in different positions, and different relationships. It’s a really good exercise and the boys are willing to do anything we demand them to do."