Mikel Arteta doesn’t expect any departures from Arsenal in January, largely because of the club’s current injury picture.
While the Gunners have built a squad with depth across the pitch, the sheer regularity of injuries – and the impact they’ve had in defence and attack – means Arteta hasn’t often been in a position where fully fit players are consistently missing out on the matchday squad.
There’s been noise in Brazil suggesting Palmeiras could try to take Gabriel Jesus on loan, giving the striker a late shot at impressing Carlo Ancelotti before the World Cup. Teenagers Ethan Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly, short on minutes this season, have also been linked with possible approaches in the new year.
[Facing the media ahead of Saturday’s trip to Aston Villa](https://www.arsenal.com/news/every-word-artetas-pre-aston-villa-presser-1), Arteta was asked about plans for both incomings and outgoings.
“At the moment, obviously, we haven’t had a situation, that players are out of the squad for three or four weeks in a row.
“At the moment, we know that the squad as we have it, we are fulfilling it with the players that are fit. So, at the moment, it’s very clear that there’s no option to do that.”
Given the money spent in the summer, it feels unlikely Arsenal will be especially active in January unless circumstances force their hand.
“We always have to be prepared,” said Arteta.
“I mean, the moment that we have an option to touch the squad, to improve the squad or to protect the squad, depending on what happens, I think we need to be open.
“What’s going to happen from here till the window is closed as well, it’s football. So we don’t know, but we’re certainly going to be alert and we know where the risk can come in terms of the squad, and be ready just in case we have to do something.”
Transfers may be fun, but what Arteta really wants is something far more mundane: a fully fit squad. He knows that’s unlikely, but having genuine game-changers among his substitutes has already made a noticeable difference.
On having more options, he said: “I think it’s something that I haven’t experienced much, especially through long periods of time since I’ve been here and it’s great.
“Before the game, it’s great, because you can think about different ways \[to play\], different relationships. You can accommodate players for the game that you expect to play, and what is great is that when you look at the bench and you can say, now we can change the game. Last year when we were from February to May, you looked there and we had two players really, so that’s a huge difference.”
Last season brought more than its fair share of trauma – Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Magalhaes and Kai Havertz all requiring hamstring surgery, Gabriel Jesus suffering an ACL rupture – but it also forced Arteta into creative solutions. One of them, Mikel Merino, as a makeshift striker, has proved useful long after the crisis passed.
“You certainly learn from those situations. I think, looking for solutions and being positive and transmitting that positivity and belief to the team is the main thing because you cannot do anything about it.
“We have injuries that are totally uncontrollable, especially the ones that were long-term last season. This season, a lot of other things happened as well.
“Learn from the things that we can control as well and the areas that we can improve. First of all, myself, and take it as it comes and enjoy the ride.”