It’s January 2026. If you look at the league table, everything seems rosy. We’re sitting pretty at the summit, six points clear of Manchester City. We’ve just thumped Portsmouth in the FA Cup thanks to a Martinelli masterclass, and the defence looks as stingy as ever.
On paper, we are the team to beat.
But if you actually watch the games – if you sit in the North Bank and feel the nervous energy every time we fail to kill off a game – you know that the “rosy” picture is hiding a few thorns. And the sharpest thorn of all is currently on a hiding to nothing trying to lead the front line.
The Elephant in the Room
We have to talk about Viktor Gyokeres.
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When we dropped big money on the Swede last summer, beating several other clubs including Manchester United to the punch, the narrative was clear: he was the final piece of the puzzle. He was supposed to be our Haaland. The man who would bully defenders, run the channels, and guarantee us 20 goals a season.
Six months later, the jury isn’t just out; it’s practically disbanded and gone home. Seven goals in 24 games isn’t terrible for a mid-table side, but for a team chasing the Premier League title? It’s a statistic that keeps Mikel Arteta awake at night. He works hard, sure. He presses like a demon. But that “killer instinct” we were promised has been missing in action from the moment he arrived.
The 0-0 draw against Liverpool last week highlighted the issue perfectly. We controlled the midfield, we dominated territory, but we looked toothless in the box. And with City breathing down our necks (and let’s be honest, they always go on a 15-game winning run after Christmas), “toothless” is a death sentence.
Andrea Berta’s High-Stakes Table
This brings us to Andrea Berta.
Since replacing Edu, the Italian Sporting Director has been a calm, almost ghostly presence at the club. He came with a reputation from Atletico Madrid for being shrewd, tough, and methodical. But “methodical” doesn’t win you the league in January. Bravery does.
This transfer window is Berta’s first real test of nerve. In many ways, managing a football club in January is exactly like chancing your arm at a modern high-stakes online casino. You have your stack of chips (the budget), and you have to decide how to play the hand.
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Right now, Berta is looking at his cards. He bet big on Gyokeres in the summer, and that bet is currently looking shaky. We watched Benjamin Sesko go to United and hit the ground runnin – although we missed a bullet there, based on his current form. We watched Liverpool snap up Alexander Isak (even if he is currently laid up with a broken leg, the intent was there). We missed the boat on the “obvious” targets.
The “House” (Manchester City) is waiting for us to fold. The safe option is to stick. To say, “We are top of the league, why panic?” To hope that Gyokeres suddenly finds his Sporting CP form, or that Kai Havertz can bail us out again.
But that is the gambler’s fallacy. Just because we haven’t crashed yet doesn’t mean the crash isn’t coming. If Berta wants to leave the table a winner in May, he might have to do the unthinkable: admit the summer gamble hasn’t paid off yet, and double down on a new solution now. If you consult a casino comparison site, it will tell you that doubling down is never a good idea. Sometimes, though, there’s no alternative if you want to stay in the fight.
The Osimhen “All-In”
So, who is the solution?
With the market dry and our rivals hoarding the best talent, there is only one name left that truly moves the needle: Victor Osimhen.
Yes, he’s currently plying his trade at Galatasaray after making that permanent switch, but the rumours of a release clause for “top tier” clubs refuse to die. Is he expensive? Astronomically. Is he a personality risk? Potentially. But he is a force of nature.
Bringing in Osimhen now would be messy. It would essentially be admitting a mistake with Gyokeres. But look at the history books. The teams that win titles are the ones who are ruthless. When City didn’t like their full-back options, Guardiola bought three new ones in a single window. When Liverpool needed a spark, they went out and got Diaz in January.
There is also the leftfield shout of Evan Ferguson, currently finding his feet on loan at Roma. Bringing him back to the Premier League would be a logistical nightmare involving Brighton and the Italians, but he offers that Premier League provenance we love.
The Danger of Standing Still
The fear among the fanbase – and you can feel it on the timelines and in the pubs around Highbury – is that we are going to “Arsenal” this.
We have a six-point lead. It sounds like a lot, but it can evaporate in two bad weekends. We are carrying injuries at the back – Hincapie is a doubt for Chelsea, and Calafiori is still recovering. The squad is stretched.
If we stand still, we are inviting pressure. We’re telling the squad, “You have enough.” But do they? When Saka looks exhausted in the 80th minute, who is coming off the bench to change the game? Right now, the options feel thin.
Why the Gamble is Worth It
Andrea Berta didn’t come to Arsenal to finish second. He didn’t come here to balance the books. He came here to build a dynasty.
This January window is the moment he earns his paycheck. It’s time to stop worrying about the optics of signing another striker six months after the last one. It’s time to ignore the “market value” and pay what needs to be paid.
The title is sitting there, waiting for us to take it. But we need to be brave enough to grab it. The casino is open, Andrea. Place your bets.
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