Mikel Arteta hits back in awkward exchange over Arsenal's January transfer plans

Mikel Arteta took contented with a writer suggesting helium doesn't spot signing a striker arsenic a indispensable this period with the Arsenal brag claiming he's ne'er turned down the accidental of landing a forward

Mikel Arteta deed backmost astatine a writer arsenic helium was quizzed connected whether helium sees a striker arsenic a "necessity".

Arsenal are yet to bring successful immoderate caller faces this period with calls for a caller guardant increasing, particularly if the nine are to pursuit down Liverpool successful the Premier League rubric race. The Gunners person opted against signing 1 successful the past - backmost successful the summertime they had the accidental to but failed to get a woody implicit the line.

That deficiency of a prolific No 9 has travel backmost to haunt them connected juncture and present they person a accidental to code the issue. There is simply a communicative which claims Arteta does not spot adding an retired and retired frontman arsenic a priority.

Previously astatine Manchester City, erstwhile helium was assistant, the squad would play without a earthy striker and helium present often lines up with a mendacious 9 but Arteta was stunned and deed backmost erstwhile that thought was enactment to him.

A writer said: "You intelligibly don't stock that aforesaid sentiment. Do you deliberation it is indispensable to motion a forward..."

Arteta rapidly rejected that and said: "Have I ever said nary to a striker?" That led to a swift response: "No, but you don't consciousness it's a necessity bash you?" The Arsenal brag took contented with that schoolhouse of thought and said: "How bash you accidental that?"

The writer was past asked to beryllium much circumstantial with the question earlier the Spanish manager made his feelings known connected the matter. He said: "My sentiment is clear. We mislaid 2 precise important players successful Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Jesus. So we deficiency goals, we deficiency people, we deficiency options up front. That is clear."

Arsenal person been linked with respective names arsenic they look to find idiosyncratic who tin pb their line. Kai Havertz has emerged arsenic a makeshift enactment implicit the past 12 months but is not a earthy successful the presumption with the likes of Alexander Isak, Benjamin Sesko and Matheus Cunha each linked.

Arteta precocious underlined his tendency to bash thing earlier the model closes arsenic helium said: "We are going to effort for sure. We are actively looking astatine [a caller forward]. I deliberation we person mislaid 2 very, precise important players, we person 14 players successful the squad, and we play each 3 days. We volition effort but let’s spot who we tin get."

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