Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta confirms the club will pursue January signings to address injuries affecting key players this season

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has confirmed that the club will actively explore January signings as injuries continue to disrupt the squad.

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Speaking after Saturday’s 2-1 win over Brighton, Arteta noted that recent absences in defence and midfield have forced the team to improvise, with Declan Rice deployed at right-back due to injuries to Jurrien Timber and Riccardo Calafiori.

The Gunners spent around £250 million in the summer, acquiring eight new players to strengthen the squad across multiple competitions.

Despite this investment, Arsenal’s campaign has been repeatedly hampered by injuries, mirroring last season when key players such as Gabriel Magalhaes and Mikel Merino missed crucial games.

This season, absences have included Kai Havertz, Martin Odegaard, Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli, Noni Madueke, and Max Dowman, with Gabriel returning against Brighton while the return dates for Mosquera, Timber, and Calafiori remain uncertain.

Arteta emphasised the club will monitor player availability closely while remaining prepared to act in the transfer market.

“We have to be actively looking, and then can we do it or not? That’s a different story, but our job is to always be very prepared because something can happen,” Arteta said.

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The manager added that addressing the squad’s injury challenges will be a priority if the club is to sustain its Premier League and European ambitions this season.