Arsenal Boss Addresses Unresolved Transfer Issues and Glaring Gaps

Kerr still out of strong Matildas squad | 03:28

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has admitted he is “disappointed” by the club’s failure to sign a new striker before the transfer window closed on Monday.

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Arsenal were unable to lure England forward Ollie Watkins away from Aston Villa after their £60 million ($75 million) bid was rejected last week.

Having failed to pivot to another deal after the Watkins snub, the Gunners ended the January window with questions about a forward line weakened by long-term injuries to Gabriel Jesus and Bukayo Saka.

Ahead of Wednesday’s League Cup semi-final second leg at Newcastle, Arteta conceded the lack of transfer activity was frustrating.

“We talked very openly about the intention to improve the squad if we had the capacity. With players with injuries, we’ve been impacted and we haven’t achieved it,” Arteta told reporters on Tuesday.

“We are disappointed in that sense but as well we are very aware that we only want to bring certain kinds of players.

“We couldn’t do it for certain reasons and we have to accept it. It was a combination of things. We have to be very disciplined with that as well.”

Arsenal operated in the window without their former sporting director Edu, who resigned in November after playing a key role in their transfer policy.

Edu was a close ally of Arteta but the Spaniard insisted he had no complaints about Arsenal’s recruitment process despite their unsuccessful striker hunt.

“When you try your best and do things with the right process, and after you don’t achieve it, OK. For sure there are things to learn from it but now we have to move on,” he said.

While Arsenal have to cope with an understrength attack for now, they showed no signs of being affected in Sunday’s 5-1 demolition of Manchester City.

German forward Kai Havertz and teenage attacking midfielder Ethan Nwaneri both netted against City and Arteta remains confident in the players at his disposal.

“From now there is no discussion on it and we focus on improving the group we have. It is remarkable what the team has done. I have full faith in them,” he said.

“We are going to have to be flexible in the front line. We have to make sure they stay fit, contributing, and can play that position. At some point we will have to try something different.”

Arsenal have a mountain to climb at St James’ Park on Wednesday after losing the first leg 2-0 at home in January.

Newcastle also beat the Gunners 1-0 in the Premier League in November. “They are a very difficult team to play against. Obviously this season two very different games,” Arteta said.

He hopes the rout of City will be a confidence boost for his team as they chase a first League Cup final appearance since 2018.

“When you compare the emotional state of the team after the first leg and now after Man City it is very different. Next stop is the final. We know how big that is,” said Arteta, whose club have not won the League Cup since 1993.

“The buzz the City game gave us and the manner we did it. It is momentum. It is time for full gas and go for it.”