Arsenal failed to secure a player during the transfer window.
Image credit: Aeesha of Arsenal
Arsenal’s hopes of mounting a serious Premier League title challenge this season have taken a blow, and many are starting to believe that the Gunners have all but conceded the race to Liverpool.
And it could be all down to their failure to strengthen the squad during the January transfer window.
With manager Mikel Arteta calling for reinforcements to cover for key injuries to Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Jesus, the Gunners’ inability to secure new signings has left them with a depleted attacking line that could struggle to keep up with Liverpool’s momentum.
Despite a commanding 5-1 victory over Manchester City, a result that suggests Arsenal can compete with the best, the Gunners find themselves trailing Liverpool by six points in the Premier League.
What is more, with the possibility of the gap widening to nine points when Liverpool plays their game in hand, Arsenal’s challenge has become even more daunting.
Arteta has been vocal about the need for reinforcements, especially after losing two influential attacking players, Saka and Jesus.
“We lost two very, very important players, Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Jesus,” Arteta stated. “We lack goals, we lack people, we lack options in the frontline, it’s clear.”
The loss of these key figures, who were crucial to Arsenal’s forward play, has left the team lacking both goals and depth.
Arteta’s admission that the team “lacks options in the frontline” is telling, yet despite this, no action was taken in January to remedy the situation.
The transfer window passed without a single new signing, which is puzzling given the time Arsenal had to act. Saka’s injury on December 21 and Jesus’s on January 12 gave the club ample time to make a move, but no signings came through.
Arteta, while insisting the right player was needed, now faces the consequences of not securing anyone. Kai Havertz is expected to lead the line, but with Jesus out for the season, the pressure on him will be immense.
Meanwhile, young Ethan Nwaneri, who has shown promise, will likely be called upon to step up in the absence of Saka. However, asking a young player to shoulder such a heavy burden may not be sustainable.
The likes of Leandro Trossard and Gabriel Martinelli will also need to deliver more consistently if Arsenal is to mount a successful challenge against the dominant Liverpool side.
With Champions League matches fast approaching, the lack of depth in attack raises questions about whether Arsenal can cope with the relentless schedule.
The forward line, already stretched thin, will be tested week in and week out. Arsenal fans are now looking ahead to the summer transfer window, hoping that the club will address its striking issues.
Links to players like Benjamin Sesko, Viktor Gyokeres, and Alexander Isak have already begun, and securing one of these targets would go a long way toward strengthening the squad for next season’s title challenge.
However, the reality remains that Arsenal’s failure to sign anyone in January leaves them in a difficult position for the remainder of this season.
They must now rely on their current squad to mount a challenge, with all eyes now on the summer to ensure that their title hopes are not lost entirely.
Arteta and his team will need to find a way to stay competitive and not let the season slip away before they can regroup for a serious push next year.