Arteta Eyes New Signings Amid Injury Concerns Ahead of Aston Villa Clash

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has announced that the club is considering signing new players in January to alleviate their injury woes. This decision comes as Arteta faces the prospect of missing up to four defenders for the crucial Premier League match against Aston Villa at the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday.

Jurriën Timber, Riccardo Calafiori, Ben White, and Cristhian Mosquera were all unavailable during Arsenal’s tense victory over Brighton on Saturday, a result that kept them two points ahead of title competitors Manchester City at the top of the league.

The depth of Arteta’s squad has been tested this season due to several players being sidelined for extended periods due to injuries. Despite having invested over £250 million ($336 million) in eight new players during the summer transfer window, the manager has not excluded the possibility of further additions in January.

“The window is there, and we are Arsenal; we must look at it and assess what we need. We have to be actively searching, although whether we can achieve it is another matter,” Arteta stated. “Our responsibility is to be thoroughly prepared for any eventuality, and we hope for a positive outcome.

“When we observe other clubs, they typically have 24 or 25 squad players. While we’ve experienced more injuries than anticipated, many of which were unavoidable, we are committed to improving. We recognize how crucial it is to maintain the right player availability this season.”

Aston Villa recently ended Arsenal’s 11-match unbeaten streak in the league with a last-minute 2-1 victory on December 6. The two teams will meet again within a month, with Villa aiming to join Arsenal and City in a competitive title race.

Fresh off a club-record 11 consecutive wins across all competitions, Villa is poised to draw level on points with Arsenal in Tuesday’s match. When asked if Villa were now serious contenders for the championship, Arteta acknowledged their current form, stating, “They are deserving of their place in the title conversation based on their consistency and what Unai has accomplished with the club.”

“They rightfully earn that recognition, as they consistently showcase their capabilities on the pitch. However, we want every opponent that visits us to experience difficulty, replicating the dominance we exhibited against Brighton for the majority of that match.

“We understand that this will be a challenging game. We will review our last encounter against Villa, and I have identified several areas for improvement. The manner in which we lost that game was indeed harsh, but we have learned from it and can channel that experience into motivation and determination moving forward.”