‘As quick as possible’: Mikel Arteta shares exciting news with fans as he revealed £87m signing is going arrive at Emirates in the first week of January

Mikel Arteta has admitted that he wants early signings in the January transfer window as Arsenal consider bringing in new faces.

The Gunners return to Premier League action today, taking on West Ham United whilst sitting top of the table.

A title race still feels a little ambitious but Arsenal are five points clear and deserve respect for their first half of the season.

Sadly, an injury to Gabriel Jesus means Arsenal are now missing their leading striker.

Eddie Nketiah looks set to step in but with Jesus potentially out until the end of February, Arsenal may need another striker.

That wasn’t something Arsenal were expecting to need heading into January but Edu and Arteta may need to act.

Another winger is still wanted by Arsenal but it seems that the addition of another holding midfielder is on the back burner until the summer.

Mikel Arteta on doing business early: “In this league with the competition, where the bar is & what the standards have been for the last four or five years, something the Premier League has not experienced in the past, we know that every point is going to be massively important.”

— afcstuff (@afcstuff) December 26, 2022

MIKEL ARTETA WANTS ARSENAL TO STRIKE QUICKLY

Gunners boss Arteta has now outlined his hopes for the January transfer window.

Arteta has told the London Evening Standard that he wants to get any January signings done early.

Arteta noted that Arsenal knew they wanted their summer business done quickly and they now want to do the same again in January.

Mikel Arteta: “We can afford to get a striker for sure if we want one, I don’t know if he plays in League Two, in League Five, in Spain, Portugal, Africa. What we can not afford to do is get a player here that is not for us. This is what we can not afford, that is for sure.” #afc

— afcstuff (@afcstuff) December 26, 2022

The Spaniard did though admit that this is a very ‘idealistic’ way of viewing things and appreciates that it sometimes just isn’t possible.

“We knew the importance of getting players early in the summer and that is the same we want to do in January,” said Arteta. “This is idealistic. Sometimes it is not realistic. But obviously, if you ask my opinion, as quick as possible we want the players in to get settled,” he added.

Arteta is no doubt aware that the settling-in period is much different in January.

In the summer, players have pre-season to get settled and begin to understand their new teammates before the season starts.

January signings don’t quite have that same blessing; sure, they can be kept on the bench for a few weeks but there is still an expectation that they will contribute.

Arsenal would be looking for an immediate impact signing to aid their title hopes, and finding one in January is very difficult.

A move for Shakhtar Donetsk winger Mykhaylo Mudryk could be on the cards but whether a striker will join remains to be seen, with that arguably the most difficult position to fill at short notice.