Mikel Arteta would love to sign Atletico Bilbao winger Nico Williams in January but there is at least one major obstacle to overcome if that dream is to become a reality.
The Gunners have been short of firepower this season and Bukayo Saka’s injury has restricted Arteta’s options even further.
The Arsenal boss appeared to have stumbled on a makeshift solution in the shape of youngster Ethan Nwaneri, but he too is now set for a spell on the sidelines.
Leandro Trossard and Martin Odegaard have been struggling for form recently, while sickness ruled Kai Havertz out of Arsenal’s two most recent matches.
Brazil internationals Gabriel Martinelli and Gabriel Jesus, meanwhile, have blown hot and cold recently and the bench has been filled with untested academy graduates.
Alexander Isak remains Arsenal’s No.1 attacking target but Newcastle will refuse to sell their £150 million rated centre forward this month.
Athletic Bilbao, by contrast, would be powerless to prevent the departure of Williams were any of his suitors prepared to pay his €58m release clause in full.
According to The Athletic, however,Arsenal would struggle to be able to afford that fee this month and only the intervention of owner Stan Kroeneke would change the picture there.
Arsenal are also looking at Paris Saint-Germain’s Lee Kang-in who is understood to be considering his future.
Again, thought, any deal would need to be at least double the €22million the French champions paid to sign him from Mallorca in 2023.
In the meantime, Arteta will have to continue to come up with short-term solutions given there is absolutely not letup in the schedule.
Arsenal face Newcastle tonight in the first leg of the Carabao Cup semi final before they entertain Manchester United in the FA Cup this weekend.
The Champions League resumes later this month, while Arsenal face Tottenham, Aston Villa and Wolves before January is out.
‘It’s a good learning process, not only tactically but also preparation and training with very few players,’ said Arteta when asked about the challenges managing with such a depleted squad.
‘Today we had seven or eight players with us just to fill the squad which isn’t normal but it’s a weird way to learn, but I’ll take it. I cannot change it so let’s take the things that we can get out of it to be better.’
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