Mikel Arteta confirmed Arsenal were actively looking to bring in a striker before Monday’s transfer deadline but refused to discuss reports of a bid for Aston Villa’s Ollie Watkins.
Suggestions the Gunners had offered £60m for the England international surfaced just hours before Villa’s crunch Champions League game with Celtic on Wednesday night, a game in which Watkins scored and missed a penalty in a 4-2 win.
Asked about Arsenal’s interest in the former Brentford man today, Arteta said: “You know I am not going to talk about individuals. We are actively looking to try and find solutions in that position and we will see what the market brings.”
Classic clashes with City 👊
📺 Relive our previous encounters with Manchester City in N5 👇
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) January 31, 2025
Arsenal have, for most of this term, used Kai Havertz in the number nine position although Gabriel Jesus did go on a goalscoring run as an out-and-out striker before suffering a season-ending knee injury.
Many Arsenal fans would like to see the club sign an experienced striker to boost their title bid but Arteta refused to divulge the kind of player they are trying to recruit.
“We don’t really look at the market in those terms,” he added. “We look at what we have in the squad, what we are lacking and who can bring something that can potentially make us much better.
“Regardless of age or the background they have is a real belief that a player can be really good for us.”
📰 Table Of Contents
City next up for Arsenal
Arsenal face Manchester City on Sunday in a fixture that has in recent seasons amounted to a clash between the Premier League’s top two teams.
But City sit fourth currently after an underwhelming campaign that featured a fiery 2-2 draw with Arsenal at the Etihad earlier in the season.
Asked about the relationship between the sides, Arteta said: “Normal – it is two teams trying to win.”
Winning, he added: “Would be a big boost for us. Winning big matches is always something special. Every time we play a big match against our rivals, it brings something extra.”
Raya worry for Gunners
The home side may be without first-choice goalkeeper David Raya, who missed the midweek Champions League win at Girona due to an unspecified injury.
Neto deputised but looked nervous in a wholly unconvincing display.
“David we’re still uncertain,” said Arteta, who confirmed Ben White remains sidelined. “We have another session tomorrow. We have 48 hours so we will have to see.”
