Arsenal: Mikel Arteta Responds to Martin Odegaard Transfer Links

Mikel Arteta Wants Cover for Kieran Tierney

Notably against Crystal Palace, the lack of a left footed player at left-back caused Arsenal all sorts of balance issues, contributing to a limp 0-0 stalemate.

Ainsley Maitland-Niles filled in ineffectively, with Bukayo Saka eventually moving into the role he’s previously occupied.

Without the Scot in the side Arsenal are offensively weaker and defensively more vulnerable, thus Arteta mentioned the possibility of signing some natural cover in the position following Kolasinac’s move to Schalke 04.

"“With the departure of Kola, we are a little bit short with left-footed full-backs at the moment,” he stated. “We know we can use Ainsley there, we can use Bukayo there and we can use Cedric – who has played in that position – so we have some options. A natural option to Kieran? Obviously, we don’t. But we can adapt. “That means that the option is open and we will look to see what is available.”"

While not essential in the scheme of other requirements, it is a worrying position considering the volume of minutes that Tierney is set to play between now and the end of the season, on top of what he’s already accumulated.

Elsewhere a goalkeeper is being eyed up as backup for Bernd Leno, with Runar Alex Runarsson and the club mulling over options around Europe for him to join on loan. Of course, any move away would depend on the Gunners sourcing an adequate replacement.

The final third of this transfer window is building up to be an interesting one following the already departed. What can’t be ignored is the difficulty of the market to navigate in, so expecation must be tempered.