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Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta knows what he's looking for in a player with the January transfer window open.
Ever since the January transfer window opened, Arsenal fans have been waiting for the club to kick into gear and get the reinforcements that the squad desperately needs.
But here we sit, nearly two weeks into the window being open, and there's been little movement on any target for the Gunners with the team in need of fresh faces to ignite its Premier League title challenge, but also to beef up a squad that has injuries, illness and a serious lack of attacking threat.
We have written about it for the best part of a week that the club won't make a signing "just because" with Arteta needing to have a purpose when it comes to buying a player.
Yes, a winger could be signed to replace Bukayo Saka, but when Saka returns, then what happens to said player? Plus, they need to bring quality, not just to be "another body" that will clog up the squad.
And speaking ahead of Arsenal's FA Cup match against Manchester United, Arteta revealed exactly what he's looking for in January.
"First of all, someone that can impact the team, bringing in bodies doesn't help us all," Arteta said via arsenal.com. "It’s just about somebody who can immediately impact our performance and can bring something that we don't have. To find that in this market is very difficult to achieve. We always have discussions with the ones above about how we can improve the team, whether the market is open or closed because you have to plan for what the necessities are right now. and what they could be in a month. Those discussions are always open."
A striker has been a big hole in the Arsenal side this season, and after seeing Newcastle's Alexander Isak give the Gunners defenders fits in a 2-0 win in the Carabao Cup, fans want the Magpies hitman at the Emirates.
Of course, that likely isn't possible in January and might even be harder to do in the summer if Newcastle achieves Champions League football.
But with a clear and desperate need to sign a striker capable of finishing off all the chances the Gunners create, Arteta doesn't think it is a priority.
"No, the circumstances change because we have certain injuries for some big players, so it's always a possibility but always it’s about somebody that is really going to make us much better," he added.
So now we know what type of player Arteta is looking for and a forward isn't a top priority.
Make of that what you will.