Arteta reveals if Arsenal will sign a January replacement for Saka

Tom Weber

Updated: 23 Dec 2024 15:37 GMT
3 min read

Mikel Arteta has not ruled out potentially signing a January replacement for Bukayo Saka and Raheem Sterling.

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Arsenal's comfortable victory over Crystal Palace on Saturday was a Pyrrhic one, to say the least. The Gunners cruised to a 5-1 triumph over the Eagles - beating them for the second time in a matter of days - but suffered gutting fitness blows in the process.

Talismanic winger Bukayo Saka as well as Chelsea loanee Raheem Sterling both went down injured and are now set for lengthy spells on the sidelines.

Speaking to the media on Monday, manager Arteta confirmed that Saka had fully torn a muscle and would be out for 'many weeks,' though the Spaniards assured that his season was far from over.

"I cannot be too specific because I don’t know but it will be many weeks," he said. " I wouldn’t put my 10 fingers there but I would be very optimistic that he is going to be well back before the end of the season."

Arteta on January signings

With Sterling also set to be out 'for a while,' it leaves Arsenal short of options out wide, which isn't the first time that the wing positions have given Arteta headaches.

Naturally, the tactician was quizzed about potential January reinforcements. While Arteta insisted that he was keen to work with what he has at his disposal, he didn't entirely close the door to winter signings.

"We have to look internally at what we have and be creative," he began. "It’s a good exercise again of how can we mould the squad, how can we adapt to the circumstances and how can we be different?

"We’re not going to be the same. We’re going to be different. Try and find the best way to do it and win games. I don’t know [if we'll sign someone]. My intention right now is to get the best of what we have in the time right now. What is outside is not in our control.

"The preparation [for January] is done and we are ready if something happens. Obviously, we didn’t predict a situation with Bukayo and Raheem at the same time. We predicted more it would be something else, for example, if something happened in the defensive line, but the job is done.

"Then, okay, if something has to happen, we will be open. But the main focus is now how will we extract still a lot of potential that there is in this squad."