Ethan Nwaneri stops Arsenal signing Deadline Day striker

Carlo Garganese

• 4 Feb 2025 01:30 CST
• 3 min read

Arsenal decided not to sign a striker on Deadline Day partly due to the explosion of wonderkid Ethan Nwaneri.

That is according to Arsenal transfer journalist Charles Watts, who has explained why the Gunners opted against bringing in a number nine in the January transfer window.

Arsenal had seemed certain to sign a natural number nine due to their problems in front of goal this season and after the ACL injury suffered by Gabriel Jesus.

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The Gunners were linked with a whole host of top attackers, including Dusan Vlahovic, Viktor Gyokeres, Benjamin Sesko, Matheus Cunha, to name just a handful.

Manager Mikel Arteta said earlier in January that the club would bring someone in but the transfer window shut on Monday night without a signing.

Watts has explained why Arsenal made the decision not to sign a striker.

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Why did Arsenal not sign a striker in January?

“The club believe they are through the worst of the fixture congestion and that the calendar is now starting to ease,” Watts explained on X.

“Bukayo Saka should be back in March and Nwaneri has emerged as a genuine goal getter.

“They didn’t want to do something now which could stop them really pushing for their main targets in the summer.

“It’s understandable I guess, but it’s just a massive gamble given how the season has gone so far injury wise. They were short when January started and they are even shorter now.”

Nwaneri has emerged this season as one of the most exciting young talents in English football.

In recent weeks the 17-year-old has really come to the fore, finding the back of the net on Sunday in the 5-1 win over Manchester City.

In total, Nwaneri has already scored seven goals this season in all competitions and Arteta is confident he will score many more between now and June.

This means that Kai Havertz will remain as Arsenal’s first-choice number nine until the end of the season when the Gunners are expected to finally bring in a natural striker.