Mikel Arteta voices striker transfer frustration after January window

With the Gunners well placed to challenge for the league title, qualified in the top eight in the Champions League and the EFL Cup semi-final, a striker would have been the perfect mid-season boost.

Despite being linked with the likes of Aston Villa's Ollie Watkins and Jhon Duran as well as RB Leipzig's Benjamin Sesko and Wolves' Matheus Cunha, it looks like any deal they desire would have to wait until the summer.

That leaves them with a frontline of Kai Havertz and Leandro Trossard who are capable of playing down the centre after Gabriel Jesus was ruled out for the season and many pundits have claimed Arsenal have missed a trick.

Despite beating Manchester City 5-1 over the weekend, he remains a frustrated figure, with that win failing to completely mask the issues from the lack of signings in January.

"We had a clear intention, which is always there when a window is open, to explore the opportunities to improve our squad with players that can impact it," he told the media ahead of their EFL Cup clash.

"We haven't achieved it so we are disappointed in that sense but, as well, we are very aware that we only want to bring certain kind of players and we have to be very disciplined with that as well and I think that we were."

He was then asked whether it was difficult to accept the lack of signings. "No, because when you try your best and you do things with the right process, and you see people that all share the same intentions and will, and after you don't achieve it, (it's) ok.

"For sure, there are things to learn, there always are, but you have to move on and that's a piece that was important in the moment and now we have to move on and nobody knows whether it is better to have done it or not, we'll know probably at the end of the season.

"I wouldn't like to go into much detail, we couldn't do it for certain."

"We're going to have to be very flexible in the front line and now the ones that we have on our feet make sure that they stay fit and they keep contributing," said Arteta.

While they are well stocked across their team in other areas, attack seems to be a real weakness compared to their rivals in England and across Europe.

Bukayo Saka is still out injured for at least another month or two and he was a shining light, notching goals and assists at an elite rate, but without him, they look short in attack.

Despite that, they have the second-most goals. However, they have only created the seventh highest expected goals figure meaning they are struggling to carve out chances at the same rate as their rivals which could cost them in the end.

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