Unai Emery has admitted Arsenal are “unlikely” to sign anyone in the January transfer window, although the club are working to improve the squad with Barcelona outcast Denis Suarez a reported target.
The Spaniard had overseen a 22-game unbeaten run that had fired the Gunners into the top four of the Premier League and into the knockout rounds of the Europa League.
Arsenal unlikely to make January signings: five key things to know…
- Arsenal’s 22-game unbeaten run was ended with a 3-2 defeat at Southampton on Sunday.
- The Gunners played the game with a number of defenders injured, or suspended, including Rob Holding, Sokratis and Shkodran Mustafi.
- Laurent Koscielny was their only recognised centre-back available, with midfielder Granit Xhaka filling the void.
- Arsenal had recently been linked with a move for Man United’s Eric Bailly to help ease their defensive shortage, as well as Barca’s Suarez with Aaron Ramsey set to leave at the end of the season.
- Emery has now insisted it is highly unlikely that the club will make a major signing in the January window.
However, Arsenal succumbed to a 3-2 defeat at the hands of Southampton on Sunday, giving Ralph Hasenhuttl a first win in charge of the Saints, while further revealing some defensive misgivings among Emery’s players.
Barca’s Suarez is reportedly available after the 24-year-old admitted he is currently unhappy at the Camp Nou having played a fleeting role for the Catalan club this season.
However, the former Sevilla boss seems happy with the squad at his disposal and doesn’t believe January is the time to be adding players to the mix.
Asked if he will have money available before the January deadline, he replied: “It is not easy. But I don’t believe I would in this transfer window, it’s not a very big possibility with the players.
“The club is working, but only if some player can help us get to a higher level. It is not a good situation for transfers in January but we are going to look and the club is working. But also we are in a [good] way.
“Our progress is also with young players and we are giving them chances, and when we need to give them more chances to play and show us [their] progress we are going to do so.”
What next for Arsenal?
Arsenal’s defeat to Southampton leaves them in fifth place in the Premier League, three points behind Chelsea.
However, the Gunners cruised into the knockout rounds of the Europa League, taking 16 points from a possible 18 in the group stage.
The Emirates club also have a great chance to bounce back from their south coast defeat when they take on north-London rivals Tottenham Hotspur in the League Cup quarter-final on Wednesday evening.
The post Arsenal signing anyone in January is “unlikely” admits Emery appeared first on Squawka News.
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