Mikel Arteta says Arsenal are ready to be active in the January transfer window if their injury crisis does not ease.
The Gunners could be without six defenders for Wednesday’s Champions League game against Monaco, while midfielder Thomas Partey is a doubt, too.
Ben White and Takehiro Tomiyasu are definitely out of the match at the Emirates Stadium due to knee injuries.
Gabriel, Jurrien Timber, Oleksandr Zinchenko and Riccardo Calafiori all missed training on Tuesday afternoon, while Partey - who can fill in at right-back - was absent as well.
Arteta hopes the injury crisis will ease during a busy month of fixtures, but if not then Arsenal are ready to move in January.
“The window gives us an opportunity to strengthen the team if we feel that is needed and we feel that we have the capacity to do that as well,” he said.
“We are on it and just have to assess the situation because it is changing every week. At the moment not for the better, but I’m positive that in a few weeks we’re going to be in a better place.”
Arsenal’s injury crisis in defence means Kieran Tierney could start Wednesday’s game against Monaco at Emirates Stadium.
The left-back last played for Arsenal in August 2023, when he came on against Manchester City in the Community Shield, and spent last season on loan at Real Sociedad.
Tierney was a key part of the team during the early days of Arteta’s reign, but struggled more recently when the Spaniard asked for his left-back to tuck into midfield.
Zinchenko took Tierney’s place in the side during the 2022-23 season and the Scot never got it back.
And Arteta has revealed that if he calls upon Tierney now he will be deployed as a conventional left-back.
“I would put Kieran more in his strengths,” said Arteta. “If we do what we have to do I would play him in positions, especially in attack, in situations and scenarios and spaces that he is more comfortable with. That’s a learning.
“It is about the player having certain qualities. First is he willing to do it? Does he want to do it, yes or no? The other one: is he capable of doing it and does he understand it?
“When a player has those three ingredients anything can happen. We see that with many other players. But if a player doesn’t really fill it, it is more of a problem and we as coaches we have to find solutions.”
