Ian Wright has warned Arsenal’s new signings they might have to make do with back-up roles whilst also calling for fresh faces.
The Gunners are entering the final days of what has been a busy January transfer window. The north London side spent the majority of the month chasing the services of Mykhaylo Mudryk only to see the Ukrainian complete a big-money move to rivals Chelsea instead.
Arsenal have still managed to invest heavily, though, with Leandro Trossard and Jakub Kiwior joining for a combined £48million from Brighton and Spezia respectively. Whilst calling for further additions at Emirates Stadium before the window closes, Wright has warned the duo that they need to be ready to immediately display their quality despite having to make do with back-up roles behind the squad's in-form stars.
“I would, as long as they’re going to be in that sort of Trossard or Kiwior [mould], that calibre of player,” the former forward replied when asked if he would make more signings on the Arseblog podcast.
“Hopefully, they’re coming in with the mindset that they know they’re coming in as a squad player and, 'this XI is doing amazing but I’ve got the capability of knowing once I get in there I can stay'. That’s how our team is going to be pushed forward.
"When you talk about getting Leandro Trossard, a 28-year-old ready to be plugged in. He came in against [Manchester] United, a big club, contributed, it’s exactly what we needed. I’m happy with what we’ve got in as the back-up plan.”
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A number of names have been linked with making moves to Arsenal in the closing days of the January transfer window. Real Valladolid youngster Ivan Fresneda is a Gunners target, with the 18-year-old right-back tipped for a very bright future.
There is severe competition for his services as German giants Borussia Dortmund are monitoring the situation and reportedly willing to loan Fresneda back to the Spanish club until the end of the campaign. The Gunners could also potentially add to their midfield options with Mikel Arteta confirming he wants more depth following an injury to Mohamed Elneny.
“We need some more cover in midfield ideally if we can,” the Spaniad said. “In this market, it’s pretty complicated to do that.
“The most important thing is that we get the performances and the time on the pitch that we need with the players we have available today that are already really good.”
Brighton star Moises Caicedo has been linked with following Trossard from the Amex Stadium to the Emirates, whilst Everton midfielder Amadou Onana has emerged as a surprise option for the Premier League leaders.
