With the winter transfer window closed, Arsenal again failed to fix a glaring problem. To make matters worse, Kai Havertz suffered an injury, further depleting the team’s attacking options. As they push forward in both the Premier League and Champions League, the challenge of maintaining momentum without a reliable goal scorer grows larger than ever.
Embed from Getty ImagesInjury Crisis
Injuries to Gabriel Jesus, Bukayo Saka, and Gabriel Martinelli have stretched Arsenal’s attacking depth to the limit. Only Leandro Trossard, Raheem Sterling, and Ethan Nwaneri remain recognised forwards. Yet Mikel Arteta refuses to shy away from tactical experiments. He has previously deployed Thomas Partey at right-back and academy graduate Miles Lewis-Skelly at left-back, proving his willingness to adapt.
With so few options, Arteta may have to get creative again. Could an unconventional solution work? Mikel Merino, a box-to-box midfielder, thrived as a makeshift striker against Leicester City, scoring twice. Could he provide the short-term fix Arsenal desperately needs?
Embed from Getty ImagesMissed Transfer Opportunities
Despite their apparent need for a striker, Arsenal again failed to close crucial deals, frustrating fans and pundits. The club has pursued high-profile targets like Ollie Watkins, Benjamin Sesko, and Dusan Vlahovic, yet every chase ended in disappointment. Arsenal’s long-standing admiration for Alexander Isak—who reminds many of Thierry Henry—also led nowhere, as they refused to pay the required premium.
Instead of securing reinforcements, the club pushed its striker search to the summer, prioritising financial caution. However, with rivals like Manchester City strengthening their squads, standing still could mean falling behind.
The One That Got Away
Arsenal’s transfer struggles worsened as Mika Biereth, a former academy striker, found red-hot form in Europe. After leaving for Sturm Graz last summer, he secured a £12.5 million move to Monaco in January. He exploded with seven goals in his previous seven matches, including back-to-back hat-tricks.
His rapid rise has reignited debates over Arsenal’s squad planning. Keeping a promising young forward could have made a difference if no senior strikers were available. Selling him without a buy-back clause now looks like a major misstep.
Arteta’s Challenge
With no new reinforcements, Arsenal must find solutions within their squad. Arteta may turn to academy prospects like Ethan Nwaneri, but relying on untested youngsters in a title race carries significant risks.
Strong defensive performances have kept Arsenal competitive, but their lack of a reliable goal scorer could derail their ambitions. The next few months will test Arteta’s ability to adapt and maximize his squad’s potential.
For now, Arsenal fans can only hope their team defies the odds. But if their lack of a striker costs them silverware, many will remember the club’s January inaction as a costly mistake.
