Arsenal 'ready' to offer £45.6m for striker as Mikel Arteta makes 'not enough' admission
All the latest news and transfer rumours surrounding Arsenal as they prepare to face Brighton.
Arsenal are gearing up for a date with Brighton on Saturday as they look to continue the good form they showed over the course of the festive period. The Gunners are back within six points of Liverpool having played a game more, but they are going to have to remain ultra consistent if they want to close the gap.
Mikel Arteta’s men may yet add another player to their squad over the course of the January window, while a couple could leave. Here we round up all the latest news and transfer rumours surrounding the Emirates Stadium.
Arteta on striker signing
Arsenal boss Arteta believes his side can still win the Premier League without a striker signing despite calls for the club to land a new frontman. “It can be a perception, it can be a reality,” said the Spaniard. “Signing somebody is not enough, that's for sure because that signing then has to score how many goals? A lot of things have to happen. Sign and then I score 20 goals from here until the end and then you have a better chance? Maybe, yes. I don't know!
“But I'm very happy with the players that we have. If you look at the amount of goals that we scored as well, it’s more than enough to win a Premier League, and our other numbers as well. But the reality is if somebody is doing more, that’s life so we have to be better. That [January] market is much more limited than the one in the summer, but I don’t know. People’s expectations and dreams are something good.”
Retegui ‘interest’
Arsenal do continue to be linked with a striker signing, though, and Atalanta frontman Mateo Retegui is said to be of interest. According to TuttoMercatoWeb via SportWitness, the Gunners are showing an interest in Retegui, along with Premier League rivals Aston Villa.
The report claims the Gunners are serious about a deal involving Retegui to the point of offering £45.6million in a bid to securing a deal. Retegui has scored 14 goals in 25 games this season, including 12 in 17 league games and three assists. Though, he has been sidelined with a hamstring injury since late December.