Arsenal faces a challenging period ahead as their 23-year-old winger, Gabriel Martinelli, will be sidelined for over a month due to a hamstring injury. This setback compounds the club's growing injury concerns, with Martinelli having been substituted just before halftime during the Carabao Cup semi-final second-leg defeat against Newcastle. The Gunners are grappling with a spate of injuries, including Bukayo Saka's ongoing hamstring problem, which is expected to keep him out until mid-March at the earliest. Additionally, striker Gabriel Jesus is ruled out for the remainder of the season following an ACL injury.
The January transfer window offered no respite for Arsenal, as the club failed to secure a new forward despite their efforts. Manager Mikel Arteta expressed his disappointment over not achieving their transfer goals, though he emphasized the importance of maintaining discipline in their search for the right kind of player.
"We had a clear intention which is always: the window is open to explore the opportunity to improve the squad with players who can do that. We haven't achieved it," – Arteta
"We are disappointed in that sense but we are very aware we want to bring in a certain kind of player, we have to be very disciplined in that. I think that we were." – Arteta
Arsenal's offensive options are limited, with Kai Havertz being their only recognized striker. The club's attempts to sign Aston Villa's Ollie Watkins were unsuccessful, and they also showed interest in Benjamin Sesko, Matheus Cunha, and Mathys Tel. As a result, Arteta will need to be adaptable with his attacking lineup.
"We are going to have to be flexible in the front line," – Arteta
"Leo [Trossard], Ethan [Nwaneri], [Gabriel] Martinelli, Raheem [Sterling] can play in that position. Let's see in relation to how everybody is, moment and opponent. But at some point, we're going to have to try something different." – Arteta
Martinelli's absence could see him miss crucial Premier League fixtures against Leicester City, West Ham, and Nottingham Forest in February. Arsenal currently sits second in the Premier League standings, trailing six points behind leaders Liverpool, who also have a game in hand.
Despite these challenges, Arsenal remains committed to staying competitive. The team flew out to Dubai on Thursday for a warm-weather training camp aimed at keeping players fit and focused. While Saka and Martinelli traveled with the group, they were not pictured in training sessions overseen by Arteta and his coaching staff on Friday. Ben White returned to training after recovering from knee surgery.
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