Arsenal will not panic over any signing they make to replace Gabriel Jesus whilst he is injured, according to journalist Charles Watts.
Jesus has played a starring role for the Gunners this season, with 11 goals and assists in 14 league games, but picked up an injury at the World Cup which is set to keep him out for an extended period.
With Eddie Nketiah the only other natural number nine in the squad, there have been rumours linking Arsenal with a January move for a striker, with Joao Felix reportedly admired.
However, a stopgap signing looks unlikely, and if Arsenal do bring in an attacker to help cover for the Brazilian’s absence, then it will be a targeted signing with a future in mind, rather than a quick fix.
Speaking on his YouTube channel prior to the Gunners’ victory over West Ham United, Watts highlighted Arsenal’s thought-out transfer strategy under Arteta and emphasised that they will not repeat the same mistakes that they made in the past.
“When it comes to signing forwards and signing players in January, Arsenal are not going to panic, they are not going to go out and just sign anyone, that is not how they operate anymore, that’s what’s got them in trouble bef0re,” he stated.
“When it’s come to building a squad, all the work that’s gone on in the last couple of years in getting the sort of squad together that Arteta wants, that Edu wants.
“They’ve got a very strict profile, they’re not going to break away from that, they’re not going to panic-buy.
“They showed that last January when they let Aubameyang go without bringing in a replacement, they didn’t want to get anyone for the sake of it and end up with a player that in six months’ time they don’t really want.”
TIF thoughts on Arsenal’s transfers…
Jesus joined from Manchester City to become Arsenal’s first-choice No 9, while Nketiah signed a long-term contract to be his understudy.
Arteta clearly has faith in both going forward as their striking options, so we think a panic-buy despite the injury to Jesus looks highly unlikely – particularly with Nketiah scoring last night.
A versatile attacker who can cover across the front line may be brought in, so that when Jesus returns he can play alongside the recruit, and Mykhaylo Mudryk has been heavily linked.
It is safe to say though, that a loan or short-term deal which Arsenal may have gone for in the past, can almost certainly be ruled out.