Mikel Arteta insists Arsenal 'very alert' in January transfer window after fresh injury blow to Ethan Nwaneri | OneFootball

Gunners short of options in attack as injuries continue to hit

Mikel Arteta says Arsenal remain “very alert” during the January transfer window after Ethan Nwaneri became the latest player hit by injury.

Nwaneri picked up a muscle injury during Arsenal’s draw with Brighton on Saturday and is set to be out for a few weeks.

The 17-year-old is yet another fitness headache for Arteta, who is especially short on attacking options ahead of Tuesday night’s Carabao Cup semi-final first leg with Newcastle.

Bukayo Saka is out until March after tearing his hamstring, Raheem Sterling is struggling with a knee problem and Kai Havertz has missed the last two games due to illness.

Arsenal have been on the lookout for attacking reinforcements since Saka injured his hamstring last month and that remains the case, although the club are looking internally for solutions, too.

“That hasn’t changed - again the focus is our players,” said Arteta. “Whatever is in the market, we’re very alert.

“But the priority is working with the players that we have at the moment and tomorrow night, which is a big night for us.

Ethan Nwaneri will be out for a few weeks with a muscle injury

Arsenal FC via Getty Images

“We set very high standards and we really want to only have players here that are coming from our academy or we have to sign players to really elevate and impact the team, otherwise just bringing in bodies doesn’t help us.”

Arsenal will hope to have Havertz back for their clash with Newcastle on Tuesday night, or else they will be very short in attack.

Gabriel Martinelli was their only senior forward on the bench at Brighton on Saturday, with academy duo Ismeal Kabia and Nathan Butler-Oyedeji alongside him as substitutes.

Martinelli is set to start against Newcastle, though, in the absence of Nwaneri, Saka and Sterling - so Arteta will hope he can at least add Havertz to the squad, even if only from the bench.

“I hope so but I don’t want to say yes because last time I said I thought he was going to be fit and he wasn’t fit,” he said.

Newcastle are in fine form having won their last six games in a row and Arteta is aware they must find a way to stop Alexander Isak.

The striker, who has been scouted by Arsenal in the past, has been electric this season and has 14 goals in 21 games.

“He’s a top player in top form scoring a lot of goals and we try to minimise the strength of the opposition,” said Arteta. “That’s a big part of the plan when we’re playing any opponent.”