Mikel Arteta drops free agent striker hint as Arsenal consider options after injury crisis | OneFootball

Gunners light in attacking areas amid rotten run of lack on fitness front

Mikel Arteta says Arsenal are open to bringing in a free agent to solve their injury crisis in attack.

The Gunners are desperately short on attacking options after Gabriel Martinelli and Kai Havertz suffered hamstring injuries.

Martinelli is due to be out of action for at least a month, while Havertz will miss the rest of the season.

Arsenal now have just three fit forwards as both Bukayo Saka (hamstring) and Gabriel Jesus (knee) are out, too.

The club are able to bring in a free agent and Arteta has refused to rule out Arsenal taking up that option.

“We’ll explore every possible situation and make a decision from there,” said Arteta.

Havertz’s injury is a hammer blow for Arsenal and Arteta has revealed it happened in bizarre circumstances during a training session out in Dubai.

“He was going to stop a shot after a set-piece, then he stretched the leg and felt his hamstring,” said Arteta.

“Certainly it is a big blow because of the injuries that we have but fortunately, we’ve been through a lot this season.

Big blow: Kai Havertz will miss the rest of the season for Arsenal

Action Images via Reuters

“We have played without Gabriel, without [William] Saliba, Ben White all season, [Takehiro] Tomiyasu all season, [Riccardo] Calafiori for two months, [Mikel] Merino for two months, Martin Odegaard for two months, Bukayo Saka for three months, Gabriel Jesus…all of them.

“So that’s it, that’s the challenge ahead. I love it and look forward because we are still where we are with all the things I mentioned on top of playing four times with 10 men, blah blah blah. Let’s see what the team is made of.”

Arsenal are back in action on Saturday, when they travel to Leicester, and they can close the gap on Premier League leaders Liverpool to four points.

Arteta has admitted losing Havertz and Martinelli to injuries is a big blow - but he has rallied his players to respond.

“A big pain in the tummy, that’s the first feeling,” said Arteta. “First of all when you see a player in pain it’s a really bad feeling.

“Then you think ‘not again’, then you realise you have no time to do that. Support the player, start to look forward and at the alternative and how the team is going to be able to continue to perform.

“Convince yourself about that because the players need to feel that belief as well. You can use cases and situations we’ve been in in the past. We’ve done it, great - so if we’ve done it before, we can do it again.”