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It’s been another tumultuous week for Arsenal and we have all the latest news from the Emirates today (Saturday February 15) as the Gunners lurch from that Kai Havertz crisis into that Premier League trip to Leicester....READ ORIGINAL & FULL CONTENT FROM SOURCE | READ ORIGINAL & FULL CONTENT FROM SOURCE...
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta could reportedly deploy Ben White or Riccardo Calafiori as an emergency striker amid the club’s current injury crisis.
The Gunners failed to sign a centre forward during the January transfer window, to the disappointment of Arteta, and the club have been left with a threadbare set of attacking options after Kai Havertz pulled his hamstring while on a training camp in Dubai.
The Germany international has joined the likes of Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Jesus and Gabriel Martinelli on the treatment table, with Raheem Sterling, Leandro Trossard and Ethan Nwaneri the only fit attackers currently available to Arteta.
As a result, the Arsenal manager will consider using White or Calafiori as an unorthodox centre forward if needed, according to a rather sensational report from TBR Football.
Nico Williams in Arsenal transfer U-turn
Athletic Club winger Nico Williams has reportedly decided to join Barcelona this summer, despite significant interest from Arsenal.
The Spain international is expected to secure a big-money transfer when the 2025 summer window opens, with some of Europe’s biggest clubs, including Chelsea and Manchester United, eager to trigger his €58 million release clause.
We understand that Williams is Arsenal’s priority transfer target and we have been informed that Mikel Arteta’s side are even willing to pay in excess of his release clause in order to secure better payment terms.
Real Sociedad star Martin Zubimendi is also expected to join the Emirates Stadium outfit this summer and the presence of several Spain internationals could help persuade Williams to join the Gunners.
Furthermore, recent reports have speculated that Williams has already informed Barcelona wonderkid Lamine Yamal of his decision to snub Barcelona in order to join Arsenal.
However, TBR Football have claimed that Williams still prefers a move to Camp Nou this summer.
The 23-year-old’s representatives are currently engaged in talks with a number of clubs across Europe, but he reportedly favours joining Barcelona if he leaves Athletic Club in 2025.
The Blaugrana remain in financial difficulty, which could impact a potential deal, although they have been linked with a host of high-profile stars in recent weeks, including Newcastle United’s Alexander Isak, and they are expected to challenge for Williams’ signature.
Nico Williams Arsenal Transfer News
Reports from Spain suggest Athletic Bilbao’s Nico Williams will join Arsenal this summer.
Arteta and Arsenal under fire for Nketiah sale
Arsenal have found their transfer policy increasingly under question due to the recent injury to Kai Havertz, and now we have more of the same for the under-fire Gunners.
Mikel Arteta’s team will go into the next month without a recognised senior centre-forward as Havertz will miss the rest of the campaign along with Gabriel Jesus.
The prevailing feeling at the end of the most recent transfer window was that Arsenal should have added more attacking players to their squad, and this has only been underlined following a hamstring issue that will rule the Germany international out on a long-term basis.
Now Arteta has been told that he made a mistake last summer in allowing a player dubbed ‘the next Ian Wright’ to leave the club in a deal worth €30 million.
“I’m astounded they let Eddie Nketiah join Crystal Palace because he is the type of player that scores goals,” former England and Manchester United striker Teddy Sheringham said.
“I think he is a young Ian Wright. He’s obviously not ready to lead the line full-time for Arsenal, but to throw him in every now and again.
“When you’re beating an Everton 2-0, throw Eddie in and let him score a couple, have a couple of chances, get his confidence up. When you play against Crystal Palace at home, you win 3-0, throw Eddie in, get him a goal, get him a bit of confidence.
“He’s a goal scorer. He comes alive in the box. That’s what Arsenal need, from my perspective. They need a goal scorer in those vital moments to convert all the chances that they make. So, to not have anyone in their ranks that they could do that with, is astounding.”
Arteta provides Saka boost with one-word message
There’s an old saying that just when you think things can’t get any worse, they do – that was how Arsenal fans felt early on Friday.
It had already been the grimmest of weeks for the Gunners, with German star Kai Havertz ruled out for the rest of the season with a hamstring injury. A properly painful blow after the club failed to bring in a new striker during the January transfer window.
Havertz of course is only one of the major injury issues for Mikel Arteta in attack. Gabriel Jesus is out for the season with an ACL injury while Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli are both recovering from hamstring injuries.
Late last night (Thursday) things looked to have taken another miserable turn with The Sun reporting that Saka could be out for another EIGHT WEEKS, rather than returning as expected next month.
This was a bitter blow for Gunners fans, who had been boosted by pictures of Bukayo undergoing rehab in the weight room in Dubai this week. So what’s the actual deal?
Well this morning (Friday) we had Arteta’s press conference ahead of Saturday’s Premier League trip to Leicester, as the Gunners look to cut the seven-point gap to Liverpool at the top of the Premier League table.
The manager was, of course, asked about the reports of a Saka setback, and his response was the first bit of good news we’ve had this week.
When asked if there had been a setback, Arteta’s response was a simple “NO”. Good start, Mikel.
He went on: “We have a long-term injury, what is faster? In a ten-day injury, three days is a lot. But its too early, he’s in an early stage of rehab. When we do more we will stack on more load.”
