Arsenal ready to sign striker in January transfer window after Danny Welbeck blow
Arsenal’s head of football Raúl Sanllehi has given Unai Emery the green light to sign a striker in the January transfer window after Danny Welbeck suffered a devastating ankle injury.
The England forward was stretchered off during Arsenal’s Europa League clash with Sporting Lisbon after landing awkwardly on his ankle.
Arsenal have overhauled their transfer policy in the last 18 months with the arrival of Sven Mislintat but hadn’t planned on signing a forward in January.
However, Sanllehi has admitted the club could be forced into doing so after Welbeck’s injury and says the Gunners are looking at their options.
‘This is absolutely something unplanned,” Sanllehí told The Independent.
‘We are sad for Danny and he knows he has all the support from the club. Yes, that makes you consider things.
‘I am not saying that is a green light to go to the market because we have some very good players who may now get further opportunities, such as Eddie Nketiah. So we need to see. We are in November so it is a good time to start analysing what options we have in the market.
‘We are not closing the door but it is still not the preferred one. We are always going to strive to be the best team we can be and if there is a very good opportunity then we are definitely going to consider it. We will see. Danny’s injury alters, in a way, the views.’
Welbeck is out of contract at the end of the season and could have been sold in January had he not suffered the ankle injury.
No time frame has been put on the forward’s return but he’s likely to be out of action for the remainder of the campaign.
Mohamed Elneny, who is yet to feature in the Premier League this season, is likely to leave the club in January.