Mikel Arteta hints Arsenal signings are likely following Gabriel Jesus injury

Mikel Arteta admits Gabriel Jesus’ injury increases the need for Arsenal to make signings this month.

The forward will be out for the season after suffering an ACL injury in Arsenal’s FA Cup exit to Manchester United on Sunday.

Jesus has been one of the Gunners’ most prolific players in recent weeks, with six goals in the last seven games.

And Arteta insists the club are actively looking at adding to the squad before the window shuts.

“We are actively looking at what we can do to plan and improve the squad and impact the squad if we can,” he said. “The news of Gabby that has been confirmed this afternoon takes the scenario to another dimension because the timeline will be long.

“We have very clear ideas of the players that we want. That was before Gabby’s injury and now he is injured.

“We have to wait and see how things develop.”

Jesus becomes the latest injured player in Arsenal’s forward line with Bukayo Saka and Ethan Nwaneri also still out. Arteta did reveal that Nwaneri is back out on the training pitch working on his recovery, however.

Raheem Sterling, meanwhile, has recently recovered from an injury and came on as a substitute in Arsenal’s penalty shoot-out exit to Man Utd.

And Arteta says he is confident Sterling can help address his side’s attacking shortcomings.

Arteta said: “I was really happy with the way he came in. You could sense that he was going to give us something important and great, because we need him.

“You can see what he can bring. He’s used to playing in this kind of context as well with the demands that we have every three days, so it’s great to have him.”

Arteta also called on the fans to get behind the team against rivals Spurs: “A lot of things have happened that are difficult and out of our hands. Let’s create the best atmosphere The Emirates has seen. This is in our hands.

“If we want, we are going to create it. We don’t need to depend on anybody. We are going to try with the players and the staff that we are the first ones to try and embrace that, and hopefully the fans will follow us.”