‘Aggressive’ Arsenal strategy rewarded as source reveals Arteta’s huge early call on January transfers

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta and sporting director Andrea Berta have already made a decision over potential additions in the January transfer window amid claims they could look to make one or two additions to boost their squad for a potential title push.

The Gunners have finished as Premier League runners-up in each of the last three seasons but are determined to go one better this time around and end their reputation as eternal bridesmaids, never the bride, under the Spanish tactician. And after Sunday’s last-gasp and very hard-fought 2-1 win at Newcastle closed the gap at the top to just two points on reigning champions Liverpool, hopes have grown that this could finally be Arsenal‘s year.

By the time May rolls around, you will have to go back a distant 22 years to recall the last time the Gunners – Invincibles under Arsene Wenger – were champions of England.

And with Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher now revealing how Sunday’s win at St James’ Park already feels important – and on a ground where the Gunners have often struggled – reports are suggesting another push for additional quality in the January window will be used to help push Arteta’s side over the line.

However, our transfer insider Dean Jones has refuted claims Arsenal will look to add to their squad in the winter window, pointing to an “aggressive” summer transfer blitz, which he feels Arteta and Co. know has put them in a strong position for the task ahead.

“Unless there is a problem with a key player in terms of injury, I don’t really expect Arsenal to be busy in January,” Jones told TEAMtalk.

“It’s often a window for fixes and Arsenal don’t need anything at the moment, the depth is already there.

“If we think back to last year there was all this hype about them wanting Sesko and Watkins and Zubimendi to try to give them an extra push… but it was not a time when they ended up making those significant moves.”

Jones, who recently broke the news that William Saliba was on the cusp of agreeing the biggest ever deal in Arsenal’s history three days before the announcement, added: “They will continue planning for the future but this squad is very well built and they were very aggressive over the summer months. I would be surprised if anything major happens.”

Gary Neville makes bold claim over Arsenal squad

While Liverpool were the biggest spenders this summer, splashing out some £440m on new players, the Reds did claw a large amount of that back through several high-profile sales.

And when the dust settled, it was Arsenal who were the Premier League’s biggest net spenders of the summer transfer window, with no less than eight first-team signings added to the squad and to the tune of some £257m (€295m, $345m) net.

The likes of Martin Zubimendi, Cristian Mosquera, Eberechi Eze and Victor Gyokeres have already made their impact felt and, off the back of their summer spree, Gary Neville now feels Arteta boasts the best squad in the Premier League.

“Mikel Arteta has got a brilliant squad. He’s got a brilliant squad, I think he’s got the best squad in the league and maybe the best team in the league and I say that quietly because Liverpool are excellent,” Neville said on Sky Sports after their 2-1 win at St James’ Park.

“There’s only two teams that can win this league – Liverpool and Arsenal – I don’t think anyone else can.”

Carragher is also impressed by Arsenal’s depth, commenting last week: “I think Arsenal have the best squad in the country, I do believe that.

“Let’s not forget that [Martin] Odegaard, [Kai] Havertz and [Gabriel] Jesus are out injured. That bench is as good as the team on the pitch.”

Latest Arsenal news: Gunners tipped to sign England star; Juventus talent linked

Despite Jones’ claims, that has not stopped Wayne Rooney from suggesting Arsenal could emerge as surprise suitors to sign a quality England star, who is now in the final months of his contract at a Premier League rival.

Meanwhile, with Berta always having his eyes on the best young talent around, Arsenal are reported to have opened talks to sign one of Juventus’s best young players, though the Italian club’s stance on his sale has also emerged.

On the outgoing front, it’s claimed Bayern Munich are still keen on signing an Arsenal winger they looked at in the summer of 2025 before they secured the services of Colombian livewire, Luis Diaz, from Liverpool.

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