(Reuters) – Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta is happy with the squad depth following the club’s business in the transfer window but said that they failed in their attempt to sign a midfielder on deadline day after injuries to Thomas Partey and Mohamed Elneny.
Arsenal signed five players, including Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko from Manchester City, but did not succeed in their late attempt to sign Douglas Luiz from Aston Villa, who reportedly rejected three offers for the Brazil midfielder.
The London club had as many as 37 players leave, including high-profile players such as Alexandre Lacazette and Nicolas Pepe.
“We had a lot of things still to do with squad. Look at the departures compared to what we’ve recruited. The club has done a phenomenal job to bring players with the profiles we wanted,” Arteta told reporters on Friday.
“Unfortunately in the last 72 hours Thomas and Mo got injured and we had to react in the market. We tried and at the end of the day we have to bring in the players we feel are right but we didn’t manage to do it.”
Arsenal are the only team with a 100% winning record this season after five games and Arteta said the table toppers were in good spirits ahead of Sunday’s trip to Manchester United, who are fifth.
“We’ve won away before, we have to do it again and believe we are capable of going there, playing our way and winning the match. I don’t think it’s an issue,” the Spaniard said.
“The feeling and energy around the club (is good), the way the team is playing and performing, the icing on the cake is winning football matches. We have to continue to do that, keep doing simple things right and keep playing well.”
Goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale (thigh) and midfielder Martin Odegaard (foot) will be assessed ahead of Sunday’s game, while Zinchenko is unlikely to feature after missing training.
Partey is expected to be out for “weeks”, while Elneny will be sidelined for “months” after both suffered thigh injuries.
(Reporting by Manasi Pathak in Bengaluru; Editing by Christian Radnedge)
