‘We are a bit short in certain areas’ – Mikel Arteta talks transfer window amidst Mykhaylo Mudryk links to Arsenal

Mikel Arteta refused to give anything away regarding Arsenal’s potential signing of Mykhaylo Mudryk, but did hint that the club would like to sign some players in the January transfer window.

Mudryk, who currently plays for Shakhtar Donetsk, has been heavily linked to the North London club this window, and are reportedly closing in on a deal to him for an eventual fee of up to £80m.

During his press conference ahead of the North London Derby, Arteta was asked about Mudryk, to which he said: “We cannot talk about any other players. There is some interest in things we’d like to do to improve the team because we are a bit short in certain areas with the injuries we’ve [picked up].

“We are trying as a club – we are determined to try to improve the team in every window, and that’s what we’re trying to do.”

Mudryk has hinted at his possible signing on social media, posting a picture of his cat on his Instagram story, with a photo of him in an Arsenal kit in the background.

When asked about Mudryk’s online clues, Arteta simply joked: “Mark [Gonnella] will tell you how good I am with the phone!” referring to Arsenal’s Director of Media Communications and Community Affairs.

“He’s progressing really well. He’s working really hard. He’s in the right place in his recovery regarding the time that we set for him, but he’s still a bit far [away] to be back.

“I would like to see him very quickly but I don’t think that’s going to happen. We’re going to have to be patient with that one. With every surgery, there are always a lot of things you have to be very cautious with, especially in the first few weeks. He’s going to push everybody there to be on the pitch really [soon], but we have to be cautious as well.”

“It’s great to have him back. He felt good, they were his first minutes after four months. He’s worked so hard to be in the position he is today. Now we need to give him minutes and we need to get him back in the team because he’s a very important player for us.”

“Sometimes [Tottenham] approach games in different ways. Sometimes they are very aggressive from the beginning, and sometimes they allow you to make the game, and they have a lot of tools to use to cause you problems. Let’s see how the game develops. We’ll prepare for any occasion in the best possible way and then it will be left to the players to do what they have to do on the pitch.”