Mikel Arteta has admitted he wants Arsenal to complete their January transfer business as soon as possible.
The Gunners return to Premier League action on Boxing Day and are five points clear at the top of the table.
However, a serious injury to star striker Gabriel Jesus threatens to derail this title bid. They are interested in Michalo Modric, while Gabriel Martinelli is close to agreeing terms on a new long-term deal.
Speaking ahead of their clash with West Ham on Monday, Arteta discussed Arsenal’s plans for the upcoming transfer window.
“We knew the importance of getting players in early in the summer and we want to do the same in January,” he said.
“It’s ideal. Sometimes it’s not realistic. But obviously, if you ask my opinion, we want the players to settle as quickly as possible.
“In this league with the competition, where the bar is and what the standards have been for the last four or five years – something the Premier League hasn’t experienced in the past – we know every point is going to be massively important.”
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Arteta added: “Can we afford not to get the player we want? That’s my question, if we want we can certainly afford to get a striker, I don’t know. He plays in League Two, in League Five, in Spain, in Portugal, in Africa,
“We can get a striker I can guarantee you that. But what we can’t do is get a player here who isn’t for us. That’s something we can’t afford. That’s for sure.
“We don’t need bodies, we need players who make the team better. I think personalities who have the mentality that we want to win.
“And we’re going to have to focus on that. We’re going to have to be very strict with what we’ve done and the policy we’ve had to make the team successful.
“We’re very attached to the players we’re looking for. Whether they’re feasible or affordable, the timing, depends on a lot of things that are out of my control. Theory says it’s a very difficult task. There’s a window.”