Mikel Arteta’s Pre-Brighton Press Conference: Injury Updates, January Transfers, Sterling, Tierney & More

After securing our first win of 2025 away at Brentford, Arsenal travel away again to Brighton in what is their first fixture outside of London since November. Here is what Mikel Arteta had to say.

INJURIES

After missing players due to illness while dealing with a lot of injuries against Brentford, Arsenal will be hoping that they can get a lot of players back soon. Positively on Kai Havertz and whether he could make the squad, Arteta replied: "Yes I think so."

On the injury side of things, Raheem Sterling is nearing a return from his injury:

"I think he's starting to do some stuff on the pitch so that's great news. As quickly as possible we want him available. Let's see how he progresses this week and then see if we can go for the following week."

However, Ben White and Takehiro Tomiyasu will be out for a while longer as they continue recovery from long term injuries:

"Ben is still a few weeks away and Tomi again has done some stuff on the pitch but now because it's been a long-term injury we need to see how quickly he can progress and how he reacts."

Before the Brentford game, Arteta was saying how his New Year's Resolution would be to avoid any more injuries within the squad, managing minutes is therefore important as he's done with Declan Rice:

"In his case especially, he plays so much football. We have nine games in this period this month and he had some niggles in the last few games. He had to come off and we have to manage every player and there are no exceptions."

BUSY JANUARY?

Arsenal are in the market to sign an attacker in this January transfer window, although when it comes to the transfer market, the boss is keen to keep a tight lip on any potential moves:

"I don't know, again because the focus is on the players that we have. When something is in the market that we can afford and believe is going to have a real impact on the team, we have to be open to that possibility. We have the ability to change the squad in the windows, but at the moment the focus is on what we have."

Kieran Tierney has also been linked with a move away, after it was confirmed we will leave at latest in the summer window. Celtic would like to re-sign him after Arsenal bought him from there back in 2019. On a potential move:

"All the players that are here want to focus on performing and impacting the team. If something happens there, we'll assess it."

IS ETHAN THE ANSWER?

After a very strong performance in his first Premier League start, questions were asked whether Ethan Nwaneri was the perfect answer in terms of trying to fill the void of Bukayo Saka:

"He's a player that can play in various positions. It's not a position that he played a lot when he was at academy level, but he can adapt to the demands that we have in two or three positions. I think he did really well there."

MERINO'S FORM?

"We expected a very fast integration because he's played in the league, he's such an intelligent and experienced player and he fits very well. He had an injury and another little niggle, and he had no pre-season because he played for Spain as well and it took him just a while to start to get set, but now you can see the impact he has in the team, his intelligence and the goal threat that he offers to the team. Then, more and more will come because he's a natural leader as well. As he grows in the role, I think we'll see much more from him."

THE ACADEMY

Hale End has always played a big role when it comes to the Arsenal team and 2025 looks to continue that trend:

"The first thing that we want is to look at the academy – can we get what we want in the academy, that's option number one. If we don't have it there, then we have to look elsewhere. We have to develop our players to different positions and make them more versatile, or we have to go into the market and recruit. I think those two players [Myles Lewis-Skelly and Ethan Nwaneri] are playing because they deserve to, not just down to injuries, but because there are options to play other players. They play because they are good players."

Mikel Arteta spent time when he was young at La Masia in Barcelona, when asked whether he takes inspiration from it:

"I would love [to] but the revelations here are unfortunately very different. A lot of the things that in my opinion are the most impactful things, we cannot do here."

On trying to continue the development of the academy:

"Many more are coming through, especially that they feel they have a chance and any moment anybody [can come in] and that means academy players and staff. The first thing we do with the staff is exactly the same, everybody has the ambition, the purpose and intention to prepare and show that "in any moment they can come and be a part of our team."

How bright the future is for the academy:

"I think so, we have put in a lot of work. Per and the team have done a lot of great work, and we are on it. We know the level as well and along with the system we have at the moment for where they are playing to where they have to come. The gap is huge, but we are trying to find ways to make sure that they can fulfil that gap."

Is the academy being looked to due to PSR?

"Regardless of the PSR, that's the first intention that we've always had. The thing is what you need is at the level of the academy, the timeframe that you need as well. You can have a lot of talent but maybe that talent doesn't have space in the squad. It's something that we have built over the years, to create with the players that were coming through, especially with the spaces in our squad, so we can use the players that we have."