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Mikel Arteta ‘had concerns’ about signing £30m player who he didn’t think would make a difference at Arsenal

Lucas Arnold

Tue 4 February 2025 8:55, UK

The January transfer window looked like a significant opportunity for Arsenal to strengthen the options available to Mikel Arteta, who has been enduring something of an injury crisis.

Arteta even admitted himself that Arsenal needed help in forward areas, but not one signing arrived all window, one of the quietest 🧜deadline days to date in N5.

Arsenal have taken a rꦓisk on Kai Ha𝔉vertz staying fit for the rest of the season, a striker who does have a very promising availability record in the past.

That being said, Havertz looked exhausted recently – it is a gamble by the 🌳club’s d𝕴ecision makers.

Of course, if Arsenal weren’t going to 🎉execute a short-term deal for a striker this month, many felt as if they would invest into one or two long-term prospects.

Arsenal were confident of signing Sverre Nypan at one point of the window, and they also had interest in Brazilian centre-back Vitor Reis who ended up signing for Manchester City.

Mikel Arteta thought it was a bad idea to sign Vitor Reis in January

TBR Football first revealed Arsenal’s interest in Reis back in October, ཧonly for the Gunners to u🐻ltimately veto a move.

Now, havꦕe provided more details on that decision, one that was par🐻tly fueled by Arteta.

READ MORE: What Arsenal are privately concerned about Gabriel Jesu꧃s ahe♓ad of the summer transfer window

According to the report, Reis would have cost Arsenal around £30m last month, a figure which𒊎 concerned Arteta.

Arteta🧜 was re♏luctant to spend such a sum on a player who was ‘unlikely to be a difference-maker’ for the Gunners this season.

Moreover, it was recognised that Arsenal are also൩ well-stocked in defence, meaning the signing wasn’t right for the club this m🀅onth.

Of course, Reis was on the bench at the Emirates Stadium when 🅠Arsenal beat Man City 5-1 last weekend, the kind of fixture the Brazilian will hope to one day star in.

Arsenal fans would have been angered if the club signed a defender

Undoubtedly it is a shame that Arsenal weren’t in the right position to sign𒁏 Reis, who is considered to have William Saliba type levels of potential.

But at the same time, the club’s and Arteta’s justification s🌱eems to make sense.

Had the right striker become available – were RB Leipzig reluctantly willing to let go of Benjamin Sesko early for example, Arsenal would be red faced if t♉hey had already spent big on a defender, which would have annoyed fans.

Arsenal want Alexander Isak or Sesko in the summer, a message th💛at has always been clear throughout the January window.

And after staying reserved mid-season, fans in N5 will be expecting a considerable oജutlay on world-class signing⭕s in the summer.