Speaking in his pre-match press conference, Mikel Arteta has delivered an update on Arsenal's plans for this January transfer window.

What did he say?

The Gunners have been linked with a host of players, including numerous centre-backs after Calum Chambers was ruled out for the rest of the season with a knee injury. Names such as Dayot Upamecano and Nathan Ake have been amongst those who have been mooted for a potential move to the Emirates.

Now, speaking ahead of the Premier League game against Crystal Palace on Saturday afternoon, Arteta has admitted the club are looking out for potential new signings following their significant injury problems.

He said (as quoted by the club's official website): "Yeah, we always have to be looking because obviously we have some bad injuries for players who are going to be out for a long time. We have to see if we can find options there.

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"I don't know, I'm not expecting big things. I'm expecting big things from the players I have at the moment, the players that are recovering from injuries. That's the biggest expectations from my side, they're there. If we can find something to help us go through the season in a more balanced way in certain areas, and is helpful, we'll look at the options."

Being proactive

The last thing Arteta needed in these first few weeks in charge is for the Gunners' injury problems to get worse than they already were. The likes of Hector Bellerin, Kieran Tierney and Rob Holding have all had their issues this season, and are either currently injured or working their way back to full fitness. To then have had Chambers go down with a season-ending injury just threw another spanner in the works.

Quickfire Quiz: How much do you know about Arsenal's history in the January transfer window?

So the Spaniard's verdict on the club trying to be proactive in the January market makes for encouraging reading indeed. The north London side cannot afford any more injuries, particularly from a defensive point of view. If they can bring in someone either on loan or permanent to give them greater strength in depth, and "go through the season in a more balanced way", then it's something the Gunners simply cannot hesitate to do.

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