Arsenal Transfer News: Arteta Confirms Plans For January, Summer Windows

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta says the plans are in place for the Gunners’ next two transfer windows in terms of player.

The head coach along with technical director Edu Gaspar is keen to improve the team's roster while also focusing on trimming the current size of the first-team squad.

The North London side is having a shocker of a season having lost eight of their first 14 games in the English Premier League. They are currently languishing at the No. 15 spot, just five points above relegation-threatened Fulham.

Arsenal faces Manchester City in the Carabao Cup on Tuesday night, and ahead of the game, the manager revealed that the plans are in place for the upcoming January transfer window and for the summer.

However, he admitted that executing the plans will require more than just the club’s willingness, as external factors are also in play.

"The planning is done, what we want to do in January and in the summer," Arteta said, as quoted by Goal. "Sometimes you can do it, sometimes not depending on a lot of factors.”

“Edu is dealing with that at the moment and I'm focused on all the games, we don't have much time to spend energy now on that because it's very clear what we want to do," he added. "My job is to make the most out of this squad, the players that we have. We know what we want to do and we will try to execute it knowing that the actual context, market, and what we've been through makes it's difficult."

Arsenal has a number of first-team stars who will be out of contract next summer, while a few will also be entering the final year of their contracts.

The likes of Mesut Ozil, Sokratis Papastathopoulos, Shkodran Mustafi and Alexander Lacazette could be among the players on their way to the exit doors in the next two transfer windows.

In terms of tapping new talent, Edu has already hinted that signing a creative midfielder is a top priority after recently admitting that the team is lacking in that department.

Dominik Szoboszlai and Houssem Aouar were mentioned as potential targets, but the former has already committed with Red Bull Leipzig.