Mikel Arteta reveals if Arsenal will sign a free agent amid striker crisis

Mikel Arteta is open to desperately plunging into the free agent market for a striker to revive Arsenal after Kai Havertz’s season-ending injury.

Havertz sustained a hamstring injury on Arsenal’s recent trip to Dubai, which has ruled him out for the rest of the season.

That leaves Arteta perilously short up front with just three recognised attackers in Leandro Trossard, Raheem Sterling and Ethan Nwaneri as the Gunners try to further close the gap on leaders Liverpool, who are seven points clear in the Premier League table.

When asked about the possibility of signing a free agent, he said: ‘I'll explore every possible situation and make a decision from there.’

Havertz has scored 15 goals across all competitions this season and is a key part of Arsenal’s team.

Arteta freshly remembers how the injury happened in Dubai.

‘He was going to stop a shot after a set piece and stretch the leg and he felt his hamstring,’ he said.

‘We were having a great camp in Dubai, recharging, training, having some time off and connecting again with nature and a different environment.

‘And then the injury happened in a very unexpected way, certainly. So it's a big blow, obviously, because of the injuries that we have. But fortunately, we've been through a lot this season.

‘We have played without Gabriel Magalhaes, without (William) Saliba, without Ben White all season, (Takehiro) Tomiyasu all season, (Riccardo) Calafiori two months, (Mikel) Merino two months, Martin Odegaard two months, Bukayo Saka three months, Gabriel Jesus, all of them. So that's it.

‘That's the challenge ahead. Love it and look forward because we are still where we are with all the things that I mentioned on top of playing four times with 10 men, blah, blah, blah. So let's see what the team is made of.’