Keith Wyness

Fri 28 February 2025 21:00, UK

Arsenal are rapidly falling away in the Premier League title race and now sit 13 points behind Liverpool with 11 games to play.

The Gunners failed to add a single player in the January transfer window despite key injuries to Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Jesus.

Gabriel Martinelli and Kai Havertz were sidelined with huge injury blows just days after the close of the window on 3 February.

Arsenal fans have levelled huge criticism at manager Mikel Arteta and the club’s transfer chiefs after another disappointing collapse in the title race.

Everton’s former chief Keith Wyness – who served as CEO at Goodison Park between 2004 and 2009 and now runs a football consultancy advising elite clubs – has shared a “ridiculous” verdict on the Gunners’ January window.

Arsenal accounts not to blame for quiet January

As per their new accounts, Arsenal suffered a £17.7million loss in the 2023-24 campaign – and it has been suggested those results meant it was unviable for the club to strengthen in January.

But speaking on the new edition of Football Insider’s Inside Track podcast, Wyness insisted the players lined up by Arteta and his transfer team simply weren’t available mid-season.

He claimed “there’s no point spending ridiculous money” on players who may be “third or fourth choice” when Arsenal return to full strength.

Wyness told Football Insider‘s Insider Track podcast: “I don’t think the January window being quiet was down to the accounts.

“We’ve heard this from many managers, but I don’t think it’s true. Arteta said that if he can’t bring someone in who is an improvement, why bring them in?

“The players they wanted weren’t available.

“We’ve talked about Isak, we’ve talked about others – but they weren’t available or weren’t fit.

“There’s no point spending ridiculous money in January for someone who will be third or fourth choice.

“I don’t think it was the accounts which dictated the quiet window.”

Arsenal face devastating Saka blow

Meanwhile, Football Insider has been told Arsenal would be “lucky” if injured superstar Bukayo Saka plays again in the 2024-25 campaign.

Havertz and Jesus have already been ruled out for the season, while Martinelli has also been on the treatment table in recent weeks – with Raheem Sterling, Ethan Nwaneri and Leandro Trossard all stepping up.

Saka had managed nine goals and 13 assists in 24 appearances across all competitions before his injury.

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