Mikel Arteta may have just sent a clear transfer message to the Kroenkes with Arsenal’s Champions League selection hint

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Arsenal’s squad is incredibly light on options in forward areas, and Mikel Arteta is paying the price.

The Gunners are without Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli, Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz at the moment, with all four players absent with various injury issues.

As a result, Arteta’s team are struggling in the final third, having failed to score against both West Ham and Nottingham Forest in their last two matches.

This situation was arguably somewhat preventable, as Arsenal opted not to sign anyone in the January transfer window.

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Mikel Arteta opted not to fill Champions League bench

Arsenal travelled to the Netherlands to take on PSV Eindhoven on Tuesday night, and Arteta made a conscious decision regarding his squad for the encounter.

The Champions League allows a manager to name 12 substitutes, and the Spaniard chose not to fill this quota away to the Dutch side.

Tommy Setford, Ismael Kabia and Nathan Butler-Oyededji were all named on the bench, but Arteta opted not to permit one more youngster to sit on the sidelines and experience a European knockout match close up.

Alongside Kabia and Butler-Oyedeji, Raheem Sterling was the only attacking player Arteta gave himself as an option to call upon, a bizarre choice given he was able to extend this list of options.

Mikel Arteta’s selection decision may have been a message to the Kroenkes

Arsenal’s under-21s played on Monday night against Crystal Palace, which likely meant several of the candidates that could’ve featured on the Gunners’ bench against PSV weren’t available.

The likes of Josh Nichols, Salah-Eddine Oulad M’Hand and Khayon Edwards, all of whom might’ve made the senior squad, were in action for the reserves.

However, Arteta still could’ve called upon a player from a younger age group who was eligible.

The experience of being involved in a Champions League knockout match in some capacity would’ve been invaluable to a promising Hale End youngster.

Thus, it’s not unreasonable to suggest that Arteta’s decision was pointed, expressing his frustration to the Emirates hierarchy about the depth situation he’s been left with.

It’s well documented that the Arsenal boss wanted a striker in January, and this may have been his first opportunity to subtly display his annoyance that this didn’t materialise.