Arsenal board are making a serious transfer deadline day error after clear Kai Havertz feedback

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Arsenal might live to regret not signing anyone in the January transfer window as the hours go by on deadline day.

Mikel Arteta was concerned about the depth in his squad following injuries to key attackers Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Jesus. 

Following the injuries, it was understood that Arsenal would sign a forward in the January window but, with deadline day here, there’s no sign of movement as of yet. 

Such could come back to haunt the Gunners, as a brutal assessment of Arteta’s current strike options was provided after the win over Manchester City.

• READ MORE: Everything you need to know about January 2025 transfer deadline day including closing date and time

Michael Owen and Jamie Carragher weigh in on Kai Havertz

Arsenal are high on their dominant 5-1 win over Man City at the Emirates, with the victory made even sweeter as five different names made the scoresheet. 

After a memorable day for the Gunners, thoughts about transfer deadline day decreased but, that shouldn’t be the case, as Jamie Carragher warned Arteta. 

Speaking on Sky Sports’ coverage of the win, Carragher was stunned at the lack of quality Kai Havertz showed when missing a remarkable chance to score in the first half. 

“That has to be the game, he has to score that, that’s a lack of confidence but also a lack of quality,” the pundit said before making a bold claim.

“Almost every centre-forward in the Premier League will look at a situation like that and fancy themselves to score.”

Data noted Havertz’s chance as recording 0.77xG, meaning that if the German were to be presented with the chance 100 times, he’d be expected to score on 77 occasions.

Michael Owen doubled down on Carragher’s criticism, refusing to categorise Havertz as a ‘cold-blooded’ finisher.

“A cold-blooded striker would have been shooting there,” Owen said on the Premier League live blog. 

It was a dreadful miss for the Arsenal striker, who is already low on confidence given the 15 big chances he’s missed in 21 Premier League appearances this season, something that Arteta might have to live with.

January transfer failures could backfire at Arsenal 

Both Owen and Carragher shared an assessment of the Germany international that has unfortunately been heard before.

Michael Bridges slammed Havertz for being ‘weak’ as a striker but, it looks as though Arsenal will end the season with the 25-year-old as their only number nine option. 

Arsenal are not expected to make a deadline-day signing, which is a blow for the Gunners and for Arteta, who pleaded for a striker this winter.

Havertz is a superb player on his day but, the frailties in the forward’s finishing make him a liability at times, which isn’t sustainable given the fact that he’s Arsenal’s only option right now.

Arsenal are already living to regret the summer transfer window and unless a significant shock happens, the Gunners could have the same outlook on the January market.