Arsenal are prepared to make a major signing this January – but on one condition

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Arsenal are willing to make a marquee addition in the remaining weeks of the January transfer window.

Bukayo Saka is out until March with a hamstring issue, while Gabriel Jesus has been ruled out for the entire duration of the season.

As well as these injuries, the Gunners sit six points adrift of league leaders Liverpool, who have a game in hand, and this deficit has sparked calls for the North London club to acquire a high-level forward this month.

However, with just a small portion of the window left and no signing appearing imminent, anxiety in the Arsenal fanbase is starting to grow.

Nottingham Forest are interested in Arsenal target Matheus Cunha and are preparing an offer for the player, while the likes of Alexander Isak and Benjamin Sesko could prove too expensive.

Thus, there doesn’t seem to be a glaringly obvious option on the market for Arsenal to pursue.

Arsenal will go big on a signing but only if they can land a primary target

Without Saka and Jesus, Mikel Arteta has just Kai Havertz, Leandro Trossard, Raheem Sterling and Gabriel Martinelli to pick from in regard to senior attacking options.

This threadbare offensive cohort means it’s absolutely essential that a striker or winger is added to Arteta’s ranks before the end of the window.

According to the Mirror, Arsenal are open to the idea of spending big this month, although they will only do so if they can land a primary target.

Arteta has held talks with Josh Kroenke about bolstering his ensemble, and the hierarchy are in agreement that something needs to be done.

However, the Emirates higher-ups aren’t willing to scupper their long-term plans, and won’t rush to sign someone who they’ve not been monitoring previously.

The Gunners don’t want to end up with a player who doesn’t take the squad to the next level and won’t be a part of their plans beyond the end of the current campaign.

Benjamin Sesko continues to be linked with Arsenal, and the Slovenian is understood to be a long-term target for the club, so this deal could certainly be one that does materialise.

• READ MORE: Arsenal receive major blow as Premier League title rivals make record-breaking move for one of Mikel Arteta’s main transfer targets

Arsenal should make exceptions to this approach

While having a view to the future beyond this season is a smart approach, Arsenal have to sign someone.

The four current attacking options simply won’t be good enough, and the club cannot afford to throw the season away, with the Premier League title and Champions League still attainable pieces of silverware.

An opportunistic deal could arise, and regardless of a player of this ilk not being a ‘primary target’, they could improve the team in the immediate short-term, validating their addition.

The Gunners simply cannot afford to sit still and let the season drift towards nothing – not signing a forward would be risking doing so.