Arsenal want to sign a striker before the transfer window shuts and have had an approach turned down for Aston Villa forward Ollie Watkins. The club are also long-term admirers of Newcastle’s Alexander Isak and RB Leipzig frontman Benjamin Sesko, but neither player will move before the deadline.

Aston Villa's Ollie Watkins has been strongly linked with a move to Arsenal, and Gunners boss Mikel Arteta insists the Gunners are doing all they can to add to his squad

Mikel Arteta has said that Arsenal are “actively” looking to identify targets in the January transfer window as he admits the side “ideally need some help”. The Arsenal manager said his opinion on the situation was “clear” after losing Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Jesus to hamstring and anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries.