Arsenal pressure piled on Edu after overwhelming calls for January transfer move to save title

The pressure is on Arsenal sporting director Edu Gaspar to deliver something of a miracle during this transfer window as the days run down toward February 1. The window has been exceptionally quiet with around £700million-plus more having been spent in the 2023 winter window compared to this year’s.

The main reason behind the lack of spending is the scrutiny from Profit and Sustainability Regulations (PSR). Everton and Nottingham Forest have already faced charges, the former facing two whilst they have already attempted to appeal the first.

Arsenal have shown evidence that they’re aware of the PSR stranglehold on their own spending when they agreed on a loan with a buy option for David Raya in the summer with Brentford. The Spaniard remains on loan with an expectation that the club will indeed make the move permanent instead of letting him rejoin the Bees having become Mikel Arteta's main goalkeeper – taking the position from Aaron Ramsdale and creating some unrest with supporters over the decision.

There does not appear to be so much disagreement however with the notion that the club need to spend if they are to compete in this season’s title race. football.londonput the question to readers on Tuesday morning with over 90% voting in favour of a signing being a necessity over the squad being good enough to take things forward until at least the end of the season.

Edu therefore will be expected to sign a player between now and the end of the window. The questions are both who but perhaps more importantly how? With the financial scrutiny, which it is worth pointing out is not from a reluctance to spend but the restrictions from PSR, the most likely move would be a loan.

Calls for a striker are therefore expected not to be