"He's out of it now, that might give him an answer" – Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink explains why Carabao Cup exit could benefit Mikel Arteta and Arsenal

Former Chelsea striker Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink has claimed that Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta is set to benefit from his team's recent EFL Cup exit in the form of winter funds.

The Gunners were knocked out of the third round of the EFL Cup after a 3-1 defeat at the hands of Brighton & Hove Albion last Wednesday (9 November). After Eddie Nketiah opened the scoring in front of the home crowd, the Seagulls scored three back-to-back goals.

However, Arsenal are currently in imperious form in the Premier League. The club are currently atop the standings with 37 points from 14 games, five ahead of defending champions Manchester City.

Speaking on Sky Sports (via Football.london), Hasselbaink asserted that Arteta's case for more signings in January has been strengthened by their recent EFL Cup exit in midweek. He said:

"You want to be in every competition, it doesn't matter. I think that [being knocked out of the Carabao Cup] will make his argument with the board even better because he's in so many competitions."

Analyzing Arteta's current ambitions, Hasselbaink added:

"[Arteta could say] 'Guys, do you want me to compete in all these competitions? Give me more strength and depth.' He's out of it now, that might give him an answer that he doesn't want to hear that they don't have to invest as much in January. You want to be in every competition."

In his column for Caught Offside, transfer expert Fabrizio Romano asserted that the north London outfit are set to prioritize the signings of a first-team midfielder and a versatile forward. He wrote:

"I think their priorities will be the same as in August: a midfielder and a winger, but it will depend on the opportunities in the market."

Arsenal are expected to be active in the upcoming winter transfer window. The likes of Mykhaylo Mudryk, Youri Tielemans, Cody Gakpo, Marcus Thuram, Wilfried Zaha, Nabil Fekir, Jasper Lindstrom and Facundo Torres have been linked with the Gunners, as per GOAL.

Arsenal interested in Samuel Chukwueze

As per Fichajes, Arsenal are interested in signing Villarreal forward Samuel Chukwueze to bolster their offensive ranks in January. Atletico Madrid, Aston Villa and Everton are also in the race for the £44 million-rated player, who has a contract with the La Liga outfit until June 2024.

Chukwueze, 23, has been a crucial part of the Yellow Submarine's squad for the past four seasons. Since making his debut for his boyhood club, he has registered 29 goals and 26 assists in 178 overall games.

A pacy dribbler blessed with flair and directness, the Nigerian has been linked with Arsenal for several years. The Gunners missed out on the chance to sign him for just £4 million in 2017, as per The Sun.