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Mikel Arteta and Arsenal entered the winter transfer window full of purpose. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang's disciplinary issues in December last year meant the Gunners had no choice but to strip him of the club's captaincy. Arteta also froze him out of the squad.
Meanwhile, Alexandre Lacazette and Eddie Nketiah, the London giants' two other strikers, are out of contract at the end of the ongoing season. With the duo expected to leave this summer, signing a new striker in the 2022 January transfer window was seen as an absolute necessity.
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Could Arsenal's failure in the 2022 January transfer window hinder their progress this season?
With no European trophies to play for in 2021-22, Mikel Arteta's men were free to focus on domestic competitions. However, the Gunners are already out of both cups. They lost 1-0 to Nottingham Forest in the FA Cup before going down to Liverpool in the EFL Carabao Cup semi-finals.
Arsenal are now expected to push all their efforts towards a top-four Premier League finish in order to secure Champions League football for next season. The Gunners are currently sixth, with 36 points from 21 games.
However, they are only two points off Manchester United in fourth and trail West Ham United by a solitary point. More importantly, the Gunners have two games in hand over the Red Devils and have played one game less than the Hammers.
But Arteta's men must be wary of seventh-placed Tottenham Hotspur, who are level with Arsenal on points and also have a game in hand over their north London rivals.
Champions League qualification is a definite possibility. But it is difficult to see the Gunners achieving it without a proven goalscorer in their ranks. On that note, we look at five players they could have signed in the January 2022 transfer window.
#5 Alvaro Morata
Like Arsenal, Alvaro Morata also endured a frustrating winter transfer window. With eight goals and five assists in 29 games for a struggling Juventus side, it has not been a productive season for the Spaniard.
The Bianconeri made no secret of their desire to bring in a new striker and were actively shopping Morata to Europe's top clubs. Barcelona and Arsenal were both reportedly interested in acquiring the 29-year-old centre-forward.
However, a move failed to materialize and the Gunners face the prospect of going into the business end of the season with just two recognized strikers in the squad. Meanwhile, 29-year-old Morata will have no choice but to watch from the bench as new man Dusan Vlahovic is set to snatch his place in the starting XI.
#4 Alexander Isaak
Swedish striker Alexander Isak set off alarm bells when his car was reportedly spotted in London close to deadline day (January 31). Unfortunately for Arsenal fans, it turns out the 22-year-old was in the UK for personal reasons.
The Real Sociedad striker has long been tracked by the north London club. The La Liga side have reportedly slapped a £74.5million price tag on the forward. With 41 goals in 115 appearances, Isak is still developing into a true goalscoring threat.
However, his blistering pace, clever dribbling and ability on the ball has caught the eye of Europe's elite clubs. With eight goals and two assists in 26 games so far this season, it wouldn't be a surprise to see him secure a big move in the summer.
#3 Tariq Lamptey
With 30-year-old Cedric Soares' Arsenal future uncertain, Takehiro Tomiyasu is the only proper right-back at Mikel Arteta's disposal. The Gunners were reportedly interested in signing Brighton & Hove Albion's 21-year-old right-back Tariq Lamptey.
The former Chelsea youth product has impressed with his displays for Graham Potter's Seagulls. Blessed with rapid pace, quick feet and an eye for a cross, Lamptey's attacking threat is enough to cover for his short stature and defensive frailties.
However, the youngster appears rather injury-prone and made just 11 league appearances for Brighton last season. The Seagulls' asking price of £40million is also steep for a player who has made just 36 first-team appearances. However, with Manchester United also reportedly interested, Lamptey is certainly a man in demand.
#2 Dusan Vlahovic
Despite their pursuit of 22-year-old Dusan Vlahovic ending in failure, Arsenal can hardly be faulted for a lack of trying. The Gunners pushed hard and were ready to break the bank to sign Fiorentina's Serbian forward. Unfortunately, Vlahovic decided to reject the Gunners and signed with Juventus instead.
The Bianconeri reportedly paid a fee in the range of £63-70million for the young centre-forward and it is easy to see why. Vlahovic has 38 league goals since the start of the 2020-21 season, including 17 in 21 games this campaign.
The tall, powerful striker would have been the perfect acquisition for the Gunners, but the London side now have no choice but to continue their hunt elsewhere.
#1 Dominic Calvert-Lewin
England and Everton centre-forward Dominic Calvert-Lewin has been on Arsenal's radar for some time now. The 24-year-old enjoyed the most productive season of his career last year, netting 21 goals in 39 appearances for the Toffees. He also scored four times in 11 games for his national team.
Everton's wretched form in the 2021-22 campaign has further fuelled rumors that Calvert-Lewin could eventually look for a move to greener pastures. The Merseyside club were hurtling towards the relegation zone and sacked Rafa Benitez last month.
Matters were not helped by Calvert-Lewin's persistent injury troubles in the first half of the season. He has been restricted to just six league appearances so far this season, scoring three times.
With new manager Frank Lampard in the dugout, it is likely that the second half of the ongoing campaign will decide Calvert-Lewin's future.
If Everton continue to struggle, it would not be a surprise to see Arsenal tempt the England international with a big-money move this summer.
