West Ham hold edge over Arsenal in race to sign Premier League attacker in January transfer window: Reports

West Ham United have the upper hand over Arsenal in the race to sign Brighton & Hove Albion striker Evan Ferguson this month, according to The Telegraph (via Caught Offside). The 20-year-old attacker prefers a move to West Ham over the Gunners.

Mikel Arteta's side are in dire need of attacking reinforcements due to multiple injuries to their front line. Bukayo Saka is likely out until March after picking up a hamstring injury in December while Gabriel Jesus will be sidelined for the remainder of the season after tearing his ACL.

The Gunners have been linked with various strikers and multiple reports have suggested that Arteta is keen to sign a No. 9, with their current options rather struggling to live up to expectations.

Kai Havertz has scored 14 goals across competitions this season while Jesus showed promising form before suffering his knee injury. However, Arsenal are in the market for a prolific goalscorer who can help them end their Premier League title drought.

One of the names on the club's radar is Brighton's Evan Ferguson, who has been linked with an exit. According to The Telegraph, the Seagulls want to loan out the Irish forward in January amid interest from Arsenal and West Ham.

However, the Gunners must take one of Raheem Sterling or Neto off their books in order to sign Ferguson. The Premier League's rulebook stipulates that a club can only have two players registered on loan at any one time from rival league clubs.

Additionally, the report claims that Ferguson desires a reunion with former Brighton boss Graham Potter, who is now in charge of West Ham. The Seagulls signed Ferguson as an academy player and he earned his first-team promotion under Potter, giving the Hammers the edge in their pursuit of the 20-year-old.

Mikel Arteta's stance on Arsenal's need for a striker

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has admitted that the club need to sign a striker before the January transfer window shuts. The Spaniard insists that he must bolster his options after Saka and Jesus' injuries.

Speaking at a press conference ahead of the Gunners' 1-0 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers in the Premier League on Saturday, January 25, Arteta was asked about the club potentially signing a forward.

He said (via the Premier League's official website):

"My opinion is clear. We lost two very important players in Bukayo and Gabriel Jesus, so we lack goals, people and options in the front line. It is clear. It’s clear for the period that we have lost them, we need some help because we were short already and we’re even shorter. The team has still coped with that, but we have to do what is right for the club."

However, Arteta emphasized the need to sign the right player who fits in at Arsenal, and not just any striker. He added:

"If we can get the right player, that’s what we are actively looking at. But any player? No. We need someone that makes us better, and makes an impact on the team."