Wenger on “restricted” transfer options: We haven’t considered Premier League veteran

Arsene Wenger has distanced Arsenal from a move for Dimitar Berbatov, despite his club having been plunged into something of a striker crisis ahead of their FA Cup third round clash with local rivals Tottenham Hotspur.

Olivier Giroud has looked tired having been heavily relied on to lead the line this season, with Nicklas Bendtner not trusted and Yaya Sanogo untested at this level and rumours had linked Arsenal with a cut-price move for the former Spurs forward in January, with the Bulgarian apparently keen to quit struggling Fulham.

With all three of their out-and-out strikers currently on the injured list, it was expected that Wenger would move fast to ease their options up front, but the Gunners boss has dismissed talk of a move for Berbatov in the January transfer window, though he stopped short of saying the club would not do any business at all.

Wenger told reporters: “He [Berbatov] is not a name we have considered at the moment. We have not contacted anybody.

“We are just considering our options. I must confess they are quite restricted.”

Arsenal have still managed to top the table despite a paucity of options up front and it had been rumoured that Wenger was looking for one extra striker to ensure that their title challenge does not suffer in the business end to the season.

With Arsenal playing a high-pressing game which sees several other players getting involved in the taking of chances, such as Theo Walcott, Aaron Ramsey and Mesut Ozil, Berbatov’s abilities in holding up the ball and bringing other players into the attack could provide a perfect foil for Giroud in their title push.