Mikel Arteta has hinted that he would like to see his current defensive options remain at the club following an injury to new signing Jurrien Timber.
Timber is set for a long spell on the sidelines after suffering an ACL injury in the opening game of the season against Nottingham Forest.
Full-back Kieran Tierney has been heavily linked with a move away from the club this summer, while central defender Gabriel is attracting interest from the Saudi Pro League having been left out of the starting line-up for the win over Forest.
Rob Holding and Takehiro Tomiyasu are also among those to who have been linked with moves away.
But Arsenal boss Arteta says Timber’s injury means he will need to call on other members of his squad.
“I’m more thinking about the resources that we have within the team to keep doing what we want to do,” he explained.
“It’s true that he was giving us very different things in terms of what we could do on both sides but again, it’s things that happened and we have to be prepared for that.
“It’s an opportunity for everybody. We’re going to need everybody and everybody is going to be important.
“The numbers that we have in the squad, especially in those positions, are more limited now. Everybody has to be ready.”
Arsenal have invested heavily in the squad so far this summer – also bringing in Declan Rice and Kai Havertz for £105m and £65m respectively along with the addition of Timber.
Arteta is not ruling out bringing in further signings, but also admits some players may leave the club before the window shuts.
“It’s never my own decision, it’s a decision that we make as a club with a lot of people involved in that because there are a lot of elements to that,” he said.
“But again my focus is on getting the best out of the squad that we have right now.
“We are in the middle of the competition, we are open, obviously, in the transfer window both ways because we still have things to do both ways, maybe. But that’s my aim.”
