Arsenal's January transfer window summed up in emphatic Mikel Arteta 'gamble' message

Plenty of Arsenal supporters were left very disappointed with the lack of action from the north London club in January.

The Gunners completed just one signing, with Auston Trusty joining from Colarado Rapids, but the centre-back will spend the remainder of the season at the Major League Soccer club.

Apart from that, the north Londoners offloaded 14 players in total, leaving Mikel Arteta rather short with his options for the rest of the campaign, with Arsenal chasing a top four spot in the Premier League as they look to get back into the Champions League.

As it stands, the Gunners are sixth in the top-flight table, two points below Manchester United, who occupy fourth place. West Ham United are one point ahead, while Tottenham sit just below (on goal difference), with Spurs having one game in hand on their north London rivals.

It still looks very much on for Arsenal, but their lack of activity in the January transfer window may well cost them this season. That is the view of former Gunners striker Alan Smith, who has been speaking about his old employer's chances of playing Champions League football next term.

Smith wrote in his Sky Sports column: "I did think Arsenal might sneak into the top four, but things do change every week with form and injuries.

"It would be a heck of a result if Arsenal were to grab fourth now. They have got it all to do now and it may just be a step too far on this occasion.

"Everyone has got to stay fit in those forward positions and they have got to hit form and stay in form all the way through to the end of the season because they do not have much wiggle room now in terms of the squad.

"There is still a long time to go in this season, so we will see, but for Arteta, as much as he would love