Mikel Arteta reveals why Arsenal didn't sign anyone in January and why he's upbeat on top four

For many, this January transfer window was a disappointing one for Arsenal.

The Gunners were able to ship out plenty of players, with Ainsley Maitland-Niles, Pablo Mari and Flo Balogun leaving on loan, while Calum Chambers, Sead Kolasinac and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang all left on a permanent basis.

However, it is the incomings that left fans most frustrated. Despite being linked to Dusan Vlahovic, Alexander Isak, Arthur and plenty of others, the only player who officially ended up signing was Auston Trusty, although the American centre-back was immediately sent back out on loan to KSE owned Colorado Rapids.

This may seem like it has left Arsenal threadbare going into the latter stages of the season, but Mikel Arteta is still insistent that his side are well placed to push for the Champions League places.

"We have a squad full of enthusiasm and passion, but the right amount of quality and passion as well which I think is very much needed," the Spaniard told Arsenal.com as the Gunners came to the end of their mid-season warm weather training camp in Dubai.

"We are really looking forward to [the second half of the season].

"We know what the aim is at the end of the season. Where we want to be, it's high but I think it's possible. We're going to have a real good go in the second half of the season to achieve it."

The lack of transfers in January can largely be down to a new policy of player recruitment Edu and Josh Kroenke have put into place that focuses on carrying out due diligence to ensure that players brought in are the right ones.

As a result, it seems that they will wait till the summer window to do crucial business in the centre-forward, central midfield and right-back positions, where there will be more