Arsenal are under increasing pressure to address their shortcomings in the January transfer window. The Gunners are looking to compete again for the title but the gap to Liverpool could rise to as many as nine points were their game in hand to be won.

Mikel Arteta has not been particularly encouraging when it comes to speaking about potential business this winter either. The latest update hinged again on the players already with him at the club and focusing on trying to maximise their potential.

"I don’t know, my intention right now is within the team right now to get the best out of what we have," he said when asked if the club would sign a player to replace the now-injured Bukayo Saka. "What is outside is not in our control."

READ MORE: Arsenal identify dream Benjamin Sesko transfer alternative ahead of January window

READ MORE: Delayed exit, important loan move and big sale - Four players who could leave Arsenal in January

He added when asked if the club has the capacity to spend: "Yes, the preparation is done. We are ready if something happens.

"Obviously we didn’t predict the situation with Bukayo and Raheem at the same time. We predicted more if something has happened, for example, in the defensive line.

"But the job is done. Then, okay, if something has to happen we will be open. But the main focus is now how we should strive to distil the potential that there is in this squad."

One of the main potential blocks to a team’s desired business can be due to their roster of existing non-homegrown players. Premier League rules state that clubs are allowed a maximum of 17 non-homegrown players in the squad.

Arsenal have the benefit of a number of players who play internationally for other nations outside of England and Wales counting as homegrown due to being registered at an English club for at least three seasons before the age of 21.

France international William Saliba, Brazilian winger Gabriel Martinelli and Spain’s new number-one goalkeeper David Raya all count as homegrown. Scottish players, unlike Welsh players, however, do not and so Kieran Tierney is considered a non-homegrown player.

Along with Tierney, Arsenal have another fourteen players. Neto, Gabriel Magalhaes, Gabriel Jesus (Brazil) William Saliba (France) Jorginho, Riccardo Calafiori (Italy) Jakub Kiwior (Poland) Jurrien Timber (Netherlands) Oleksandr Zinchenko (Ukraine) Thomas Partey (Ghana) Martin Odegaard (Norway) Mikel Merino (Spain) Kai Havertz (Germany) Leandro Trossard (Belgium).

This means there are two more slots to sign non-homegrown players this January that could be registered. However, in the summer, Fabio Vieira and Albert Sambi Lokonga will see their loan moves expire (barring the activation of the option-to-buy in Sevilla’s deal with Arsenal for Lokonga), as will Neto - meaning one player will need to be trimmed to open up space.

This will be helped by the expiration of both Partey and Jorginho's deals, assuming the club chooses not to renew them of course.