Mikel Arteta has confirmed that Mohamed Elneny won’t be fit to face Manchester City, and Arsenal would like more cover in midfield.

Speaking in his press conference ahead of Arsenal’s FA Cup clash with Manchester City on Friday, Mikel Arteta confirmed that Mohamed Elneny will be unavailable for the fixture.

The Arsenal head coach explained that there are “concerns, as Mo is a player that never complains about anything”.

Arteta then added that Arsenal “need some more cover in midfield ideally, if we can” but “in this market, it’s pretty complicated to do that”.

On the possibility of more signings in general, Arteta said: “If anything else is available that can make us better, we will look at it.”

It’s certainly too late now to get another midfielder in before the City game, so Arsenal will likely start at least one of their first-choice midfielders on Friday.

But that’s not a major issue, given there’s a week’s break on either side of the City clash. Arteta may well decide to go full strength in the fixture anyway.

The problems will begin in February, when Arsenal face City in a midweek fixture between two Saturday games.

That’s when Arteta will have to start to make some tough calls if he doesn’t have Mohamed Elneny back or a new signing in.

The season will only get more congested as it goes on, with the Europa League returning in March and the possibility of the latter rounds of the FA Cup – should Arsenal win on Friday.

A new signing would certainly give the squad a boost, but we’re running out of time now.