Arsenal, along with other clubs, still have the option to sign free agents if they find themselves in urgent need of reinforcements.
Despite not making any signings during the winter transfer window, Arsenal can still strengthen their squad before the season ends. While Premier League teams can no longer complete permanent transfers or loans after Monday’s 11pm deadline—unless a deal sheet was submitted between 9pm and 11pm—free agents remain available. However, clubs can only register them if they have an open spot in their squad.
Arsenal submitted a 25-man squad to the Premier League in September, including Gabriel Jesus, who has been ruled out for the season due to an ACL injury suffered against Manchester United last month. If the club removes Jesus from the squad for the second half of the campaign, they will have an open slot to bring in a new player.
Although journalist David Ornstein reports that Mikel Arteta preferred not to make short-term signings, Arsenal may be forced to reconsider if they face further injuries, particularly to forward Kai Havertz.
Here are three free agents Arsenal could still sign in case of an emergency:
Maxi Gómez
The former Valencia striker was linked with Manchester United in 2020 when they were looking for attacking reinforcements. At 24, he had scored 10 goals in his debut La Liga season with Valencia after an impressive spell at Celta Vigo. However, after moving to Trabzonspor in 2022, his form declined drastically, failing to score in 31 appearances on loan at Cádiz last season. Now 28 and without a club since having his Trabzonspor contract terminated in September, Gómez’s past goal-scoring record could still make him a viable option.
Diego Costa
A signing that would bring more entertainment value than anything else, given his history of tormenting Arsenal during his Chelsea days, Diego Costa remains available at 36 after leaving Brazilian club Grêmio. The former Spain international struggled at Wolves between 2022 and 2023, scoring just once in 23 games. While he is no longer the player he once was, he could still provide a physical presence up front if Arsenal needed a short-term solution.
Mariano Díaz
Once considered a highly sought-after forward, Mariano Díaz impressed at Lyon in 2017/18, scoring 18 goals before Real Madrid re-signed him. However, he was largely reduced to a backup role for five seasons before joining Sevilla on a free transfer in 2023. His time there was underwhelming, and he is now without a club. While he may no longer be a top-tier starter, his goal-scoring experience could still be useful.