Mikel Arteta has poured cold water on an Arsenal spending spree in this month’s transfer window.

And the Gunners boss says any potential signings must be able to immediately influence the team as they seek to make up ground on leaders .

travel to Saturday evening in second place but six points behind the Merseyside club with an extra game played.

Arsenal continue to be linked with signing another centre forward but, allied by an apparent collective reluctance to do business in the winter window, they could wait until the summer before making major moves.

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And while Arteta has not completely ruled out adding to a squad that has spent the first half of the campaign battling injuries, particularly at full back, he said on Friday morning of whether his club will be active: “"I don't know. The focus is on the players that we have.

“If there is somebody in the market that we can afford and we believe they will have a real impact on the team then we have to be open for that possibility always. At the moment, the focus is on what we have.

“That market is much more limited than the one in the summer.”

Midfielders Jorginho and Thomas Partey have now entered the final six months of their contracts and will be free to sign pre-contract agreements with clubs across Europe.

Arteta conceded that “that’s a possibility” but added: “It's close communication with them, what their idea is, what they want to do, and what are their intentions.”

Kieran Tierney could potentially leave the club, too, with Arteta maintaining doubts about the international’s ability to execute his specific demands.

But asked about departures, the manager added: "All the players that are here, they want to focus on performing and impacting the team and if something happens there then we will assess it."

Arsenal remain without star winger for the trip to Sussex but Gabriel Jesus' return to form has come at the right time for Arteta. Having scored once in 20 games, the Brazilian has six in his past four outings.

"It's about supporting our players and the players know that they have to go through some periods sometimes which is not how they planned," Arteta added

"But, as well, they have to believe in themselves and we have to make sure that if one day they doubt, we are there to recognise and make sure they feel from our side how much we like them and how happy we are to have them."

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