'Cost Arsenal the title' - Gabby Agbonlahor insists Mikel Arteta made huge transfer mistake in summer window

In one of the more unexpected transfer moves from last summer, the German completed a £65 million ($82.5m) move from Chelsea. After a sluggish beginning to life in north London, the 24-year-old's fate has been up in the air. With significant goals against Brentford, Luton, and Brighton before Christmas, he seemed to be turning things around. However, a decline in performance coupled with Arsenal's four-game losing streak at the start of the month has brought back criticism.

Talking on the talkSPORT Breakfast podcast, Agbonlahor said: “I think the biggest thing Arsenal fans are annoyed with and what Arteta will regret is spending a lot of his transfer budget on Havertz. He wasn’t the answer. They could have £65m available now towards getting a striker like Ivan Toney. It’s going to cost them.

"They’ve got [Fabio] Vieira, they’ve got [Emile] Smith Rowe who are probably better than Havertz in the same position. So for me, Arteta has cost Arsenal the title by spending money very stupidly, I’d say."

Despite the poor run of form, Arteta's men are not quite out of the running for the Premier League as was suggested by the former Aston Villa striker. The Gunners find themselves in third place, five points adrift of leaders Liverpool in the race for the title. They are reportedly now in the market for a striker with Brentford's Ivan Toney linked closest with them, however, the Gunners will have to strike a deal quickly as the winter transfer window closes soon.

The north London side is currently enjoying a nice period of lull, as they will play their next game on Tuesday, January 30, almost ten days after their previous game against Crystal Palace. A win and a favourable result in the Man City game could see them rise to second place in the table.