Arsenal Favourite Fires Warning At Wenger Over January Spending

Former Arsenal star Martin Keown has warned Arsene Wenger that spending big this month could upset the balance in a currently successful side with the Gunners' favourite insisting they can win the title on the back of such positive performances this season.

Wenger is currently believed to be considering a move for a striker to provide more back-up for Olivier Giroud. While the Frenchman has had a brilliant season for the north London side should he become injured Nicklas Bendtner is the only out-and-out striker the manager can turn to, and he is currently on the sidelines with an ankle problem.

Diego Costa is one name which has been strongly connected to Wenger though mid-season transfers are often over the odds and hard to come by, particularly in a World Cup year where regular game time is important to many players travelling to Brazil in under six months.

And Keown believes that the manager must be wary of making a huge purchase this month as his current side continue to sit at the top of the table with months of successful results behind them.

"They are solid at the back, which we saw against Aston Villa, he has an array of players he can use in midfield, but the biggest dilemma remains whether they strengthen or not," he said in the Daily Mail. "If they don't sign anybody, and they lose out, we'll never know.

"They've lost some big players to injury, and in a funny way over the summer you wonder whether if Arsenal had bid £60m and brought in Luis Suarez, what might have happened. But Arsene Wenger will need to weigh up all the options before deciding to buy.

"Diego Costa is a fantastic player in Spain, and looks like he could deal with the physical English game, but he has had his problems.

"Wenger will need to decide if any players coming in are better than his current options, and he will have to be very wary of upsetting the current harmony in the squad."

Keown also argued that he believes the Gunners have what it takes to win the title despite City and Chelsea boasting far more expensive squads than Wenger has been afforded in recent seasons.

"In terms of the calendar year 2013, Arsenal have done sensationally well, so there's no reason why they can't go on to win it this season," he explained.

When things hot up, they need to keep showing they can dig in. Chelsea and Manchester City are starting to show a bit more flair and freedom, so it's certainly becoming harder for Arsenal, but they are showing championship-winning qualities."