Mikel Arteta says it is "clear" Arsenal need a new striker but stressed the club won't just sign any player.
Long-term injuries to the highly-influential attacker Bukayo Saka and striker Gabriel Jesus has left the Gunners short of firepower.
With 10 days to go until the transfer deadline, Arsenal continue to be linked with a move for a new forward.
Speaking ahead of Saturday's Premier League match at Wolverhampton Wanderers, Arteta said: "My opinion is clear. We lost two very important players in Bukayo and Gabriel Jesus, so we lack goals, people and options in the front line. It is clear."
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The Arsenal manager added: "It’s clear for the period that we have lost them, we need some help because we were short already and we’re even shorter.
"The team has still coped with that, but we have to do what is right for the club.
"If we can get the right player, that’s what we are actively looking at. But any player? No. We need someone that makes us better, and makes an impact on the team."
Arteta reiterated bringing in a forward before the window closes on Monday 3 February is not straightforward, but said it was part of the challenge for a manager to integrate new signings as well as young talent from the Academy.
“We have to do what is right for the club," Arteta said of his striker search. "It is an option, but it doesn’t depend just on Arsenal - or Mikel - or our will. It depends on the market, and many other factors.
"You have certain resources, the ability to recruit certain players, develop certain players, use certain players from the Academy. It's a balance of what we can do.”
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Arteta said there is positive injury news on Myles Lewis-Skelly and William Saliba, who both missed Wednesday night's convincing 3-0 UEFA Champions League victory over Dinamo Zagreb.
"With Myles there is nothing serious on the scan, so it’ll be a matter of having a meeting with the medical staff today," the manager reported.
"We have a training session, so we'll see whether it’s too early or not.
"With Willo [Saliba] it’s something similar as well. I think he’ll be in for next week but this week, let’s see how it goes."
Arteta said Arsenal’s improvement since the 2-0 opening day victory at home to Wolverhampton Wanderers is obvious, even though his team are six points behind leaders Liverpool after dropping points on 10 occasions this season.
| Position Pos | Club | Played Pl | GD | Points Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Liverpool
LIV
|
31 | +42 | 73 |
| 2 |
Arsenal
ARS
|
31 | +30 | 62 |
| 3 |
Nott'm Forest
NFO
|
31 | +14 | 57 |
| 4 |
Chelsea
CHE
|
31 | +17 | 53 |
"I think we are a much better side than since the start of the season, in every sense because we have evolved a lot as a team," he added.
"We’ve had some very important experiences and the way we have competed throughout the last six or seven months with everything that has happened, it’s outstanding."