ARSENAL are one win away from being top of the Premier League at Christmas, and Mikel Arteta is reportedly going to be handed a cash injection in January to help try and keep the club there for as long as possible.

The Gunners showcased their title credentials again on Sunday with a 1-0 win over Chelsea. Even Arteta has had to now publicly admit that Arsenal are contenders – at least until this Saturday’s final pre-World Cup fixture away to Wolves.

Quizzed on whether the north Londoners are in contention for the title, the Gunners gaffer said: “We are today. I think football today, and tomorrow is very different.”

Arsenal have already been linked with a wealth of possible targets come January, including Palmeiras star Danilo, Leicester City midfielder Youri Tielemans and Shakhtar Donetsk winger Mykhaylo Mudryk.

Arteta, however, has acknowledged it can be “extremely difficult” to snap up successful mid-season signings.

He said: “The planning of that period is extremely difficult. First of all because we know the January window, how special it is, the opportunities that you have, the short window that you have. Once you get the player they are straight away competing, so there is not an adaption process.

“And obviously with the position that we are in right now as well, it demands as well another level of player – and that player has to be available. We will look at everything and let’s see what we can do.”

When the Arsenal players walk off the Molineux pitch on Saturday it will wrap up an energy-sapping spell of 15 games in just 43 days.

With that in mind Arteta was quick to heap praise on what is a small, inexperienced squad. He told the Arsenal website: “They’ve dealt with [the fixture list] really well. I think we had a really good pre-season and we put the boys in a really good condition to face this fixture congestion, and they have responded extremely well, especially the way we play, which is really intense.

“I think we are the team in Europe who has rotated the most, and obviously that has its benefits as well. When you are winning, the energy is better and the mood is better, but the preparation is a bit easier, so overall I think they have coped with it really well.”

Reflecting on the attitude of the squad players that have produced when called upon, Arteta added: “When they have been used, they have performed really well. When they have started games in the Europa League and the Premier League, I think they have been really consistent. It’s a joy of a group to work with because they’re really at it every day.”