Arsenal’s season is exceeding all expectations, that’s clear. Even the most deluded Gooner (Ty from AFTV, anyone?) would never have put Arteta’s team leading the league in April.
Yet here we are, Arsenal is top of the table. Despite a recent disappointing 2-2 draw against Liverpool, Arsenal still holds a six-point lead over Pep’s Man City. But next season, don’t expect the same results without some new signings.
Why Arsenal Needs Signings
Arsenal doesn’t really have the necessary depth to contend long-term; most fans wouldn’t disagree with that assessment. The team is already starting to crack at the seams. Recent weeks show that beyond the first 11, Arsenal has serious problems.
Holding is a decent backup, but they need something better when Saliba and/or Gabriel is out. Xhaka has been rehabilitated, but he’s still Xhaka. His short-circuiting against Alexander Arnold seemingly inspired both the Kop and the Liverpool players. He’s been great this season, but there’s always the fear that a catastrophic red card is just a classic Granit Xhaka tackle away.
Even if Arsenal wins the league, signings are always necessary, no matter who you are. Alex Ferguson always understood that in the Premier League, if you stand still, you go backward. The rumor mill is already indicating that Arsenal’s closest competition won’t drop the ball in the same way next year.
Chelsea is looking at signing Luis Enrique for the management position. Manchester United is keen on Ansu Fati, a clear upgrade for the front line). With Newcastle’s billionaire owners, they’ll also be in the mix for the title.
It’s clear Arsenal need to bring in fresh blood in the coming transfer window, whether they manage to win the league or not. To solidify the club’s place as a contender, a successful summer transfer window is essential.
Arsenal’s Dodgy Transfer History
In previous seasons, Arsenal hasn’t built the best reputation in the transfer market. Arsene Wenger in particular, perhaps hampered by the club’s transfer kitty, was responsible for some real lemons. According to the legendary manager, Arsenal was always ‘one or two players away from a title bid’. It never quite happened after 2004.
Marouane Chamakh is best remembered for his dodgy haircut, not his goals. Gervinho, same thing. Shkodran Mustafi looked impressive for Valencia but was a bust. More recent signings are even more shameful. Pepe for a staggering record-breaking £72 million, ouch.
Arteta/Edu didn’t start off great, either, with Willian hyped as an integral signing from Chelsea, but instead proving yet another throwaway from their London rivals. Cédric Soares still gives fans nightmares, and no one ever understood the Rúnar Alex Rúnarsson signing.
Edu’s Transfer Redemption
Fans were quick to call for Edu’s exit, but no one doubts his transfer credentials now. Missing out on Mykhailo Mudryk was painful, but Trossard is arguably the better signing for the title run-in, considering his experience in the Prem.
Saliba is turning out to be one of the best defenders on the planet. Martinelli was an absolute steal at just £6 million. Partey is the anchor of the midfield, without whom Arsenal wouldn’t be top of the league. White’s transfer was ridiculed, but he’s now a permanent member of a potentially legendary backline.
And last summer he really hit it out of the park, managing to pry Jesus and Zinchenko away from Manchester City at very reasonable prices. Their title-winning experience has undoubtedly been crucial, both on and off the pitch.
What’s Next?
The season isn’t even over, but Twitter is already all over the transfer rumors. We’re seeing a lot of names hurled into the sports pages, but to get the most reliable picture, having a look at the bookies’ odds is never a bad idea.
Premier League football betting is very popular not only in the UK, but also in Ireland and all around the world. And you can see that on any betting-related blog website, such as IrishLuck or similar. A lot of money has been poured into those streams daily, and almost any sporting fan is ready to wager to guess the winners, top four, match outcomes, even who’d be the next player in the squad, and similar. Companies work on razor-thin odds sometimes, so being out by even the smallest of margins can cost companies like William Hill or Ladbrokes a pretty penny. That’s why they tend to be more accurate than the back pages of The Sun or The Daily Mail.
Jude Bellingham
He’s the dream candidate for pretty much any club, let alone Arsenal. At the minute, Liverpool is the favorite to sign the Borussia Dortmund star, sitting at 6/4 odds. Yet Klopp is starting to look rattled and players like van Dijk and Salah don’t quite seem to be at the same level they used to be. Will Bellingham really want to sign for a club on a downward trend?
Arsenal is currently fifth-favorite for his signature, hovering around the 25/1 mark. Long odds, for sure. Yet if Arsenal does manage to win the title, boosting both their prestige and bank balance, why wouldn’t the England midfielder consider joining the Premier League champions?
Declan Rice
If Arsenal is going to sign an England player, Rice is the most likely to join. Two London clubs, Chelsea and Arsenal, are currently expected to battle for his signature. Manchester United has also been mentioned, with Ten Hag rating the player highly.
According to a recent report, the signing is all but wrapped up. FourFourTwo claims a five-year deal has already been agreed upon, with the midfielder slated to earn upwards of £200,000 per week.
For Arsenal, Rice would be the perfect signing. He’s the midfield dynamo that would be the obvious upgrade to Xhaka. Gooners can feel pretty good about this one actually happening, with both Paddy Power and Skybet offering short odds of just 6/4.
Youri Tielemans
The Belgian midfielder has just six months left on his contract, so would be an astute signing no matter where he ends up. His stock is a little low at the moment, with the player’s form sharing in Leicester’s malaise this season.
Nevertheless, Tielemans has an upside and would be a low-risk signing. Arsenal has been linked with him for quite some time, but don’t be surprised if this ends up being just another Thomas Lemas or Sami Khedira (i.e. signings that never actually end up happening, despite persistent rumors).
Riddle Baku
Baku is a player that only keen transfer watchers will be familiar with. The German right-back is going through a break-out season with Wolfsburg, with his energy and ball-playing skills catching the eye of Arsenal scouts.
Baku is still young and would likely join as a backup option to White, but he can also provide midfield cover. He’s a very versatile player and is known for his high work rate, qualities that Arteta is known to covet.
Moises Caicedo
The Ecuadorian midfielder was desperate to join Arsenal in the January transfer window, even going as far as begging for a move on his Instagram account. Yet Brighton’s resolve remained firm, rejecting a final bid of £70 million from Arsenal.
Arteta is reportedly keen on bringing in two central midfielders. It’s likely Xhaka will leave the club, or at least be relegated to the second string. Partey is an excellent player, but injury-prone. It’s, therefore, possible that Arsenal may even sign both Rice and Caicedo, although perhaps beyond the club’s budget.
In any case, Arsenal is still listed as a favorite for his signature, sitting at 7/2. Chelsea (always them, eh?) sits closely behind at 5/1, although now that Potter (his former manager at Brighton) has left London, it’s looking less likely.
Ryan Gravenberch
According to Florian Plettenberg, the German transfer expert, Arteta is considering putting in a bid for former Ajax starlet Ryan Gravenberch. The Bayern midfielder has struggled for time on the pitch this season, costing him a place with van Gaal’s Holland at the 2022 World Cup.
Yet his talent remains obvious, perhaps having more in his locker than Rice or Caicedo. It remains to be seen whether Tuchel will be willing to let him go, but he will be a far cheaper option for Arsenal if he ends up on the market.
Florian Balogun
He’s already an Arsenal player, but his summer arrival would be, as they say, like a new signing. Balogun has exploded since he moved to Reims, notching 18 goals in 29 appearances for the Ligue 1 outfit.
Bringing him back may be tricky, however, with the player reportedly not keen on another season as a backup option. Ornstein, the Arsenal transfer guru, claims that AC Milan, RB Leipzig, Monaco, Marseille, and Inter Milan are all interested in offering him a starting berth.
It’s clear he has plenty of talent, and it would be a shame for an Academy graduate to start outside of London. Yet it will take Arteta some effort to convince Balogun to be satisfied with a place as a Jesus backup.
One-Season Wonder or Permanent Contender?
This summer transfer window will show whether Silent Stan is serious about Arsenal cementing its current position at the top of the league, or whether it’s a one-season anomaly driven by the club’s talented manager.
Arsenal will never spend like City or even Newcastle. Yet with a few astute signings and a clear transfer policy, the club can perhaps do what Liverpool so craftily managed to put together in recent seasons. With Arteta at the helm and talents like Saka and Ødegaard, the basis is certainly there.