Arsene Wenger says his aim is to recruit three players for Arsenal this summer.
Giving his clearest indication yet that he’s planning a busy summer the Frenchman touched on how he plans to reinvigorate the current squad without destabilising their current balance.
The Gunners have been heavily linked with Borussia Moenchengladbach midfielder Granit Xhaka – a player who could cost upwards of £35 million – and are also expected to bolster their options in attack and defence.
“We want to keep the squad stable over the summer while strengthening where possible,” Wenger told press on Friday.
“You want the group to be stimulated and to believe that we have improved the quality.
“I must say, we want to combine technical stability with players that we know want to play and know our game. Maybe bring in three players for example. That’s the right level for me.”
With Mikel Arteta, Tomas Rosicky and Mathieu Flamini leaving the club, Danny Welbeck out for much of next season and doubts over the future of several further squad members, it’s fair to say that ‘three’ could be quite a fluid figure.
Much will depend on how the next generation perform in pre-season with Alex Iwobi setting the bar high for the likes of Jon Toral, Gedion Zelalem and The Jeff.
Granite Xhaka, a striker and a midfielder, while guys like akpom and Hayden can serve as backup, hope le prof will get it done
Akpom and Hayden can’t even get in Hulls team, they’re not good enough for Arsenal
Jamie Vardy wasn’t first team for Leicester the season they got promoted. Harry Kane spent a lot of his loans on the bench. Hector Bellerin lost his starting position for Watford. Sometimes you need the right time and the right surroundings to bring the full potential of the talent out.
Deary me, thats clutching at straws. Despite the years of evidence to the contrary watching many more young players fail to make the grade than make it, i think it’s time to buy some players that will actually improve our first team.
Or clutching at facts. And there isn’t a club in the world where more young players make the grade than don’t. Loans are all about getting experience and development, the final product never gets sent out on loan, that’s the point.
Harry Kane is shite though.
I’d take him over any of our Strikers any day. As much as it saddens me to say it.
Hayden has been involved in 24 games (competing with Huddlestone, Diame, Meyler and Livermore for the DM role) and Akpom for 41 games.
Hayden is good enough to be an AFC squad player although I do think Akpom could do with another loan before he has to endure the Whinging at the Emirates, but only at the right club.
Tomas, Arteta, and Flamini need replacing.
A world class striker is desperately needed. A centre-back is needed.
I still think arsenal need an upgrade at the central defender position. But it looks like Hummels is no longer an option and after him the talent pool drops off. Maybe chambers can dig in over the summer and push for a spot.
The few times I’ve watched him aymeric laporte looks a serious player. Sadly I suspect he’ll be a 40m plus signing and the big boys almost certainly have an eye on him, but he’d be my pick.
Big names aside, Niklas Suleman from hoffenheim would be great. Tall, comfortable on the ball, great composure and discipline for his age
I actually forgot Chambers was part of the squad for a minute, can’t even recall the last time he was in a match. He definitely has potential, but this mostly a wasted year for him hardly playing. Would have been much better served by a loan this last year.
I think the Hummels to Bayern move might actually work in our favour… Hummels was always likely to go to one of the bigger boys, I think to a player like him a move from Dortmund to Arsenal would be seen as nothing more than a sidestep, so we were not really ever in the race for him. Mehdi Benatia, however, is an absolutely brilliant centre back with decent experience and a winning mentality who will most likely be looking to move on from Bayern to gain first team football, and he’s someone I can definitely see pulling on the… Read more »
Koulibaly for Napoli has looked amazing every time I’ve seen him play – CB RB or DM
U must be new to this … he is not going to sign anyone … maybe ONE at most.
This is usual “be busy in the summer” cr%p he doles out at end of every season, and then spends the whole summer sleeping, signing no one.
And here you are again drunk. No time to think about a real opinion right? You’re all about writing the first inflammatory idea that comes to mind regarding Arsene.
Bob, save that one for Fats or Tobin mate.
Why did he not to this exact same thing last season. – 3rd place important for summer plans = Check – Will be busy in the summer = Check Net = 1 signing. Same old typical Wenger pulling wool over the supporters’ eyes. Also do you really think there are positive things to say about Wenger after this season, and after the nett from the past ten season or so – – 2 trophies in 10 yrs – Not reached CL QF, for 6 STRAIGHT seasons then … *hangs head*. If anyone with an ounce of sense in him was… Read more »
You are well offside,Mate…
I don’t think Hayden is seen as an option for the first team…
I think he’s an option for the first team squad but he’d be ‘well down the list’ of 1st choices. Unfortunately when you’re looking for a 3rd string cover, world cup winners aren’t keen but someone like Hayden would fit that bill, but so could Chambers.
Xhaka would be a lovely signing, while I would very much like to see Toral given a chance after a storming season at Birmingham. That I think would cover midfield… Beyond that a striker would be great along with a defender. Oh, and Pogba of course ?
Xhaka, striker and a CB PLEASE ARSENE FUCKING PLEASE!!!!1!!!
And a right winger would be a cherry on top.
No, Alexis is clearly much better on the right (on the left he is 100% predictable, he will try to cut in and shoot 100 times out of 100), so I’ll take one Reus please (if only!).
what about henrikh mkhyitarian (sorry about the spelling!) he doesn’t have too long on his contract left and has been on absolute fire for dortmund.
*defender
Yep, Arsene is no fan of Massive Spending, rather a fan of Massive Attack (“3 is my lucky number and fortune comes in 3s” – Three)
The single most important position to fill is striker. Has to be someone established and proven.
Cannot understand why Arsenal won’t go after Lukaku – meets all the criteria and has another 10 – 12 years ahead of him.
Agreed. And he is ripe for the picking!
Is he a 25 goals in EPL alone striker? So far no. Then why do you think he will ever be?
Because Lukaku is playing for an average side and is still young. Wouldn’t be my first choice but has all the potential
He’d be a different player with Ozil and Cazorla behind him. To score ANY goals with that midfield behind him is an achievement.
Higuain ? 35 goals in seria a proven goal scorrer in pick of his career sue we will win ut with him, but that mafia from napi want 75mil for him
Pay them in full. Used notes. Come alone or the lady gets it.
I think Higuain just reached his zenith. I don’t think he’ll put in another season like that again.
We could get Lukaku for £35m after the season Everton have had. Xhaka would also cost £25m + add ons. Wenger should go in for Laporte/Umtiti/Sule/Vallejo despite how much they would cost. Sell Mertesacker, Rosicky, Arteta, Flamini, Walcott, SANOGOAL, Debuchy. Loan out Toral, Zelalem, OX, Gnabry,
Bloody forgot Ramsey the clumsy.
My fantasy signing for Arsenal, while we are there let’s grab Stones too
There is no ONE position to fill. Def, holding midfielder and Stk r all equal priority.
Unless all three come there will be no development.
Its like saying the car needs new seats, a windshield and a new steering wheel, but steering wheel is all I will get.
Its still a joke of a car, without the windshield and seats, that will not be a fun drive.
Get all three though, and you r looking at a lovely drive.
I can’t see us buying a defender. We are buying Xhaka in CM/DM role. Strikers ahoy!
Windshield?
He may be American Danny?
Although if he was, I would expect his name to be “way too drunk…”:-)
That would explain the amazing sense of entitlement!
If we let Lukaku go to another English club without a fight, then we can just give up. He could score 30 goals in the league alone if he had Özil behind him.
^^ This.
He’s a beast on the pitch, speaks something like 6 languages. Proven in the premier league. We can offer champions league football (with no qualifier – business can be done early). Dislikes John Terry and Maureen. Uncertainty at Everton…
I’m guessing Arsene found his magic hat at the back of the cupboard “Judge me at the end of the season”
B-) now buy Lukaku!
I’ve never been one to jump on the bandwagon and want is to just buy players for the sake of it. But I feel the biggest issue this season has been goals – we just haven’t scored anywhere near enough.
I think we need at least two attacking purchases this summer. At least. Come on Arsenal!
While I’d like to see a new CB, CM and Striker come in, I hope Akpom, Toral and Zelalem get chances like Iwobi has.
I’m definitely expecting us to sign 4-5 players now. Arsene says 3 signings is the ideal number but he also can’t just come out and say “Yeah we are going to splash out all the cash on all the players in all the positions.”
I think he’s being conservative when he says 3.
I believe we will sign a left back, a center back, a defensive midfielder, a winger/attacking midfielder, and a striker.
Doubt it. He generally does not like buying more than 3 players in a window as it is difficult to integrate more than that into the squad in one go. He tends to be right on that front.
We signed five in 2014, then Gabriel in January.
So I don’t think its an issue of having buying too many players, it is an issue of finding the right quality for each position.
Number one priority has to be a striker, but I really can’t think of someone high enough level that’s available. I guess that’s probably why I’m not a scout…
I’m no scout either but. Looks like Benzema might be available, Higuain too. Lacazette is probably hot to trot. Lukaku is available too.
My Gran is also still available…
I’m afraid after a hat-trick againts Villa Arsene would believe Giroud’s better than Paul’s Gran.
-on the upside, you are one Hell of an FBI-agent….wanna go for a coffee??
Here’s a list of the top strikers in Europe this year. That’ll tell you who is available.
http://www.eurotopfoot.com/gb/soulierdor.php3
Will 3 be enough, we lose Rosicky, Arteta and Flamini add that to Welbeck makes 4 already. We inevitably will lose Wilshere during the season and judging by history we will lose at least another 3 or 4 to injuries exceeding 6 weeks
I suspect that Arteta, Flamini & Rosicky have already been replaced in the squad by Coquelin, El Neny & Iwobi respectively. Arsene hasn’t ruled out selling Walcott either…he has merely said that he thinks Walcott will be at the club next season, which isn’t the same as saying “I can guarantee that Walcott will be here next season. He’s going nowhere, and has a bright future in Arsenal colours”. So Arsene may be prepared to listen to any concrete offers made for him. Even before Welbeck’s injury, we needed a TOP TOP TOP striker – not that they grow on… Read more »
Jenkinson stays, we buy the Bolton defender, Xhaka and that leaves one more spot. If it is hopefully a forward, that might leave us a little short in the midfield…may be the boss thinks Toral can also step up to the first team.
It also means Walcott staying is a likely possibility…..I predict the customary end of season good performance by Walcott to ‘silence’ his critics today
Seems that way. Perhaps Jack can fill the void of one of the 3 midfielders & be LANS if he can stay fit (cue laughter). There will likely be at least 5-6 out if you add Debuchy & possibly Gibbs & Campbell & 3 signings with the rest being youngsters. Can’t see Theo leaving with Ox being chronically injured & even more chronically shite so fingers crossed we sign a striker capable of scoring more frequently than the likes if Giroud.
just 3 signings?,
aiming for fourth place again then?………..
Suarez, Pogba and Varane…
Yes or more likely never, heard, of.
MSN to Arsenal comfirmed
Just buy the darn super striker and a super defender and super box to box midfielder with defensive emphasis. Ozil Santi in the middle, sell Walcott, keep Campbell.
I would expect that when Wenger suggests 3 signings, he means 3 first choice signings and that there will be squad or fringe players brought in too. Some of our youths will be promoted. Decisions have to be made on Toral , Gnabry and Hayden, as they will be 21 and so if they stay they will take up places in our 25 man squad
I think that too, though he might even mean 3 as in 5! I’d like to see Lacazette and Mahrez join Xhaka. We’ll buy a No 2’at right back and possibly left back if Gibbs has got the hump.
This is my Arsenal 25 man squad for 2016/17 Forwards: Gonzalo Higuain Olivier Giroud Danny Welbeck Alexis Midfielders: Granit Xhaka Le Coq Mo Elneny Aaron Ramsey The Ox Wilshere Alex Iwobi Jon Toral* Maitland-Niles** Defenders: Gibbs Monreal Per Gabriel Kosser Varane Bellerin Chambers Goalkeeper: Cech Ospina Macey Out: Walcott, Debuchy, Arteta, TR7 and Flamini Loan: Akpom,Hayden, The Jeff, Crowley, Zelalem, everyone else I’ve forgotten. *had too good of a loan to send back out. Deserves his chance take emulate Hector. La Masia pedigree 😉 **Younger prospect than others I’ve left out. Had a good loan, and played consistently without injury.… Read more »
You sold Cazorla?
And brought the Ox into midfield?
I do not want you as manager! 😉
No he sent him out on loan apparently!
Lapland?
“with players that we know want to play “…someone wants to go then??
Arsene auditioning for Zoolander III in that photo
Quite a lot of young players waiting for opportunities: Toral, Zelalem, Jeff, Akpom,Willock, Hayden. Buying quality is improtant but also some of these players need to be given a chance, liike Toral who seems to have performed really well during his loan. Also training with the arsenal first team seems to do wonders for some young players (Bellerin, Iwobi) so it would be wise to keep at least some of them at the club.
Still the team needs at least 3 players who are guaranteed to strengthen the team. And to sell Walcott.
And Maitland-Niles..
morata/cavani leading upfront with reus on the right wing instead of walcott. About time ozil’s passes are put to good use. But i guess thats about 60mil over the transfer budget, damn it.
Telesport and Le Sport 10 in France have both reported that Kante is coming to Asrsenal. It does not make sense.
I know he had a great season but surety we have enough pygmies in our team.
I really can’t see this as being true: We have Coquelin, Elneny can play there and also when he comes Xhaka and also Chambers. Maybe I’ll be wrong – it has been known!
Would be strange to sign both him and Xhaka as Elneny was signed recently. Or it is just transfer talk and Wenger will go with ‘internal solutions’
What’s with people disliking Kante coming? Whenever I watched Leicester play he was a beast mopping up every loose ball across the pitch, superhuman levels of energy. This team needs some bite and athleticism in it’s spine. I’d take him in a heartbeat anyway. Xhaka I don’t know, only seen youtube videos.
3 players seem thin Arsene. Flamini, Arteta and Rosicky defo leaving. 3 midfielders gone. Doubts over Ospina, Debuchy, Gibbs, Walcott, Sanogo and maybe others. We’re going to need more than 3. I don’t expect Toral, Zelalem or Akpom to be up to standard. Also we were a bit average this season so surely upgrades are required not replacements. Do we want challenge for the league and champions league? Or are we content with 3rd 4th place again? We need world class players, not potential stars of the future. If we don’t do this then we will all be arguing with… Read more »
“Flamini, Arteta and Rosicky defo leaving”.
That’s true but you do realize 2 of those 3 have already been replaced. Alex Iwobi for Rosicky and Elneny for Arteta.
Think we need minimum four (we’re not going to get them!) 2 strikers, a cm and a back up cb (or am I wrong about Gabriel?)
Well if I’m to reason like Wenger, that means Sanogo, Wilshere will be referred to as new signings. So we may get only one player.
I have to say that TR7, Flamini and Arteta leaving, Welbeck out and hopefully Walcott on his way with Gibbs possibly joining him to get more game time, I would’ve thought that more than 3 signings would be needed for a squad which, even with all of those players, has gaps in it.
Premier League Top Scorers Harry Kane Tottenham 131 per goal 3278 played 25 Goals scored 1 Assists Shots on targetTotal 61% 75 122 Jamie Vardy Leicester 127 per goal 3049 played 24 Goals scored 6 Assists Shots on targetTotal 58% 53 91 Sergio Agüero Man City 95 per goal 2284 played 24 Goals scored 2 Assists Shots on targetTotal 57% 50 88 Romelu Lukaku Everton 171 per goal 3084 played 18 Goals scored 6 Assists Shots on targetTotal 54% 44 81 Riyad Mahrez Leicester 175 per goal 2972 played 17 Goals scored 11 Assists Shots on targetTotal 63% 38 60… Read more »
You do realise that your numbers basically put Aguero as the only genuinely top class CF in the league (under 100 minutes per goal) and show that neither Kane nor Vardy are that much better than Giroud, they’ve simply played a lot of minutes and scored at a consistent rate. And this is in a season where neither Giroud nor Sanchez has performed anywhere near their usual level! I’m currently trying to get WhoScored and Squakwa (via their public data) to answer the question “What strikers convert best from the kind of opportunities that Arsenal create” – I suspect it… Read more »
well Aguro is the type of striker to really take us to the next level. Kane and Vardy still have a lot to prove in my opinion, maybe not so much kane but def vardy. my point was that for a club like us who have had some of the best strikers in the game leading the line, i dont think that he is suited to the way we traditionally play with anelka, henry, wiltord, eduardo, ade etc.g breaking the lines, ball in behind. wenger in his interview said he scores in burst but we need consistency. i like him… Read more »
How many strikers in the world are at Agueros level?
And How many of those are available ?
You need a holiday mate :O)
Three is not enough.
He says this EVERY summer only to come out at deadline day and claim that no c*nt was for sale *ignoring that every one of our rivals signed a ton of players*
‘We offered a bag of Starburst and a banana but they wouldn’t sell, what else could we do?’
Jannsen, Reus, Xhaka and a solid versatile defender like Ginter. We should win the league with those players and even be contenders for the Champions League. If Arsene gets these deals done surely we can dream.
Lukaku 35 million, kante 20 million, benatia 10 million!
3 players??? We need at least 5! 3 to fill in the gaps left by Rosick, arteta and Flamini and 2 more to add to the squad for the injuries we get every season. I know many fans think it’s the same old story with what comes out of Arsenes mouth every summer but this year we all know HE HAS to buy and I think he really will. Fingers crossed for some superstars coming in. Xhaka, Ibrahimovic, Aubomeyang (sorry for spelling) Giminez from Athletico and a pacey winger. COYG
Walcott (and effectively Welbeck out), wide forward in. Striker in, 3 midfielders out, 1 midfielder (Granit) in , 1 right back in (Debuchy out), potential cb (Holding) in, leftback situation as yet unknown (gibbs may be on his way out, if he is he’d need replacing). Unless Wenger is relying on young players coming through instead of additional signings 3 players simply isn’t enough.
Another depressing season the cards then.
3 signings won’t cover what’s leaving and the shite we need to move on.
I’m all for giving opportunities to the players coming through but do you think the likes of Ozil and Sanchez are getting excited by the same prospect. We have one fit striker and he is the most wasteful I’ve seen in the Wenger era.
Jeez Wenger depresses me these days with his sound bites.
In my opinion we need an out and out winger who can take players on, whip balls in, be more direct. We also 100% need a striker and a centre back would be good. If Xhaka is the first signing then we look set to be coming up short in one of those key positions already. Assuming we do only sign three that is.
Knowing three players are definitely going – rosicky, arteta and flamini – but that elneny fills in one spot, I’d say four players are required: defender, centre midfield, striker and right winger (I would be planning to get shot of Theo).
Wenger needs to go…targets 3 players…well that means once again he is planning to leave the team short. Never mind the fact 3 players are leaving us, in addition to Welbeck it’s a joke.
Arsenal under this period of leadership at board and management level will continue to be the most unambituous clubs at Europes top level, happy to have a seat at the table whilst the others feast. I
I’ve wondered for a long time why Arsenal haven’t targeted Mane as a possible striker. Wenger has done it before, buy a midfielder and convert them to a striker.
He is a proven goalscorer and with ozil Sanchez and possibly Ramsey on the right, behind him the attack can be devastating. All good passers of the ball and all can score
All round midfield Granit Xhaka 40m (looks this is already half way done) Good striker Alvaro Morata 50m (hard to get though, a few other big clubs after him), if Giroud goes for like 20m we will need to spend that money on another striker (Jensson?) Good long term replacement for Mertcielny (they are both older than 30 now), not sure Gabriel and Chambers is up to the job. A good long term replacement for Cech? He’s already getting on a bit, maybe 2 more good seasons out of him at most. Also hope we dont lose any important players… Read more »
For all those people saying we need more than 3 signings; in what positions? We’ve got a top class keeper (Cech), a decent 2nd choice (Ospina), and a 3rd choice keeper (Matinez/Macey). 2 high quality LB (GIbbs+Monreal) A top RB (Bellerin). Bring Jenkinson back to be 2nd choice. Koscielny is a top CB and I admit we need a partner for him. Laporate would be good. I’d loan out Chambers and keep Gabriel + Mertesacker as back up, selling Mertesacker next season. In DMC I don’t think Coquelin is quite top class so I’d sign a new one (Xhaka). Xhaka,… Read more »
I’d like Mauro Icardi.
Pogba, Xhaka, Kante?,Carvalho?, Morata, Leroy Sane, Van Dijk in
Walcott, Mertesacker, Ramsey? out
Can but dream!
For me it’s a striker, wide attacking midfielder and center back. We can get by without another defensive midfielder.
No kante or Xhaka it would kill Elneny! Probably a striker and a couple of youth unknowns
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MqczouELZd8
I say sign him up!
CB is desperately needed. Mertesacker is a great option when playing deep, but normally we have a high line and Gabriel is nowhere near good enough. Hummels is off the Bayern, Benatia is back off to Roma, that Sule (sic?) is off to Dortmund to replace Hummels. That’s roundabout number 1 of the off season. Laporte has City and Barca looking at him so I can’t see us getting near. I’m actually not that enthused about Xhaka – Coq and Elmohamedy are enough though I’d kill to have Kante in the team. The bigger deficiencies for me are CB, 9… Read more »