Arsenal still have a lot to do this season, but already there are plans in place for the summer, and what we need to do in the transfer market.
There is one very obvious position that needs to be filled, the striker situation is one that exercises many fans and online debates, but Mikel Arteta is keen to ensure that the progress made so far is maintained and built upon.
The manager spoke to Sky Sports, ahead of Sunday’s trip to Watford, and was asked if this summer would be as important as the last one when we brought in six players – Aaron Ramsdale, Takehiro Tomiyasu, Nuno Tavares, Ben White, Albert Sambi Lokonga and Martin Odegaard.
“More important,” said Arteta. “I think now is the moment we have to go to a different level.
“We have been able to get the squad balance in a much better shape. Financially, we are in a much more stable position with the money we have spent on certain players touching the pitch for a certain amount of minutes.
“That balance is much better spread out across the squad, and now is the moment to raise the quality.”
The main focus this summer will be on a centre-forward, after the departure of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, and with the contractual situations of Alexandre Lacazette and Eddie Nketiah still up in the air.
It’s an interesting thing to consider that in the five transfer windows since his arrival in 2019, Arteta has never signed an out and out forward, so this will be a big decision and likely an expensive one. The qualities that he’s looking for?
“He puts the ball in the net, that’s priority number one,” he said. “Goal threat. Any successful team needs enough goal threat in the squad. Without it, you have nothing. You can play good football but you need enough goal threat in the team.
“The other thing is that he has to complement the other people we have, personally and on the pitch, and for that, we need the right profile.
“We need a profile where you can exploit his qualities at the same time as the qualities we already have, so we don’t have to transform our way of playing again to adapt to that specific player.
“He has to have a certain age, a certain level of experience, and he has to be able to come here and play under the pressure of being at Arsenal.”
Obviously this is something we have time to think about, but what happens between now and May will play a big part. It would be easier to attract the best players if we had Champions League football, so let’s hope the good results and performances continue until then.
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Nothing excites a fan as much as armchair conjecture regarding player transfers. I really hope we do our business early otherwise silly season will be unbearable this time around. It’ll be an ITK convention camping around Arsenal transfers
Another reason why it is so crucial that we get fourth place.
Fifth or sixth or whatever just aren’t options. Especially this time around or the apple cart that this emerging side is will be in serious danger of losing wheels before it’s even been finished.
I don’t give a shit how we get there – just that we keep up this momentum, grind out the results, finish the job and claim the prize.
COYG
Troodat – the simple reality is that the top, top striker that we need will not be satisfied with 2nd tier Euro involvement. The vision and the charisma of Arteta and the ‘youth project’ will only carry so much weight – ultimately, top players want – and deserve – to play in the top competitions.
Oh… and did I mention we want to be a ‘top’ team? (top apologies)
Well, the only thing that excites the fan more is an actual transfer. And goals. Wins are good too. Trophies – woohoo. Easiest way to deflate some of the ITK crap is some of that good stuff.
Correct. I would love a Firminho type of player that glues the attack and lead the press and does a bit of all the rest. Harland and Mbappe moving probably would cause turbulence in the summer market hence I would be patient before moving.
I am also excited about Tielmans and Renato sanches
I wonder if Raul Jimenez would join us despite us smashing his skull.
AMEN🙏
And just before summer arrives, a lot of 3 points wknd along the way will do as well!
COYG!
Expecting at least another £150m to be spent if we make champions league
Potentially close to £150m
I think prices may have deflated a fraction after covid.
Say we spend £50-70m on a striker. Then factor in the other positions we need. A RB a cm and potentially back up striker or winger(depends on Gabi’s deployment next season) and that’s another £80m easily.
I do t think we need a RB as Cedric has performed well since Tomiyasu has been injured.
He still needs replacing imho, 30+ and a backup who’s shown a month of form doesn’t make him reliable.
Now that’s more like it, Mikel. 😊👍
Last summer, we transitted from an old dysfunctional team to a functional but young team.
After a shaky start, the improvement has been there for all to see.
This summer is about moving on to a good team at the brink of greatness:
Apart from the obvious, I think we need an upgrade to partner T. Partey.
It’s going to be very interesting to see what happens if we do get fourth. Under Wenger the club were perfectly happy for the mediocrity of Champions League qualification and no more. But to do some real damage in the CL, and to have a realistic title challenge, we’ll need to spend big in the summer. TWO top-class strikers are the minimum requirements.
But will Stan spend the money? History tells us no. The Yank has only ever been interested in pocketing our cash.
”The mediocrity of Champions League qualification.” Listen to yourself. If it’s so fucking ‘mediocre’, then 1. how come it’s taken us five years to get our act together to finally push for it again and 2. why do we stand to reap not an inconsiderable financial benefit, return of some self respect, to attract world class players more easily and to put this young team against the very best….? Would we have signed Santi Cazorla, Mesut Ozil, and Alexis Sanchez if we had been pissing about in the Europa….? And whilst Stan and Josh aren’t exactly on my Christmas card… Read more »
You missed out the “and no more”.
Just finishing fourth isn’t good enough.
It will be this season pal.
Why does history tell us no..?
I’m no fan of his but we’ve spent a shit load in the last 6 years or so. Just mostly spent on players who made little impact.
*summer window
We have no european competitions, we are out of the cups. The minimum is where we are in the league. If we don’t achieve top four in the end, no sweet talk will save the manager’s arse.
Manager is going nowhere regardless of where we finish.
Have you been living under a rock???
Maybe we should go for that goalscoring guy in Barcelona..?
We tried but Wolves wouldn’t sell to us!!
Yes, Luuk de Jong as second or third striker for the last 10/15 minutes is a great idea.
Luuk would score. Massíve fan since his Gladbach days
Agree with him or not, the strategic clarity of MA’s thoughts on who the CF should be is super encouraging. Hope we find the right player and add a ball-playing, defense savvy midfielder. If we do then we should be genuinely challenging for the league title next year
Not sure there is much strategic clarity in saying your striker needs to be a goal threat.
You do realize that goal threat wasn’t the only thing he talked about.
I’m hoping it’s the Adebayor type.
Big frame/aggressive runner.
Nunez or Osimhen realistically.
Regardless, we can score so many more goals if we add Lamptey and Olise.
If he can have the qualities of (non last season) Adebayor, but also knows how to stay onside, then I’d have to agree with you!
Yep was just thinking about that season he bagged 30.
Safe to say he triggers people lmao.
He was brilliant at times.
Sad he was pushed out
Totally agree. Now is the time to go for Haarland and Rice not lightweight signings
lol Mbappe too.
Mbappe hates the Arsenal.
And if you’re talking trouble makers with overblown egos, then that guy makes Auba look like Mother Theresa.
Although I don’t know this, my guess is that Mbappe not only does not hate Arsenal, but hasn’t really thought about it. For all French players, it was Wenger’s club, and Thierry Henry’s, and that meant a lot, but a bit of time has passed.
Check out the delight he took when we lost at home to City on New Year’s Day.
“Arsenal back to normal” – ie losing – is what he put.
*on Twitter
I’d much prefer Victor Osimhen!
Martin has to just keep working on his mate…
Welcome to The Arsenal, Erling!!
Patrick Schick seems like a good option to me. But we also need a more dynamic striker as well. Arsenal have always had world class strikers in the past, and on the books you would have to put Auba in that category up until January. Its a big, big move we need to make to fill that position. However players in that “young, proven goalscorer” category seems few and far between right now that Arsenal have a realistic chance of signing. When arteta says he has to be a certain age, that worries me. I hope we are also looking… Read more »
He flopped at West Ham though… but he does have ability.
I think, as I can’t think of a young striker with enough quality that would be willing to come to Arsenal, we should go for a “cheap” experienced first striker for the coming 1 or 2 years so we have more time to find that young striker.
I think guys like, Mauro Icardi, Dzeko and even maybe Luuk de Jong (2nd striker) can do a job for us the coming years and shouldn’t be to expensive.
With all due respect, you’re not a scout. Just because the fan base isn’t aware of someone doesn’t mean they’re not there. Had you ever heard of Gabi or Tomi?
You are right I’m not a scout. If they have one lined up that has all the quality’s needed then great. But to gamle on a unknown young striker to deliver immediately is a big risk .
We’ll need two strikers anyway so why not bring in a cheap experienced goal scorer too, just in case ?
This is an interesting metric: “the money we have spent on certain players touching the pitch for a certain amount of minutes” Does he just mean that we’ve gotten rid of Ozil-types? What does it say about Pepe?
The manager has control over that metric. If he wants you out, he starves you of game time and gets the damning ratio.
What does that metric mean?
Arteta = leader. A quality he demands from every player. Stand up, demand better, learn from mistakes and form a team.
Winning is the best medication you can give to your fans.
Haaaland!!