Berta and Arteta have plenty to doplaceholder image
Berta and Arteta have plenty to do | Arsenal FC via Getty Images
A look at the most important items on the to-do lists of Mikel Arteta and Andrea Berta.
As the transfer window continues to unfold, we have put together a list of the most important items that should be on the to-do lists of Mikel Arteta and Andrea Berta when it comes to transfers.
Sign a striker
Arsenal must sign a new striker this summer, and while there is still time, fans will be starting to get a little alarmed by the lack of real progress in this area. The Gunners need to show efficiency in their pursuit of a frontman, decide on the striker they want and go and get him. They have already spent big on a midfielder, which is only going to tell selling teams that they have the money to spend. Clubs are not going to be pushed around, and Sporting CP’s director of sport recently made that clear in relation to Viktor Gyokeres. Arteta and Berta need to get their act together here.
Sign a centre-back
Valencia centre-back Cristhian Mosquera looks to be the main option when it comes to signing a centre-back with potential who can not only fill in for, but also compete with Gabriel Magalhaes and William Saliba in the not too distant future. Mosquera would be a smart signing, given he will be available for under £20million, and he has already shown he can compete in a top division at a young age. Arsenal don’t need to rush over this one, especially given Jurrien Timber and Riccardo Calafiori can play centrally, but they will need another centre-back before the window closes.
Sign a winger who can play centrally
With so many other needs, Arsenal should consider killing to birds with one stone this summer. They need a top class winger who can genuinely challenge Gabriel Martinelli and Bukayo Saka. Neither of those players were at their absolute best last season, and that was likely down to the fact their starting positions were never at risk. That’s not how a title-contending team functions, and Arsenal need to add real competition there.
But they also need someone who can deputise for Martin Odegaard when he has injury issues, and it shouldn’t be too tricky to find a winger who can also play the number 10 role. Eberechi Eze has been linked, and he could certainly fulfil that role. There is talk the Gunners could sign a winger like Noni Madueke as well as an attacker like Eze, but they will have to spend smartly unless they are considering a big sale of some sort.
Sell the fringe players
While we are on the topic of sales, Arsenal will need to balance their spending this summer, and there are some players who are likely to be sold. The Gunners need to trim the edges of their squad if they are going to spend big, and we have already seen Takehiro Tomiyasu end his contract by mutual agreement.
Oleksandr Zinchenko is likely to want out, and both Reiss Nelson and Albert Sambi Lokonga will almost certainly be sold. There are decision to make over the futures of Fabio Vieira and Jakub Kiwior. The latter may well push for an exit to get more regular football after struggling for game time until the final weeks of last season.
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