Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta instructs his side.placeholder image
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta instructs his side. | Arsenal FC via Getty Images
Arsenal are looking to develop their squad for the future after a strong summer
The consensus is that the summer was a successful one for Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal. The Gunners strengthened in key areas by not only improving the Spaniard’s starting XI, but by adding depth and cover in several positions across the pitch.
After last season’s injury crisis in attacking areas, it can be argued that the Gunners are largely crisis-proof due to the quality of their new back-up options such as Noni Madueke, Cristhian Mosquera and Piero Hincapie.
The target for Arsenal this season is no doubt to win the title after a trio of second-placed finishes, a target which took an early blow when Dominik Szoboszlai struck an 83rd-minute free-kick to seal all three points for champions Liverpool in an early-season crunch clash. The Gunners will look to bounce back rapidly from this defeat after the international break and may yet decide to add to their squad once again come January.
Arsenal to battle with Barcelona for young defender
According to reports by Caught Offside, Arsenal are set to compete with Barcelona for the January signing of 19-year-old centre-back Luiz Benedetti of Palmeiras. The Brazilian has caught the eye in Europe due to his mixture of physical defending and on-the-ball guile, qualities both Arsenal and Barca are drawn to in a centre-back for the future.
Arsenal were linked with Benedetti over the summer transfer window and are expected to keep tabs on the teenager over the coming months as he continues his development in Brazil. The report states that sources close to the player’s situation claim Arsenal are expected to make an ‘official move’ in January after monitoring the player ‘for a long time’.
Greek giants Olympiacos are also said to be tracking the player and would likely be able to offer him a clearer pathway to first-team minutes during an important stage in his development. While a deal is not expected to be expensive, the involvement of Arsenal and Barcelona could take a potential transfer fee into the multi-million euro range. Palmeiras are believed not to want to sell the player, who is contracted until 2029.
‘Keep digging’ - Arteta seeking gold with Gunners
Arsenal’s pursuit of Benedetti could reflect a wider aim of Arteta’s, as the Spaniard looks to ‘find gold’ in his pursuit of the Premier League title. This may come now, or it may come in uncovering the next set of gems who will secure glory in the following generation, as he has already begun to do with the likes of Max Dowman thanks to the Gunners’ Hale End academy.
Arteta said in August: “You keep digging, digging, digging. You have to keep digging because one day, the gold is going to be there. That's all the time, what I've been taught, I've been educated and that's it. For three seasons, we have more points than any other team in this league. It’s incredible, that's why we have all the consistency. Now we have to do it in a season, to earn one more point or the same amount of points and more goals difference than any other team. That’s the objective.
“Great work has been done in the academy throughout the years, especially because those players have come to the first team and performed at the highest level without any professional experience. So that shows again what the academy has done, the preparation of these boys, the maturity of these boys. It's a compliment for everybody at the club.”
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