Andrea Berta has a long list of jobs to do before the summer transfer window slams shut at 11pm on Tuesday, September 1.
Mikel Arteta, Manager of Arsenal, applauds the fans at the end of the pre-season friendly match between Arsenal FC and Real Betis Balompie at Aviva Stadium on August 05, 2026 in Dublin, Ireland
Mikel Arteta wants to further bolster his Arsenal squad(Image: Photo by Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)
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Arsenal have a lot of work to do before the transfer window slams shut at the start of next month...
So far this summer, Andrea Berta has only managed to sign Illan Meslier from Leeds United on a free transfer, Christos Tzolis from Club Brugge, and Bruno Guimaraes from Newcastle United. The Italian also wrapped up a deal for Piero Hincapie, who had an option-to-buy clause in the loan agreement with Bayern Leverkusen.
If the Gunners are to compete on all fronts, defending the Premier League title and finally winning the Champions League, Berta will have to welcome a couple of big names to the Emirates Stadium in the coming weeks.
Speaking to reporters at the weekend, Mikel Arteta claimed he's 'looking forward' to further bolstering his squad this summer. When asked if the fans can expect to see more signings, the Arsenal boss said: "Well, that's what we're trying to do. If we have the right player in the market to make us much better, we are very looking forward to that."
Although the Community Shield is this weekend, and the opening game of the new Premier League season follows less than a week later, the transfer window doesn't slam shut until the start of September. So, in theory, Berta has plenty of time to wrap up a few more deals.
With that being said, football.london has looked at what Arsenal need to do before the transfer window shuts at 11pm on Tuesday, September 1.
Berta launches Vinicius Jr backup plan
Arsenal can only compensate for the absence of Vinicius Jr by signing a top striker and a Premier League-proven winger before the transfer window slams shut. The Real Madrid star would have been an excellent addition to the squad, single-handedly transforming the frontline into one of the best in Europe overnight.
But the Gunners were unsuccessful in their pursuit of Vinicius Jr, who was perhaps the only somewhat available world-class forward on the market this summer. In order to make up for the eye-watering number of goals that the Brazil international was expected to deliver, Berta needs to get his hands on a top striker and a Premier League-proven winger.
Arsenal should begin by throwing the kitchen sink at a deal for Julian Alvarez, who would be a great upgrade on Viktor Gyokeres. With Vinicius Jr now tied down to a long-term contract at Real Madrid, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia seemingly untouchable at Paris Saint-Germain, and Luis Díaz unlikely to leave Bayern Munich after only a year, the Gunners can't afford to be picky.
Vinicius Jr was linked with a move to Arsenal
Vinicius Jr was linked with a move to Arsenal (Image: Getty Images)
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Rafael Leao could be an option, having announced his desire to leave AC Milan earlier in the summer, but he's previously struggled to impress against English opposition. As is the case with Marcus Rashford, whose future at Manchester United still appears to be up in the air.
Interestingly, Pedro Neto has recently been linked with a move away from Chelsea. The Blues winger has hardly set the world alight in recent years, but, with time running out, he could be the most attainable.
Arsenal could do with another defender, too. Ezri Konsa would be a good addition to the squad, providing Arteta with reliable depth at centre-half and right-back.
To be signed: Julian Alvarez, Pedro Neto, Ezri Konsa.
Arsenal axe five and loan Nwaneri
Before the transfer window closes, Berta needs to streamline the squad. Gabriel Jesus and Gabriel Martinelli have each recently entered the final 12-months of their respective contract with Arsenal, meaning they're currently set to leave for free at the end of the season, although the Gunners do have an option to extend Martinelli's deal by a further year.
The Gunners could do with recuperating a fee of some sort, and that can only be done if they're sold. The Arsenal sporting director also needs to find a respectable loan for Ethan Nwaneri. The 19-year-old midfielder still has a lot to offer at the Emirates Stadium, but it's unlikely he'll get the minutes on the pitch that he deserves and, more importantly, needs to develop.
Ethan Nwaneri walks
Ethan Nwaneri looks set to leave Arsenal this summer(Image: Arsenal FC via Getty Images)
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To be loaned: Ethan Nwaneri.
To be sold: Reiss Nelson, Kepa Arrizabalaga, Fabio Vieira, Gabriel Jesus, Gabriel Martinelli.
Berta salvages dream Arsenal rebuild
At the start of the summer, Arteta had ambitions to leap out of the gates and take Arsenal to the next level. After a disappointingly slow start to the transfer window, Berta has finally begun to bolster the squad, but there's still so much work to be done.
In order to salvage what was meant to be the start of a new trophy-rich era, the Gunners need to break the bank on three top players. In an ideal world, when the transfer window shuts next month, the Arsenal squad should look something like this:
Goalkeepers
David Raya, Illan Meslier, Tommy Setford.
Defenders
Riccardo Calafiori, Piero Hincapie, Gabriel Magalhaes, William Saliba, Cristhian Mosquera, Ezri Konsa (from Aston Villa), Ben White, Jurrien Timber, Marli Salmon.
Midfielders
Declan Rice, Bruno Guimaraes, Martin Zubimendi, Martin Odegaard, Mikel Merino, Myles Lewis-Skelly.
Wingers
Bukayo Saka, Pedro Neto (from Chelsea), Christos Tzolis, Noni Madueke, Eberechi Eze, Max Dowman.
Strikers
Viktor Gyokeres, Kai Havertz, Julian Alvarez (from Atletico Madrid).