How Will Arsenal’s Summer Transfer Budget be Spent?

Ronnie Macdonald – Flickr Creative Commons

It’s never too early to start speculating where Arsene Wenger will spend his money this summer. According to multiple sources including the Telegraph, the board has sanctioned a 50 million pound budget for Wenger to spend on strengthening the team.

This number comes after the club made an 11.1 million pound profit this year, all things included.

While I normally don’t buy into transfer budgets for whatever reason, Arsene Wenger did spend right around the 20 million he was given in January. Between Gabriel Paulista and Krystian Bielik, plus agent fees and wage fees, it came right at what was projected.

More from Pain in the Arsenal

• 3 observations from Arsenal’s victory at Goodison Park
• 3 standout players from 1-0 victory over Everton
• 3 positives & negatives from Goodison Park victory
• Arsenal vs PSV preview: Prediction, team news & lineups
• 3 talking points from Arsenal’s victory at Goodison Park

So where does that leave Arsenal for this summer?

After the purchase of Danny Welbeck, it appeared that Arsenal had shut up shop in the striker department – that they were all set. But given Welbeck’s inability to put the ball in the net and Olivier Giroud’s ability to only be one man, it’s again become a need for Arsenal to shore up their front lines.

I don’t expect a big marquee signing like Edinson Cavani or Robert Lewandowski. I’d expect a younger forward with the potential to be dynamic in a year or so, while still being able to cover first team responsibilities for when Giroud needs a breath.

I still think that Giroud is the perfect striker for Arsenal, but he’s going to be 29 soon and it’s only a matter of time before he breaks down. Therefore a new striker to groom in the Arsenal way and prepare for Arsenal’s future would be an ideal signing.

But we don’t just need a reinforcement striker. We need a midfielder. Although I’m really not sure what kind of midfielder.

Francis Coquelin has proven more than capable and we still have so many midfield options. Yet somehow we still appear short-staffed, mainly because of injuries. Depth is the key though, and we shouldn’t have to start anyone not of first-team quality. One more midfielder should do the trick.

Aside from those two iffy necessities, we really don’t need much. Maybe a younger centre back to work with Gabriel and Calum Chambers in the future, especially with Per Mertesacker and Laurent Koscienly getting older, but that’s not an immediate need. We can always wait for that.

Here’s five players that Arsenal could/should look to spend some of their 50 million pound summer transfer budget on.

Next: Paulo Dybala