Arsenal: How Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s Retirement Effects The Gunners

Zlatan Ibrahimovic suffered a horror injury and early reports indicate that he will preemptively retire. This has a huge ripple effect on Arsenal.

Arsenal are going into this summer with an open mind and plenty of ambition. At least that is what we would hope. With a few obvious needs to be addressed, as well as Alexis Sanchez‘s prerequisite of ‘showing ambition’ there should be plenty to talk about.

Hopefully that also means there will be plenty of movement. Seeing as how Alexandre Lacazette and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang will both almost certainly be on the move, there are numerous ways that Wenger can show his ambition.

And, up until recently, it was just a war between Wenger and his natural inclination not to spend.

Yesterday I wrote about how Diego Costa’s potential exit to China would be a terrible thing for the Gunners. A ruthless Antonio Conte, likely coming off of a Premier League title, in need of a striker? The big names will be lining up to be the one. Conte will have to swat them off like flies in a public restroom.

The same applies to Manchester United if the reports on Zlatan are correct. At the very least, we know that this terrible injury will keep the exciting Swede out for the start of the year. So either Jose Mourinho exudes some of that famous patience (sarcasm) he is known for, or they hit the transfer market looking for a big name guy to replace their hurt/retied big name guy.

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You know who they would turn to first – Antoine Griezmann. The Frenchman has flirted with the idea of playing with Paul Pogba and flourishing in the Premier League and while the deft striker has a long history with Arsene Wenger, that doesn’t matter as much when you’re looking for certain reassurances, like money.

If there is one thing United are not afraid to do, it is pay a guy whatever the hell he wants. Look at Paul Pogba. For all intents and purposes, he has been incredibly average this year, yet his pay check is more than anyone else’s.

Whatever Griezmann wants from United and Mourinho, he can get it. And that is the unfortaunte reality that we will have to face going into the transfer window.

It feels like Alexandre Lacazette, despite how talented he is, is the consolation prize to Griezmann, assuming the latter moves. That can always change down the road though, and both Arsenal and Lacazette would be aching to show that change.

Next: Arsenal's Potential Starting XI Under Diego Simeone

Still, what was looking like a pretty open transfer window is now getting packed with top-tier Premier League teams looking for fill gaps.