Arsenal: The clear thing that Sven Mislintat is looking for

Arsenal’s transfers are no longer masterminded by Arsene Wenger. Sven Mislintat is in charge, and his early record shows a very distinct and intentional search for one clear trait: Experience.

Arsenal have been making moves. The squad was very much built in the image and likeness of Arsene Wenger. He was their author, their creator, their god. This was his team, his creation, and it was very much crafted as he would like it, so long as the resources would allow. But Wenger is no longer here. A new regime is in charge; change is coming.

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That new regime which, in the transfer market, is captained by Head of Recruitment Sven Mislintat, has readily gone about making changes to the playing staff, coaching staff, managerial structures at the club, and the whole mechanics of the organisation.

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Chief Executive Ivan Gazidis masterminded the behind-the-scenes appointments and re-organisation, but now that the summer transfer market is steaming into full force, it is the turn of Mislintat to take centre stage. And given the moves that he has made already — there have been a wide range of reports that it was Mislintat, and not Wenger, who was in charge of the January transfer window — there is one clear trait that the former Borussia Dortmund Chief Scout is looking for: Experience.

While Konstantinos Mavropanos was his first acquisition, a 20-year-old Greek defender for a peanut price, almost in homage to the traditional work of Wenger, the other two additions in January were 29-year-old Henrikh Mkhitaryan — he turned 29 as the signing went through — and 28-year-old Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, both of whom have played at the highest level in European football for several years.

It doesn’t seem as though Mislintat is wanting to stop there, however. There are two names that are looking increasingly likely to be joining up with the north London squad in the coming days and weeks: Sokratis, another former Borussia Dortmund player who Mislintat knows well, and Stephan Lichtsteiner, a vastly experienced right-back whose contract as Juventus expired this summer.

The former is closing in on a £16 million move, while Lichtsteiner has entered into negotiations regarding a contract, which is likely to be a one or two-year deal. There is one trait, like Aubameyang and Mkhitaryan, that both these players share. It is the one trait that Mislintat is obviously and intentionally looking to add to the squad. Experience.

Sokratis is 29 years of age has 79 international caps for Greece, has played for Dortmund for five years, being a regular starter for the majority of that time, and has also played for Werder Bremen and AC Milan. Lichtsteiner, meanwhile, has over 100 caps for Switzerland, a team which he is captain for, and has been at Juventus for seven seasons, winning a remarkable seven Seria A titles, four Coppa Italias and three Italian Super Cups, as well as featuring in a Champions League final.

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Both these individuals, then, like Aubameyang and Mkhitaryan before them, are vastly experienced. They have played at the highest level for a number of years. They have won titles and trophies, played for their countries, have won and lost lots, learning from each and every moment. It is this experience that Mislintat wants to bring to Arsenal.