Arsenal: Youth assessment will dictate senior recruitment

Such is the number of positions that Arsenal must invest in this summer, their recruitment needs to be dictated by their assessment of the young players already in the squad. Here’s why.

Arsenal have a whole lot of work to do this summer. There is a vast array of positions that they need to address if they are to challenge for the top four, nevermind the title, and that is before any departures and their replacements are factored into the equation. They simply do not have the budget to spend such an amount.

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In being critical, these are the positions that I believe need investment this summer:

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Goalkeeper; centre-half (possibly two); full-back (possibly both); defensive midfield; ball-playing midfielder; winger. In the worst-case scenario, that is eight players that need to be added to the squad. Now, obviously, that is being a little pessimistic. Most might say that only a defensive midfielder or a ball-playing midfielder is needed. Or that just one centre-half is required. Or that only one of the two full-back positions needs addressing. But the overarching point still stands: Arsenal need to spend money that they do not have to fully address the holes in this squad.

And so, they are going to need help to fill these positions from non-external sources. Returning players from loans like Lucas Perez, for instance. Returnees from injury like Laurent Koscielny. The development of young players. It is this last avenue that I believe Arsenal have the greatest chance of filling several needs to a satisfactory standard.

For example, Reiss Nelson could fill the need out wide. It may be a risk to place such responsibility on him, but if Unai Emery believes that he is ready and capable, then why not save money and reinvest it in other positions that require more attention?

Similarly, could Ainsley Maitland-Niles be the depth required in midfield and at full-back? Could Joe Willock develop into a more consistent and influential contributor to the midfield rotation? Could Calum Chambers or Rob Holding or Konstantinos Mavropanos be a weekly starter at centre-half negating the need to sign an experienced option to bolster a rather vulnerable position?

I do not know the answer to these questions, but they are one that I believe will govern Arsenal’s transfer dealings. It may be that they do not believe any of the current centre-backs are capable of being regular starters but they do trust Maitland-Niles to start as in defensive midfield. If that is the case, then it makes sense to steer the resources to central defence and not defensive midfield.

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It is the youth prospects that need to dictate the club’s summer business. Where Emery believes the squad is already capable, the resources to be veered away from, focusing on more pressing issues instead. There are simply too many needs to not take such a compromising stance. They can’t all be filled in the transfer window. It’s time for the youth to step up.