Arsenal: The idea is there for a quality winger, the realism isn’t

Arsenal do need a winger. Like, they actually do. And it’s clear that they know they do. But realistically, it’s hard to see it happening.

Arsenal have a ton of talent in their current squad. From front to back, they are stocked, and it’s exciting to see that there really aren’t any major holes in the first team. Each position is two men deep and you can’t argue that. Literally. I dare you to try.

But it’s equally hard to ignore the semi-pertinent need out wide. As it stands, the Gunners have zero true wingers, and that is a tough situation to be in.

It’s even tougher, because they clearly don’t want to half-arse it and sign a winger just for the sake of having a winger. That isn’t exactly a solution so much as it is a panic-solution that isn’t sure to even work.

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The only way to ensure that you get a quality solution at winger is to spend the money to get a quality winger.

And for what it’s worth, their head is clearly in the right place. I mean, look at the names that have been linked: Ousmane Dembele, Kinglsey Coman, Leon Bailey. Hell, even Ante Rebic is worth getting excited about.

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But you may also notice that these players cost as much as their quality. It would be tough to secure any of them below the £50m price range. Which, needless to say, seems a bit out of what this club is capable of doing.

It doesn’t help that Unai Emery has already admitted that the transfer business is done unless they find a great deal. For a winger like that, you’re not going to find a great deal. Any quality winger is going to cost a quality winger’s price tag.

As such, I’m not sure how much we should count on seeing a winger arrive at the Emirates this summer. That doesn’t mean that it will go unanswered forever. In fact, I would be surprised if we came to next summer without having acquired some sort of solution to the winger problem. Whether that be internally or in the winter window, I don’t know. Maybe we do have to wait until next summer, but the need has been identified, they are clearly taking it seriously, so it will happen.

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It’s nice to be able to have full faith in that, but this transfer crew has made it clear that they do indeed take this stuff seriously.