Arsenal: Ajax transfer parade presents a buffet of opportunity

Arsenal have been linked to about half the Ajax starting XI, and David Nere now counts himself a member of the parade. None of this is a bad idea.

Arsenal have a lot of business to get done this summer, and they’re taking their sweet time getting started. Which just means that there will be a lot to do in less time, but, God-willing, they can still get the job done.

Thankfully, it’s being made a lot easier thanks to the Ajax transfer parade being held across the footballing world. It’s a damn party with how many players the Dutch side could potentially sell this year, and all of them seem to be linked to the Gunners.

I can’t ever recall a transfer window where so many players from the same club were all linked to a move to the Emirates. Even when Sven Mislintat was here, picking at the bones of Borussia Dortmund like a vulture. That feels much tamer than this.

Of course, nothing is completed yet, but David Neres, the young eight goal, eight assist winger has added his name to an ever-expanding list of Ajax transfer targets.

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Neres has opened up on how much he wants to play in the Premier League but, of course, for his talents, there is going to be a premium price – £40m. You want quality, you have to pay for quality. And wherever there is quality, there are going to be other teams sniffing around, this time it’s Everton and Chelsea.

Neres joins a list that also includes Donny van de Beek, Matthijs de Ligt and Hakim Ziyech, all of whom have waxed and waned in their link to the Emirates, with only Ziyech’s link holding strong, and that’s entirely because he is the only person in this parade who is affordable, thanks to a particularly friendly £25m release clause.

Frankly, it’s a unique case where, if Arsenal bought exclusively Ajax, landing van de Beek, de Ligt, Ziyech and Neres, we could shut up shop and call it a successful window. Hell, even buy just two of those guys and it’d still be a great window. Of course, that probably won’t happen, but there’s no reason why we shouldn’t pick away at something on this buffet of talent. There’s plenty to go around.

Ziyech still looks the most realistic, which is great, because he’s probably the one I’d most want to have out of the bunch.