Arsenal: Prepping for anything is what Mikel Arteta is here to do

Mikel Arteta says that he is plotting for two or three different Arsenal transfer scenarios, which is exactly what we need him to do.

So much of what Arsenal plans to do this summer transfer window depends on factors that can’t be determined yet. That’s a tough situation to be in, and it’s a situation that has given rise to diverse transfer links to nearly every position of need, as well as some positions we don’t need.

Mikel Arteta recently spoke about the upcoming transfer window, admitting that there were so many things that we just don’t know, and thus saying that he is preparing for two to three different transfer scenarios. His words:

"“We have to react daily. We don’t know what the financial situation is going to be, we don’t know the rules, the timing, the window”"

Spot on. Just off the top of my head, I can rattle off a handful of things we can’t count on to either be with or without when the transfer window finally hits.

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For instance: Will we be in the Champions League? Will we be in the Europa League? What financial boost will we get from each? What happens if we miss European competition entirely? How much can we get for Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang? Should we even sell Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang? What does that mean to Alexandre Lacazette? How much can we get from him? Will we get Thomas Partey os is he waiting on Champions League confirmation too? Can we finally sell Mesut Ozil? And how about Dani Ceballos?

None of those questions can be answered because they almost all depend on how the season goes and where we end up in the table. And, along those lines, who we will be losing because of where we finish.

That’s why you’re seeing links to high-profile guys like Kai Havertz, as well as some under-the-radar guys like Marc Roca. Planning for all possible situations is the only way to be truly prepared and not have to make any snap decisions.

This is why Arteta is here. His exhaustive work to be prepared will ideally prevent any signings that could be seen as desperation moves, a-la Danny Welbeck from Arsene Wenger times.

This is what makes things tough for Arsenal right now. We can’t move forward with any kind of transfer talks ahead of time because nothing is certain yet. And until it is, all we can do is sift through endless rumors.