Arsenal: 3 immediately viable transfer solutions from Ligue 1

Arsenal continues to shop in Ligue 1 for solutions, but in the realm of immediate transfer solutions, these three guys count.

Maybe it’s the lingering after-effect of Arsene Wenger, but it feels like Arsenal always turns to Ligue 1 first in order to address their immediate problems, and rarely does it pan out right away, if at all. Most recently, we’re still struggling with figuring out how viable Nicolas Pepe and Alexandre Lacazette are at their respective roles.

Personally, I have more faith in Pepe to be a goal-producing solution than I do Lacazette, but that is bound to change as everything progresses. They tend to flip and flop quite a bit.

Going back to Ligue 1 for immediate solutions is, therefore, a continued head-scratcher, and it feels like Mikel Arteta is looking there more than ever before, with links to so many French players young and old. Not that they are bad ideas, but they are long-term investments and we need some immediate, fix-now solutions.

If Arsenal has to look to Ligue 1 for answers, these are three great choices

A such, I thought it would be worthwhile to highlight the three guys that would be immediate solutions, if possible (two are debatable) and if used properly (one in particular).

We start with a bit of a stretch at No. 3.

3. Marco Verratti

If Thomas Partey doesn’t work out, and Arsenal have to look elsewhere for a midfield solution, they could definitely find an immediate answer in Marco Verratti, who remains one of the best holding midfielders in the world.

He won’t come cheap but seeing as how Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang could conceivably be used as a makeweight, the realism of such a move certainly goes up.

Verratti has been linked with the Gunners so much over the years, no matter where he’s been at his career, and I’m honestly surprised that this rumor hasn’t kicked up again lately. He has that perfect blend of defensive ability and creative push, as he’s got more assists from the PSG midfield than any two Arsenal midfielders combined.

Even if it takes a hefty investment, it’s an immediate problem solved, and that’s not easy to find in Ligue 1 these days.

But here’s another, with a caveat, at No. 2.