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Arsenal: 3 Championship players Arteta should sign this summer

By Krish Ajmani

BLACKBURN, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 07: Adam Armstrong of Blackburn Rovers celebrates scoring his side's second goal during the Sky Bet Championship match between Blackburn Rovers and Queens Park Rangers at Ewood Park on November 7, 2020 in Blackburn, England. Sporting stadiums around the UK remain under strict restrictions due to the Coronavirus Pandemic as Government social distancing laws prohibit fans inside venues resulting in games being played behind closed doors. (Photo by Rachel Holborn - BRFC/Getty Images)
BLACKBURN, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 07: Adam Armstrong of Blackburn Rovers celebrates scoring his side's second goal during the Sky Bet Championship match between Blackburn Rovers and Queens Park Rangers at Ewood Park on November 7, 2020 in Blackburn, England. Sporting stadiums around the UK remain under strict restrictions due to the Coronavirus Pandemic as Government social distancing laws prohibit fans inside venues resulting in games being played behind closed doors. (Photo by Rachel Holborn - BRFC/Getty Images) /
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Arsenal, Mikel Arteta
3 Championship players Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta should sign this summer transfer window. (Photo by PETER POWELL/POOL/AFP via Getty Images) /

The Arsenal rebuild has gotten off to a rocky start. Recently, however, Mikel Arteta and Edu have begun to move the squad in the right direction.

The January thinning of the bloated Arsenal team has made way for new talent to be added in the summer. Funds will still be tight and those at the top can not afford to throw money at the many, many problems the north London team have.

Looking down the leagues and finding young, inexpensive talents that can contribute for years to come may be their best course of action.

Arsenal don’t tend to shop from the lower leagues, with the most notable arrival from below the Premier League being the capture of Rob Holding in 2016. Casting our minds further back, there was Aaron Ramsey from Cardiff and Theo Walcott from Southampton, both who went on to enjoy successful careers with the Gunners.

3 Championship players Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta should sign this summer transfer window

Here are three Championship players that would propel Arsenal to new heights.

Arsenal, Jason Knight
STOKE ON TRENT, ENGLAND – MARCH 20: Jason Knight of Derby County looks on during the Sky Bet Championship match between Stoke City and Derby County. (Photo by Malcolm Couzens/Getty Images) /

Jason Knight – Derby County

Midfield is an position that Arteta will be looking to restructure. Thomas Partey’s injury problems, Granit Xhaka’s moments of madness and lack of mobility and overall lack of quality beyond those two mean that players absolutely need to be brought in.

The futures of Mohamed Elneny and Dani Ceballos are uncertain, while even Joe Willock out on loan at Newcastle isn’t assured of another season with Arsenal. Thus, Jason Knight should be one of those players eyed up to bolster the numbers.

The Republic of Ireland midfielder is only 20 years of age but has already secured himself in Wayne Rooney’s starting lineup at Derby.

Above all, Knight truly is an all-around midfielder: he tackles well, has great defensive and offensive positional awareness, often finding the correct spaces to nick the ball off the opposition either from tackling or intercepting. Furthermore, everything is measured; he pounces on mistakes, doesn’t force them, thus avoiding unnecessary fouls.

As far as attacking output, he provides impetus as well. His dribbling offers an excellent route to push forward and break defensive lines, while his energy shows on the pitch as he exchanges quick passes with his teammates before darting beyond the forwards to arrive in the box.

An ever-present across a variety of positions for Derby – really, he’s played in seven different roles – this young midfielder will only get better.

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