Arsenal suffer double Bertrand and Josh Doig transfer blows

Arsenal will need to revise their options for the summer as two of the left-back deals they’ve been pursuing this transfer window have suffered potentially fatal blows. It appears neither Ryan Bertrand nor Josh Doig will be heading to north London.

Securing cover for Kieran Tierney is one of many reinforcements needed by Mikel Arteta, and given the total absence of options at the club already, also one of the most vital.

By now it’s well understood that failing to sign a left-back in the January window was a mistake by the club, even if they are cut some slack as convincing someone to join as an understudy at a struggling side is hard enough let alone in the infamously tough winter market.

It nonetheless proved damaging and this extensive summer of work has a new full-back at the centre of it.

Arsenal suffer double transfer blow as pursuits of Ryan Bertrand and Josh Doig set to end in failure

Which path Arsenal head down is interesting. Links to a number of players have surfaced with none more concrete than Ryan Bertrand. The 31-year-old is a free agent, would suit the homegrown quota and isn’t overly bothered about being a backup, but Arsenal look set to miss out on him.

Leicester have pulled away in the chase with European football set to be the clincher, with widespread reports backed up by football.london‘s Arsenal correspondent Christ Wheatley. Given it is absolutely the wrong signing the club should be making, this shouldn’t be perceived as a massive blow. End the long contracts to players over 30. Stop kicking the can down the road instead of picking it up and putting it in the bin.

Thus, another mooted move, this time for Josh Doig, had the chance to take centre stage, but that too has suffered a blow with Wheatley revealing that transfer looks dead in the water.

There are other options available in the market but from a purely recruitment point of view, it doesn’t bode well for Arsenal’s pulling power if they’ve failed to land two of their targets, a pair who’ve been on the club’s radar well before the season concluded.

Leicester have stolen a march and Doig is either staying at Hibernian or moving to Watford, leaving the Gunners back at square one in their efforts to secure cover for Tierney. Not the best start to the window, even if the vast outgoings are starting to take shape with Willian, Granit Xhaka and Matteo Guendouzi among those nearing early exits.

Here are five other left-backs the club could aim for.