Arsenal transfer targets make for optimistic viewing

Stewing over countless transfer rumours and playing devil’s advocate with yourself, only a few short days into the summer window and Arsenal supporters are already embroiled in internal debates.

It’s a tough time of the year as well as it is an exciting one. Whichever way one’s own needle tilts on that scale being dependent on a number of factors. Firstly, do you trust your club to do well? Secondly, are your expectations too high? Thirdly, is your club financially capable of carrying out the necessary tasks?

Arsenal so far have been linked with a whole squad worth of players. From Cameroonian goalkeepers to Championship wingers, it’s been a whirlwind of a ride in a such a short space of time.

Those in charge of the club haven’t exactly sold themselves all too well. The team in place have already made mistakes in the transfer market, following on kindly from their predecessors, while their overall inexperience adds concerning fuel to an already worrying fire.

Arsenal summer transfer targets make for optimistic viewing as Mikel Arteta and Edu look at the right player profiles to begin squad rebuild

While it can be sometimes be hard to decipher the deliberately leaked information from the unwantedly leaked information, and the plausible rumours from the downright false, perhaps being optimistic wouldn’t hurt too much*.

*To caveat that, it most definitely can as you build up expectation for a spectacular disappointment leaving you bitter forever.

So dissecting what we’ve been forcefully or unwillingly fed, the optimistic view of the targets this window is that Arsenal are looking at the right age profiles.

With those departing, it signals the right intentions. Granit Xhaka and David Luiz, with potential group Bernd Leno, Alexandre Lacazette, Willian and Cedric could follow on from already departed Sokratis, Mesut Ozil and Shkodran Mustafi in north London. The age of the squad is being trimmed and the resulting bodies looking to be brought in reflect precisely what Arsenal are undertaking: a rebuild.

Young players with fitting profiles, all of whom would inject quality into the squad but crucially also boast room for potential. Those hovering around the 20 to 24-year-old mark that will lift the ceiling of the group but not nail it shut; space to push it higher.

Furthermore, Arsenal’s inability to make a profit on anyone they sign would change with the players being linked. It’s not negative to start looking at what any new arrivals could fetch in the future, and is instead proactive. As noted by LTArsenal, since 2013 the Gunners have made over 30 first team additions, excluding free agents, without making a profit on any of them. Olivier Giroud was the last player to be signed and sold for a profit. He arrived in 2012.

Again, with our optimistic hats on, it does appear as if some semblance of sustainability is being realised. Targeting those to boost the quality, have scope for further development and will still retain their values later into their contracts is exactly what Arsenal have avoided doing. Furthermore, based on the reliable sources, they’re good players too.

This is, of course, viewing the situation with rose-tinted glasses and is casually glossing over all the negativity and concern to have arisen already. There is still plenty of time for all of the exciting targets to be missed out on and Cesar Azpilicueta to be brought in on a four-year deal. Never rule anything out with Arsenal.

Being positive though – we kind of have to for our sanity – maybe better times are ahead. In the mean time, another 3,451 rounds of speculative gobbledygook awaits. And, y’know, the Euros before the Premier League steam train comes crashing in.