Arsenal: 4 Barcelona players to target amid financial mess

Barcelona do a magnificent job of making Arsenal look like a well run club. They are an absolute shambles and during a summer transfer window unlike any most sides will have ever known, that means they’re there for the taking.

With Arsenal on the hunt for players in up to four more positions this summer – as well as sales – working on the basis that the three heavily speculated ones go ahead as is expected, ensuring the best quality of talent is secured at the cheapest price is the obvious goal.

Appearing to have more money than originally anticipated, if a player crops up on a cut-price deal then Arsenal, like everyone else, are not going to turn their noses up.

They may raise the bar for what a mess is, but Barcelona still have a lot of talent at their disposal.

More from Pain in the Arsenal

• 3 standout players from 1-0 victory over Everton
• 3 positives & negatives from Goodison Park victory
• Arsenal vs PSV preview: Prediction, team news & lineups
• 3 talking points from Arsenal’s victory at Goodison Park
• Mikel Arteta provides Gabriel Martinelli injury update after Everton win

Arsenal: 4 Barcelona players to target amid financial mess as La Liga side need to trim €200m (£171m) from wage bill in summer transfer window

As outlined by Goal and summarised by Zach Lowy, it’s a sensational affair in Catalonia. Having already brought in Memphis Depay, Sergio Agüero, Eric García and Emerson Royal this summer, Barça can’t register any of them having exceeded La Liga’s salary cap and need to shed a whopping €200m (£171m).

Already selling Konrad de la Fuente, Jean-Clair Todibo, and Junior Firpo, the club still need to offload players. They’re attempting to flog off Samuel Umtiti and Miralem Pjanic with neither player, unsurprisingly, open to the idea of rescinding their contracts.

Should they somehow manage to loan out Umtiti, Pjanic and Philippe Coutinho – yeah he still exists – they would save €64m in gross salary payments and still Barça would only be able to reinvest 25% of this in new signings and player registrations, as per La Liga rules.

Desperate to get rid of bloated wages, as well as declining players, tough decisions will need to be made on club legends as well as their string of exciting young stars. Arsenal should be taking note and there are four players, realistically(ish), that the club could take a look at.

Stats courtesy of Fbref.*

1. Sergino Dest – Right-Back

With Hector Bellerin due to leave this summer, right-back becomes an area for Arsenal to strengthen. In truth though, if there is anywhere across the team that the club could take a backseat and tend to at a later date when there are less areas elsewhere with higher priority then it would be right-back.

That primarily comes down to feasibility and with a Barcelona firesale on the cards, as well as Arsenal’s healthy relationship with La Blaugrana, it could be the place to target.

The first thought on Sergino Dest is that he still has a full four years left on his contract due to him only spending one season with the club following last summer’s move from Ajax. That would normally be a concern. For clubs eyeing Barcelona players at the moment, not so much.

The American international offers huge attacking output backed up by outstanding ball retention, as witnessed across his time in the Netherlands and his debut campaign in Spain. Sitting in the 96th percentile for progressive carries and 98th for carries into the penalty area, his diagonal dagger-like forays towards the box are particular highlight.

Not a strong tackler – these numbers naturally being low due to the high volume of possession Barça have in matches – his excellent pace, direct approach and high level of technical ability make him dangerous in transition as well as in possession-based outfits.

On the lookout for attacking full-backs to replace Bellerin’s tendencies, knowing big sacrifices will need to be made at Camp Nou and having already brought in Emerson, 20-year-old Dest offers an exciting option that fulfills a need within the Arsenal the squad.

2. Ilaix Moriba – Central Midfielder

From Barcelona’s point of view, they want to be offloading their top earners. Ilaix Moriba only made his La Liga debut last season and is one the club’s lowest earners (he’s only 18), but heavens does this man have outstanding potential.

Locked in a contract dispute with the Spanish side at present, with just one year left to run on his deal the interest around his signature is understandably high.

Moriba is the epitome of a box-to-box midfielder. The prime example of the role.

Unlike most in his position, Moriba boasts exceptional pace and strength in his powerful strides. Once he gets going with or without the ball it’s a frightening prospect to consider with his carrying ability as elegant as you’d expect from a La Masia graduate – and some more.

While the sample size is only 14 matches and 542 minutes worth, he has a npxG+xA of 0.32 (95th percentile) and 96+ percentile passing accuracy across all ranges. Similarly he’s 99th percentile for pressing in the middle and final third with almost every other statistic one could ask for in a box-to-box midfielder equally outstanding.

All of those numbers need tempering with the fact he comes on late in matches with his side in the lead, so of course the numbers, particularly pressures, will be miscued. But what is certain is that he’s got that Paul Pogba brawn and brains style to him with an ingenious football brain for someone so young.

Take advantage of the contract situation and see what Barcelona will take.

3. Riqui Puig – Central Midfielder

It should be crime in Spanish law to hand someone of Riqui Puig’s talent a measly 292 minutes of La Liga football in a single season. But here we are.

If Arteta wanted to make the switch to a 4-3-3 then Puig, like the guy before him in this list and the guy to come, could help facilitate that move.

Normally at this point we’d dish out a few of his admirable numbers to provide an indication of where his strengths lie. While that was done with Moriba, the 21-year-old has played even fewer minutes than that so there is little reason in doing so. However, if one has an adoration for the colour green then go check them out. He’s 98+ in practically everything.

While the absolute value of his statistics are misleading they do offer an indication of his intentions. Always positive on the ball and never with an eye on making any movement negatively, his dexterity sees him glide beyond opponents in possession. Technically outstanding, his dribbling is eye-catching.

Not able to get a game in a midfield that features Frenkie de Jong, how there isn’t room for him anywhere is still a mystery. Everyone in Europe recognises Puig’s talent, except for Koeman.

He has two years left on his deal and isn’t a high earner, but purely down to being unfavoured and at a stage where Barcelona just want to offload, he is someone to inquire about. Would bring a Renato Sanches-esque element alongside Thomas Partey.

4. Pedri – Attacking Midfield

We can list Pedri either as an attacking midfielder, a winger or as a left-sided No. 8. It really doesn’t matter. Wherever he plays the viewer is transported ten years into the future; it is not normal for someone his age to be this mature on a football pitch.

Pedri is a special, special talent.

All those tuning in to the European Championships will have got a taster for what he produces on a weekly basis for Ronald Koeman.

With ten goal contributions for Barcelona last season, the Spaniard’s stock continues to rise. He is another one who isn’t anywhere near the top earners list at Nou Camp but has one year left on his deal (with the option of further) and as the club scramble together ways to both raise funding to register players and the funds needed to afford another astronomical Lionel Messi contract, stranger things have happened.

It would be expensive and otherworldly (so impossible) were Arsenal to pull this off but if you don’t buy a ticket you will not win the raffle.

Should Arsenal win said raffle then they’ll get their hands on someone set to be one of the best Spanish footballers for more than a decade.

Pedri blends silkiness, intelligence, instinct and confidence into a mesmeric package. He can pick a pass, carry the ball with elegance, shoot with either foot and run. He sure runs. He’s 99th percentile for pressures in the final third, 97th percentile for progressive passes received and 99th percentile for passes blocked. His ball retention is on another planet.

Just do it. Test the waters. Throw this financially crippled dog a bone and see how hungry he is. Why not. Going to win all the Ballon d’Or’s. People can dream and Barcelona are very silly.