Arsenal sign Ben White – who is the next transfer target?

The signing of English defender Ben White from Brighton was the third piece of transfer business for Arsenal this summer to go with Nuno Tavares and Albert Sambi Lokonga. It is nowhere near enough, so who should Mikel Arteta and co target next?

There have been several names that have been thrown up in recent reports with the likes of Inter’s Lautaro Martinez, James Maddison, Martin Odegaard, Houssem Aouar, and lately Lyon midfielder Bruno Guimaraes.

So, who should the club target? Depending on who you ask, all of them. The Martinez pursuit is certainly one that would make the Gunners much more of a threat in the attacking third but the fee that is being reported would mean that Arsenal would need to get some serious cash together.

Hence why the club is trying to use defender Hector Bellerin or Alexandre Lacazette as softeners in a potential deal. Inter is looking for around £70m for the Argentine.

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After Arsenal sign Ben White, who is the next transfer target for Mikel Arteta as the Premier League season and deadline day looms large?

It certainly feels like when an opportunity like this comes up to grab one of the best strikers in world football, Arsenal simply must try and make a deal. With Lacazette only having one year left on his deal, any potential deal that includes the Frenchmen is beneficial even if the Italian side don’t seem keen.

The thought of having a 23-year-old striker who is a high-quality player is something that makes Gunners fans rather excited about. However, now, is he what Arsenal need? What about right-back? What about in goal?

It has been apparent for a while now that the Gunners need another creative midfielder. Someone to help ease the load on Emile Smith Rowe. Whether that is Maddison, Odegaard or otherwise, someone needs to be brought in before the transfer deadline.

Maddison will be a tough deal to get done, simply because of the fee Leicester are wanting which is reportedly around £60-£70m, but many fans would welcome the return of Odegaard, who would be considerably cheaper and proved he can be the creative maestro for Arsenal.

The Leicester number ten would be a superb piece of business but the fact that Leicester does not have to sell means Arsenal could look elsewhere. Given the budget the club has after spending £50m on Ben White, a cheaper alternative to Maddison looks like the right move as with either Odegaard or Aouar, the Gunners would have a splendid player. Keeping hold of Xhaka allows money to be spent elsewhere.

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That brings us to Bruno Guimaraes, the defensive midfielder from Lyon. Having already made it known he wishes to ply his trade in England, Arsenal could well be lining the 23-year-old midfielder as an alternative to the never-was-going-to-join Manuel Locatelli, who the Gunners had been heavily linked with for months.

Guimaraes has taken his game to new levels last campaign, providing to be a superb well-rounded midfielder who, like Thomas Partey, is equally adept at either end of the pitch. Available for around £30m as Lyon are cash-strapped, it presents Arsenal with another option in the middle of the park even if Xhaka stays as expected.

With Ainsley Maitland-Niles and Joe Willock’s futures seemingly elsewhere and Mohamed Elneny seen only as a backup, the Gunners midfield options are looking rather thin even with Xhaka staying. Whether the Hale End pair and the like will seal moves away, it would be good business should Arsenal get the Brazilian.

With a month to go before the transfer window slams shut, the Gunners have plenty of work to do when it comes to the squad. Getting players off the books is paramount to the club’s chances of bringing in top talent.

Arteta and Arsenal have shown they are not afraid to spend in the last two windows, with several targets rumored to be available, the Gunners must act now or risk falling even further behind in the top four chase. The team to face Brentford in the Premier League is set to be worrying similar to the one that finished last season in eighth.