5 transfers Arsenal are failing to complete this summer

Who is panicking? Is anyone? Should we be? Is calm what is needed? Are Edu and co doing their jobs properly? Is the situation at Arsenal fixable? Where do we go from here? Why haven’t we permanently sold anyone? What do we make of all this?

A few of the questions that supporters may be feeling anxious about. It’s a given. After all, Brentford is around the corner and with no Martin Odegaard and no fit Thomas Partey, while only Ben White has joined to play in the starting lineup, the squad is only marginally improved.

Signings will come. Not so much out of confidence of a deal being struck in the coming days, but merely out of necessity. A backup goalkeeper and attacking midfielder, at the very least, have to be signed before deadline day. No ifs, buts or maybes.

In order to facilitate those moves, however, a few sales wouldn’t go amiss.

5 transfers Arsenal are failing to complete this summer as Mikel Arteta seeks to overhaul his bloated squad with quality and financial injection

This is where a serious problem lies and recent developments surrounding Joe Willock offer some vital encouragement on that front. A few reports have been circling around claiming that a fee in the region of £22m will be sent Arsenal’s way by Newcastle, who are throwing all their eggs (money) in that one basket (player).

Whether the squad needs a Willock or not – it does – that kind of money, especially given how the market is, can’t be overlooked.

Much more is still demanded.

There are a glorious amount of used plants in the Arsenal forest that need re-homing. Some landscape gardening is underway but it’s tough to find buyers for budget trees that are used to living in premium grade soil.

Some of these players in particular are proving even tougher to shift. As Arsenal pursue a goalkeeper that may end up costing them £30m and a playmaker comfortably housed at a club who hold all the power, they won’t manage much until they shift these troublesome few.

1. Alexandre Lacazette

Age: 30
Contract expiry: 2022
Rumoured wages: £180k-per-week

Arsenal currently boast three centre-forwards. In a season where there is no European football to contend with and all eyes are on the 38-game Premier League season, that is plenty.

So why have numerous links emerged surrounding the potential capture of a new No. 9? Because while Arsenal may have three, they don’t want those three.

Between Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Alexandre Lacazette and Folarin Balogun, the one to be cut is clear. The captain will stay for another season at least and Balogun has recently agreed a long-term contract with the plan being to nurture him into a first team star. Or try to, anyway.

With one year left on his deal it’s Lacazette to go. Why hasn’t he? Probably something to do with length of contract, age and wages. If we’re hazarding a total stab in the dark.

Any move for Lacazette will be his last ‘big’ one, and finding a club who can negotiate around his £180k-per-week salary, offer him the length of contract he’d want at his age and pay a fee to Arsenal for a talented striker is nigh-on impossible.

Throw in the chance to discuss a pre-contract agreement with another club in January and suddenly it’s not much of a surprise Arsenal can’t move him on.