Arsenal eyeing 7 more transfers ahead of deadline

Are Arsenal done for business? Almost everyone will argue against that being the case. Whether it’s supporters of the club or onlookers seeing how the Gunners have fared in the last few years, this is very much a squad that is incomplete.

Thus it will be of reassurance to know that Arsenal feel likewise.

Spending this window will exceed £130m once deals for Martin Odegaard and Aaron Ramdale are completed, adding to the roughly £75m dished out on Albert Sambi Lokonga, Nuno Tavares and Ben White. More is being eyed.

Of course, realism needs to come into play as the scale of the operation at Arsenal is not one that can be easily undertaken in a single window. Squad rebuilds aren’t simple affairs and as much as the club desperately need to kick this overhaul into gear, the state of the market ensures the difficulty levels are cranked up a few notches.

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Arsenal eyeing 7 more transfers ahead of deadline as Edu and Mikel Arteta plan further sales and additions as summer window draws to a close

If the two aforementioned deals go ahead as planned, Arsenal will be looking at two signings that will improve the starting lineup when all are fit: White keeps his place in defence and Odegaard will take up the No. 10 slot meaning Emile Smith Rowe can add creativity off the left. Ramsdale can certainly challenge Bernd Leno this year if the latter continues to struggle.

Elsewhere in the team there are weak spots that will require reinforcements.

The calls to ‘sign players’ are not falling on deaf ears (the club didn’t need to be told) and before the window slams shut on August 31, more activity in the market is being eyed up to hand Mikel Arteta as many of the tools he desires to sculpt a side capable of challenging for a European place.

As per football.london, seven transfers are on the list, which combined with what has already occurred would constitute a considerable amount of work for one window, albeit with so much taking place later in the summer than preferred. It’s so often a case of rather late than never.

6 Arsenal Transfer Departures Being Eyed by Edu and Mikel Arteta

It’s all about selling now. It’s the undoubted next step and any further incomings simply can’t occur unless there is movement out of the club. Six are mentioned:

Alex Runarsson – The Icelandic goalkeeper is currently out of action with illness and has no place in the senior side even when he returns, therefore a transfer is essential or he risks the incredibly likely chance of not being selected for the squad.

With Ramsdale incoming and Arthur Okonkwo joining the first team, it’s curtains for Runarsson. So long as someone wants him, that is.

Hector Bellerin – It remains the case that the Spaniard wants to embark on a fresh challenge and that the club see this is an ideal chance to inject some new life into the right-back slot.

Previously mentioned was a possible swap deal for Bellerin involving either Emerson Royal or Kieran Trippier, and a switch for the latter is listed as a ‘genuine prospect’.

Lucas Torreira – As per every single day of our lives, Torreira is being linked with a move to Italy. Having gone through nigh-on every single club in the country, the latest one is Roma (they’ve already been linked before).

Given he opted to tweet out during the defeat to Brentford, it’s evident how disengaged he is with the club. It’s no real surprise. Besides, he has to go or else how will Odegaard get the No. 11?

Willian – Not selected for the squads in either the pre-season clash with Tottenham or for the opening day defeat to Brentford even though Arsenal were missing three senior forwards, apparently Willian is ‘unfit’.

Shock.

While previously Willian was just considered to be terrible, the fact he’s returned from his holidays overweight and unfit is disgraceful. If you truly cared or wanted to resurrect your career, put some [insert frustration] effort in to rectify that. It’s embarrassing.

If anyone even shows the faintest inkling of taking him, he’ll be gone. It’s stated that he ‘could’ leave. Fingers crossed.

Alexandre Lacazette – Well known and well documented, Arsenal want to move Lacazette on. As per the report, there is some talk of a potential swap deal, although no club is mentioned. Would Arsenal take £10m now? Probably.

Continued…

2 More Transfer Additions on the Agenda for Edu & Mikel Arteta

If all goes well, Arsenal will hope to have signed a goalkeeper, right-back, centre-back, left-back, central midfielder, attacking midfielder and a forward this summer. That’s pretty busy work.

And, before the window began, seven new additions was the general agreement. The aforementioned positions were high priority. Securing all of them in one COVID-19 hit window would be impressive, even if there are many who don’t especially rate the quality of the additions.

But as everyone knows, there will be no success in either the right-back or striker departments until sales are made. Arteta is said to be ‘keen’ on adding two more to his squad but any hopes of success hinge on Arsenal being able to not only shift players, but do so quickly.

For example, with Lacazette, if Arsenal find a buyer who meets their demands with two days left of the window to go, they may be reluctant to accept if no replacement can be sourced and acquired. They shouldn’t be.

It’s not the same at right-back as if Bellerin is sold or loaned out in some capacity there are still the bodies in reserve to ensure the squad is balanced, so that can be completed later if that’s the way negotiations go.

Will there be movement before Chelsea on Sunday? Before West Brom on the following Wednesday? Or before Manchester City on August 28? Perhaps there will be nothing until all three of those matches have been and gone.

At least from where the supporters stand, the club are going to push through for more in these very late stages. Arteta may not have many admirers, but he is no fool. He knows this squad isn’t good enough.