Arsenal further solidify their squad as the season nears

Arsenal are reforming their outfit in the vision of Mikel Arteta and it shows

The young players that Arsenal are signing are poised to make a significant impact on this team not only next season, but for the campaigns that lie ahead, also. Marquinhos is only 19, Fabio Vieira is 22, Gabriel Jesus and Oleksander Zinchenko are 25 and Matt Turner is ancient at 27. Alongside the other relatively youthful options at the club, the Gunners are continuing to remake this roster in the vision of the boss and this club’s history; Mikel Arteta knows what he wants, and the hierarchy are building it.

Yet, somehow, this is not the end, but still simply the start. Arsenal have more business to do; from selling players that will no longer be required on the roster, to purchasing significant players to compensate for those sales. Lucas Paqueta is a cut-rate option at this point, despite his big ability and personality; left-back and left-centre-back options remain targets of appraisal too, as does the intriguing transfer for Leroy Sane of Bayern and formerly of Manchester City.

No matter how the rest of this summer transfer window plays out, there is no doubt that the team is building in a positive direction. Still, with a few more key signings at different positions, some sales of players, and maybe even the retention of a few surprise names, the Gunners could be in contention for a top three or four finish plus a trophy or two in domestic and European competitions.

Arsenal need to keep the transfer pace and quality as high as it is

Moves have been made by Edu Gaspar and Mikel Arteta, and players are seemingly responding to their charm.

Missing out on Lisandro Martinez would’ve been more difficult without a backup option like Oleksandr Zinchenko. While Arsenal are still looking for another option out wide – especially on the right side of the pitch – the loss of Raphinha would be further dulled by a signing like Sane from Munchen.

One would imagine that Sane, Paqueta and some further, growable depth behind Gabriel Magalhaes are the primary focuses for the remainder of the window. Yet, at the same time, while many players are expected to exit this summer as these newer names are coming into the club, don’t expect all of the players who’ve been rumoured to leave to actually go either.

Now, some are no-brainers like Bernd Leno, Nicolas Pepe and Lucas Torreira, but others might be made a case for. The two that come to mind for me are Hector Bellerin and Ainsley Maitland-Niles. Both won trophies last season out on loan at Real Betis and Roma respectively, and both have returned with the media reporting that they have little chance to remain in north London.

Out of these two players, each has reasons why they might be retained and why they might be moved on. Maitland-Niles can play multiple positions like Zinchenko – albeit on the other side of the pitch – and that, should he be able to perform as the boss wants, could be enough to keep him at Arsenal with four competitions to be played and cycled through next season. He is still young enough to where he could be considered a useful piece like Emile Smith Rowe, Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard, and Gabriel Martinelli, yet he appears obstinate to changing too much and might lose his spot at Arsenal as a result.

Hector Bellerin, meanwhile, has been with Arsenal for years and years but he’s only just entered his prime. The Spaniard is an Arsenal icon to a certain degree, and certainly a fashion icon in London too. He even played with the boss during his days at Arsenal and won silverware with him. But for Bellerin, it could be a matter of style – not in terms of fashion, but in terms of play.

Bellerin is a smooth ball handler and a good and proper right-back. But clearly, Arteta doesn’t think he can provide the pace or service of either Takehiro Tomiyasu or even Cedric. Should he simply not wish to be a part of the project anymore, that is understandable. Yet with all things equal, I think that Hector could retain his spot on the team and perhaps provide further scope for rotation amid the bevy of matches to be played next year.

In any event, Arsenal will look and play differently than was witnessed last season. They will be even more positive, confident and attack-minded with the additions of key pieces all across the pitch. With some further sales and additions, moreover, the tenacity and organisation of this side could lead to Gooners having lots of fun during the months ahead.