Arsenal have spent nearly £1bn on new players since Mikel Arteta took the reins in December 2019, and they’ve shown no sign of slowing down ahead of the summer transfer window.
Arsenal have a lot of work to do in the summer transfer window. Despite having forked out £250m on new players last summer, taking the total spend under Mikel Arteta to about £930m, the Gunners are expected to splash the cash again as they look to defend the Premier League title and finally lift the Champions League.
Last season, Arsenal were just minutes away from defeating Paris Saint-Germain and winning Europe’s elite competition for the first time in their history. The Gunners stumbled at the final hurdle, losing on penalties.
Immediately after the game, Mikel Arteta turned his attention to the upcoming campaign, outlining his ambition to lead Arsenal to ‘another level’. Speaking to reporters, the Gunners boss said: “First of all, I will take a few days with my family, and then we will start the process to review what we have done.
“We will have to start making some very important decisions if we want to reach another level. We are going to have to show that ambition because we are more than capable of doing it, but it is going to demand us to be very ambitious, very fast and very smart.”
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Demanding ambitious, swift, and shrewd spending this summer, Arteta knows the likes of Manchester City and Liverpool will be desperate to dethrone Arsenal. The Gunners ruffled a few feathers when they won the Premier League, so Andrea Berta can’t afford to take his foot off the pedal.
The transfer window opens on June 15, giving the sporting director plenty of time to sharpen his tools. So, with that being said, football.london has looked at what the Berta needs to do this summer to ensure Arsenal mount a valiant defence of the English top-flight title.
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Nine Arsenal stars fund dream rebuild
Berta should begin by offloading Kepa Arrizabalaga, who fell short of expectations last season and ultimately cost Arsenal a second piece of silverware. If the Gunners want to compete on all fronts next term, the 31-year-old should not be the second-string goalkeeper.
Arteta has built the strongest defence in Europe, and he should do whatever it takes to keep his defenders at the Emirates Stadium. There is, however, room for improvement in the midfield, starting with Christian Norgaard.
The 32-year-old midfielder was rarely given a chance last season and ultimately provided little to no value on the pitch. Norgaard may be great to have at the Sobha Realty Training Centre, but he’s not a cheerleader; Arteta needs somebody whom he trusts to shoulder some of the workload in the middle of the park.
The Arsenal frontline needs open-heart surgery. Although Noni Madueke, Gabriel Martinelli, Leandro Trossard, Gabriel Jesus, and Viktor Gyokeres each played a role in helping Arteta win the Premier League, the lack of quality up front cost the Gunners when it mattered most: the Champions League final.
This summer, Martinelli, Trossard, and Jesus are each set to enter the final 12 months of their respective contracts with Arsenal, while Madueke and Gyokeres largely just disappointed. It’s also about time that Fabio Vieira and Reiss Nelson, who spent the season on loan, are offloaded.
To be sold: Kepa Arrizabalaga, Christian Norgaard, Noni Madueke, Gabriel Martinelli, Leandro Trossard, Gabriel Jesus, and Viktor Gyokeres, as well as Fabio Vieira and Reiss Nelson, who spent the season on loan.
Estimated revenue, according to Transfermarkt: €231m/£199.6m
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Before Berta gives the Arsenal frontline a makeover, he should finally bring Bruno Guimarães to the Emirates Stadium. The Newcastle United midfielder, who’s without European football next season, has been heavily linked with a move to the Gunners for a while now, and for good reason, too.
Not only would Bruno significantly bolster Arteta’s midfield, but he would also bring great experience and leadership. If Arsenal were to rebuild their armoury, Bradley Barcola, Morgan Rogers, Julian Alvarez, and Eli Junior Kroupi would all be great additions.
Alongside Bukayo Saka and Kai Havertz, as well as possibly Ethan Nwaneri and Max Dowman, depending on whether Arteta thinks they have a future on the wing or in midfield, the Gunners would be covered across all bases. It would cost a fortune, but it’d certainly be well worth it.
And finally, Yan Sommer. The 37-year-old goalkeeper, who played a key role for Inter Milan in their title-winning campaign last term, looks set to be available on a free transfer this summer.
Not only would Sommer bring experience at the highest level and top quality, but he would also be a great backup to David Raya…
In: Bruno Guimarães, Bradley Barcola, Morgan Rogers, Julian Alvarez, Eli Junior Kroupi, as well as Yan Sommer on a free transfer.
Estimated expenditure, according to Transfermarkt: €400m/£345.6m
