Steven Cook
Now that the dust has settled on one of the more dramatic transfer windows in recent Arsenal history, Gunners fans have had a chance to take stock of the comings and goings and weigh up whether the business done in January has made the team stronger or weaker.
As always when you have a turnover of key players, there is good and bad. In the bad column, there is no way to disguise the fact that the sale of Alexis Sánchez – arguably Arsenal’s most effective player – to a Premier League rival is a blow. Equally, the loss of a loyal servant in Olivier Giroud – a player who has scored countless important goals for the club – also weakens the squad. There will also be Arsenal fans lamenting the departure of Theo Walcott to Everton, though Walcott has been peripheral for several months.
So much for the losses – what about the new signings? The departure of Giroud facilitated the arrival of Dortmund’s prolific striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, while the deal that took Sánchez to Old Trafford also brought Henrikh Mkhitaryan to the Emirates. Aubameyang is a fast, languid goalscorer in the Thierry Henry mould, while Mkhitaryan – who played with Aubameyang at Dortmund – brings an infusion of intelligence and technique to the team. The signing of promising Greek centre-half Konstantinos Mavropanos also looks a good move, though one that is not likely to pay off in the short term.
The net result of these moves is probably to make the Arsenal squad stronger. Certainly with Aubameyang and Mkhitaryan in the side, they should be quicker and cleverer going forward, but there doesn’t appear to be any movement in the betting markets as a result of the January business. Arsenal remain outsiders to finish inside the top four this season, and football betters rate them as sixth favourites in the sports betting markets to win the Premier League in 2018/19. What do the Gunners need to do this summer to change that and put themselves in a position to challenge for the league title next season?
Continue the clear-out
The Gunners have started a welcome clear-out over the last two transfer windows, moving on players such as Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Francis Coquelin, Mathieu Debuchy, Gabriel and Kieran Gibbs, and this process should be completed in the summer.
Per Mertesacker will be retiring, and Santi Cazorla is unlikely to be given a Premier League squad contract. Other players likely to be in the firing line are Lucas Pérez, Carl Jenkinson, David Ospina, Emiliano Martínez, Joel Campbell, Takuma Asano and Chuba Akpom. Clearing out the fringe players will leave Arsenal with the freedom to refresh the squad.
Goalkeeper a priority
Petr Cech has been a phenomenal servant for the Gunners, but he will be 36 when the next season starts and there have been signs of deterioration in his performances. His experience and team spirit will be a vital influence on the bench and on the training ground, and he will still be a useful number two for a few months, but the time has come to find his replacement – a dependable keeper who can fill the role for a number of seasons.
Strengthen in the centre
Not for the first time, Arsenal fans will be clamouring for another centre-half. Mavropanos is a good prospect, but in the short term the squad needs another solid, experienced player to slot in alongside Shkodran Mustafi, given that Laurent Koscielny is clearly past his best.
Bring in midfield cover
Improving Arsenal’s defensive record is not only about bringing in a new centre-half, but the Gunners also need to find a top-class defensive midfielder who can do the job that N'Golo Kante does for Chelsea, breaking up play and protecting the backline. Granit Xhaka hasn’t been able to bring those qualities to the team, so Wenger must consider finding a player who can slot into that role and make the team more solid.
Add width
Now that Walcott and Oxlade-Chamberlain have been moved on, there is a glaring lack of width in the Arsenal squad. While Aubameyang will drift out wide from time to time, and both Mkhitaryan and Özil can also spend time on the flanks, none of the three offer the width and pace that Mohamed Salah or Sadio Mane provide for Liverpool. In identifying a winger, the Gunners don’t need to break the bank on a high-profile first-team star, but a top-quality wide player who can fit into the squad is a must to give Wenger tactical options.
The suggested changes are not dramatic, reflecting the fact that there is a lot of strength already in this Arsenal side. With a new goalkeeper, a strengthened central defence, midfield cover and a winger, the Gunners could be in a position to make a big push for Premier League glory next season and bring the title back to the Emirates.
