There’s no doubting that, in its current state, with no players injured, Arsenal’s squad is one of the best in the Premier League. The signing of Petr Cech this week further emphasised the fact that Arsenal’s tight financial situation is no more, with top quality players being brought in during the previous three summer windows. However, for most, this is not enough.
If you asked an Arsenal fan (a sensible one, of course) whether or not the team has enough to win the league title or compete for the Champions League, the majority would tell you it’s not possible right now. The club have been linked with a number of high-profile names that could easily improve the side in the necessary positions, and, while some have already made moves elsewhere, there are many players that are still affordable for the Gunners to improve the squad in whatever way possible.
The options in midfield have become more limited this week, with targets such as Morgan Schneiderlin and Arturo Vidal either moving elsewhere or deciding to stay at their clubs. This article will narrow down the plethora of options down to just five, all of which would be affordable under the rumoured transfer budget of £60million.
1. Javi Martinez (Bayern Munich)
A name that was surprisingly linked last summer, Javi Martinez could be the key to solving Arsenal’s defensive issues. A natural defensive-minded midfielder, the Spaniard can also fill in at centre-back when needed, and, while he doesn’t possess the pace of a player like Laurent Koscielny at the back, this does little to deter him from cancelling out opponent attacks and slowing down the tempo of the play when necessary.
One downside to potentially signing him is not the fee, which could be up to £40million, but his slow return from a long-term injury. A knee injury forced him to miss almost the entire 2014/15 season, with the 26-year old only playing in three games all season. As he has done with every performance throughout his career, his defensive abilities helped Bayern in previous seasons to win domestic league and cup titles, while also helping Athletic to two Copa del Rey finals in three season, along with a Europa League final in 2012.
With Arsenal’s defensive-minded options drying up, with Mikel Arteta and Mathieu Flamini both only expected to be bit-part players next season, and the resurgence in form of Francis Coquelin seeing him keep a first-team spot in the second half of last season, a new defensive midfielder may be on the cards. For me, Javi Martinez is the perfect fit. Will Wenger and co. see it the same way?
2. Karim Benzema (Real Madrid)
This one is more for those who love to dream big. Arsene Wenger has been a long-term admirer of Benzema, leading back to his days at Lyon. The French striker moved to Real Madrid in 2009 and has enjoyed much success, but with Real’s eyes turned elsewhere for their front line, Benzema may decide his time is up at the Bernebau.
Something that Arsenal have lacked since the days of Thierry Henry have passed is a natural-born goalscorer, and one that is a fully-fledged striker. Benzema fits both criteria, scoring 133 times in 281 games in Spain, as well as 81 in 168 for Lyon’s first-team and reserves. Olivier Giroud knows how to score a goal for certain, with at least 15 being scored each season by the forward, but many have a case, including Thierry Henry himself, that Giroud is not good enough to carry Arsenal to Premier League glory. Not on his own, anyway.
Could a player like Benzema change Arsenal’s luck in front of goal? There are many attributes that Benzema has which Giroud doesn’t and which the club are lacking, which could influence Wenger’s transfer decisions in the coming months. Benzema would bring more pace to the side than the current forward options, and is also to create chances alongside finishing them. Another bonus is the link-up play between Benzema and Ozil that brought Real Madrid fans so much joy in the past could be replicated at Arsenal. One can dream.
3. Jose Gaya (Valencia)
Many people would see the age of this young left-back and instantly dismiss him as a potential signing for the first-team, but those who know him are aware just how talented this player really is. Valencia have a knack for producing excellent left-backs (Jordi Alba and Juan Bernat both moving to Europe’s biggest clubs), and Jose Gaya could be the next in a line of defenders leaving Los Che in the future.
The left-back position is one that goes unnoticed by many people, or some see it as an unimportant position in the team. However, Nacho Monreal and Hector Bellerin’s performances this season and Bacary Sagna last season have helped Arsenal fans see just how vital the full-back position really is, especially in a side so attacking-minded as the Gunners are.
Gaya is another pacey player to add to Arsenal’s ranks, and provides defensive stability along with being a threat on the attack. His lack of maturity in games shows at times, with the 20-year old averaging almost two fouls every game, picking up 10 yellow cards. Despite this, he was still able to turn attacks into goals with Valencia last season, setting up six goals in La Liga, getting one goal himself (stats via WhoScored).
There are many factors that would make this transfer a lot harder to secure during this window. Aside from the fact that Real Madrid were after the player throughout the season, he also signed a new five-year deal with a hefty release clause of close to £40million. For Arsenal’s sake, they may be better off making their second-most expensive signing a player who has more than a season of experience at the top level, rather than splashing the cash on a 20-year old who didn’t break into the Valencia side until last season.
4. Edinson Cavani (PSG)
Another player that has also been linked with Arsenal plenty of times in the past is PSG forward Edinson Cavani. The 28-year old has split the opinions of Arsenal fans ever since his first link to the club back from his time in Naples, and the rumours have not stopped since. The Uruguyan has been having a rough time of it lately, both on and off the pitch. There was a certain incident in the Copa America which caught everybody’s attention, but the main issue with fans is where he would fit into the side.
Cavani moved to PSG in 2013 and has been winning league titles for fun with PSG. His link-up with Zlatan Ibrahimovic since the pair joined has helped them to two Ligue 1 titles, two League Cup titles and several other tournaments. He has continued his fine goalscoring form at the club, which is a very respectable 56 goals in 96 appearances, but his overall play is something which has been criticised by football fans across the globe, despite predominantly playing in a less familiar winger role.
This raises the question of where he would fit into Arsenal’s side. Anyone who watched him at Napoli is fully aware of how lethal he can be in a central role, and he would be likely to push Olivier Giroud to the end for a place in the first-team. This eventually will put the position of Danny Welbeck and Theo Walcott into doubt. With Welbeck only signing last season and Walcott expected to put pen to paper on a new contract, neither is going to want to give up a place in the Arsenal first-team. Not forgetting Alexis Sanchez, who can play anywhere across the front three, the transfer becomes a little more complicated than just a signature. A fee would not be too difficult to agree, provided the clubs valuations aren’t too far apart from one another, but Cavani’s wages of around £11million a year, or over £200,000-a-week may be the other stumbling block.
5. William Carvalho (Sporting Lisbon)
Finally, another defensive midfielder. Carvalho has been busy this summer so far, helping his nation to the under-21 European Championships final, where Portugal lost on penalties to Sweden. Carvalho picked up the player of the tournament award despite a penalty miss in the final, but that already tells you what you need to know about him. He can already do it on an international level.
Carvalho was expected to make a move to the Emirates last summer and again in January, but reports that had claimed a signing was on the cards were incorrect, and the player stayed in Portugal with Sporting. At just 23 years old, Carvalho has already been making a name for himself in a short-lived career, with many European clubs chasing his signature. Standing at 6ft1, he is not the tallest player around, but still has it in him to make himself a presence in the Sporting midfield.
As I mentioned earlier in the article, a defensive midfielder is clearly key to Arsenal’s troubles since Vieira and Gilberto Silva both left the club. A huge void was left by the two departing and was not filled by anybody since. Alex Song did a half-decent job of disgusing some of the flaws in the Arsenal side during the 2011/12 season, but in reality, these are the problems that haven’t disappeared or been corrected for 10 years. Is Carvalho the player to turn it around? Only time will tell.
