#34 - Summer transfer squad-building plan
I take a look at some options to re-balance the squad and suggest five signings Arsenal could make with a circa £100m net spend
It’s that time. Transfer rumours are dominating the headlines. I decided to do a bit of a summer 2024 squad report. In an ideal world, I list the sales I would make and the five signings I would deliver. It’s that easy right?
I’m interested in hearing your thoughts so please leave them in the comments. Equally, if you’d like me to take a closer look at any of these in the coming weeks, drop a comment and let me know!
If you’d prefer to listen to this piece, my expanded thoughts are available on Apple on Spotify.
Departures
I’m aware we won’t be able to sell all of these. Some will stay, some will go out on loan, but I think this is a reasonable list of who could go. Because amounts received for players are so divisive in these things, I have put a range.
Aaron Ramsdale: £25m-£30m (the club reportedly want £40m+)
Thomas Partey: £10m-£15m
Emile Smith Rowe: £22m-£30m
Eddie Nketiah: £22m-£30m
Reiss Nelson: £10m-£17m
Kieran Tierney: £10m-£20m
Oleksandr Zinchenko: £20m-£30m
Nuno Tavares: £5m-£8m
Albert Lokonga: £10m-£20m
Charlie Patino: £6m-£10m
Cedric: released
Mohamed Elneny: released
Total expected ins: £140m-£210m
Incomings
In the event that we make all of the above sales, this is the players I think we need to bring in to create a perfect balance.
A back up keeper
Homegrown would be a bonus. There was some talk around Woijech Szczesny returning, but his high wages and current no.1 status at Juventus make it unlikely. Another former Gunner, Mat Ryan, is nearing the end of his contract, but I think Arteta will want a higher-quality option.
I quite the look of Álvaro Valles who has been linked. The Las Palmas keeper may not be homegrown, but he looks a good fit to push Raya without having the expectation of becoming number one.
Justin Bijlow of Feyenoord has also been linked. He’s a player who is very highly rated, but the drawback comes in the form of his terrible injury history.
Expected cost: £0m-£10m
A ‘left’ back
I sense that whilst many expect Jurrien TImber to come in at left back, Arteta would like to sign a left sided defender, be that a left back or a left centre back who can play in that role.
Jorrel Hato of Ajax very much seems to be Arsenal’s top defensive target. He may stay at Ajax a little longer but it seems when he does leave, Arsenal are positioning themselves as the best destination for the player. He’s a centre-back by trade, but left footed and has played at left back before. It feels like he’d be more of a Kiwior replacement should he return to Italy.
I’m a big fan of Murillo from Nottingham Forest, I think he’s shown some great potential at Forest considering he’s just 21, but has the potential to really progress in a better team and under a better coach. He ticks a lot of boxes for an Arteta signing, young, good in duels, carries the ball well, can play multiple roles.
Built like a CB, but very good on the ball and comfortable playing higher up the pitch and contributing to the attack is Bologna defender Riccardo Calafiori. If we want the Hato-style LB option who plays at CB too, this is another possibility. Only earning £14k per week currently. I like this is a value option. Arsenal have a good relationship with Bologna too, but other Serie A clubs seem to be leading the way for the Italian.
It looks like Arsenal are targeting a left-back in the Gvardiol mould, but if Arteta wants a different type of profile, a player capable of playing higher up the pitch, then Wolves defender Ryan Ait-Nouri could be an option.
Similar to Ait-Nouri, Fenerbache defender Ferdi Kadioglu has qualities that make him comfortable playing further forward and also in more central zones. If a buyer can be found for Zinchenko, then one of these options may be more likely.
Expected cost: £20m-£40m
Three midfielders or forwards
Mikel Arteta loves a multi-functional player, and the Gunners need another one at the heart of midfield as well as one or two more options in attack. I think there are a few ways of Arsenal addressing this, so I’m going to suggest we need three players from those listed below.
My favoured option here is Argentina midfielder Exequiel Palacios. There’s been no links to him but he’s a player I’ve really liked for some time and he’s excelled this season. Could Xabi Alonso return the favour for allowing Granit Xhaka to go to the German club last season? Palacios was Xhaka’s partner in the title-winning Leverkusen side.
Bruno Guimaeres. The Newcastle midfielder would be ready to hit the ground running but I think his price is going to be too high. Another Premier League option is Amadou Onana. A bit like Murillo, for me Onana has unfulfilled potential because of the players around him. This guy has all the tools to become an elite midfielder and like Bruno, is comfortable as a 6 or 8. If Arteta is looking for a Jorginho-like controller though, he isn’t the right option.
If Arteta is determined to sign Premier League experience, maybe they should offer Crystal Palace quick profit on Adam Wharton. I think Wharton has the potential to go to the very top and in him and Rice the club could create a fantastic young, English midfield base to build from. He signed for Palace in January for £22m, I expect they’d need triple that to sell him now though.
Another PL-ready option is Douglas Luiz. A player Arsenal tried to sign a couple of years ago, it looked like he would be out of reach after Aston Villa qualified for the Champions League but with reports they need to sell to raise funds, an opportunity could arise for Arsenal to go back for the Brazilian, again a player capable of playing as a 6 or an 8.
Will Mikel look to Spain? If so, Frenkie de Jong becomes an option. Not in the same mould as the first two, but one of those that if he’s available, he’s probably worth moving for. He has that technical level and experience to come in and make a big impact. Unproven in the Premier League but a player I could see doing really well under Mikel’s tutorship. Real Sociedad midfielder Martin Zubimendi has been a long-term target, but it looks like he wants to stay put. Both these players are more deep lying playmakers in the ‘6’ role, which could allow Rice to play more box-to-box.
A cheaper option that hasn’t really been reported is Maxence Caqueret - the Frenchman has continued to develop nicely at Lyon and his ability to be the controller in midfield make him a useful asset. He’s not a ceiling raiser, but he would help the squad and be a cheaper option. The same could apply to his Ligue 1 colleague, Youssouf Fofana. I don’t know much about this player but who do rate him highly, and he’s apparently on the market for £30million.
If the forward Arsenal sign is more of an out and out centre forward, a midfield signing like Eberechi Eze would make a lot of sense. He could feature as the left eight but also as a left winger. In an ideal world I’d like to see someone like Eze and a deeper midfielder arrive, if we can make most of the sales we aspire to.
A bit like Eze, Xavi Simons is an option of a more attacking build, capable of also playing on the wing. He’s a player I’ve really liked for a few years and is now excelling at Leipzig.
Following these two you have Micheal Olise. He’s in-demand and capable of covering for Saka whilst also having the potential I believe to be unlocked as more of a central option.
Level raiser
If Arsenal really want to stretch the ceiling of this squad, I think they need to go all out for a Aleksandr Isak or Rodrygo from Real Madrid. Both would be hard acquisitions but Isak is the type of signing you make that says, we are the best team in this league. The closest to a Declan Rice level signing we could make this summer.
Rodrygo is a bit of a wildcard one, but with Kylain Mbappe arriving at Real Madrid it’s hard to see Rodrygo getting the game time he will want. Could Arsenal tempt him and Madrid into a move?
Elsewhere, Lois Openda is a quality player that I’ve liked since his time in France. His underlying data was really strong there and it earned him a move to RB Leipzig where he has exploded. He won’t come cheap now though and Leipzig are likely to point to his £70million release clause if he’s sold. He’s played centre forward at Leipzig but has played on the flanks in the past, so a bit like Isak, there’s a little versatility there. He’s also incredibly quick, which is a key factor needed for this signing.
Santiago Gimenez
Onto Benjamin Sesko. Another Leipzig player, and one being heavily linked to Arsenal right now. His arrival would be interesting, as it would be the first ‘big man’ forward Arteta has signed. He has pace too, although his technical qualities need development.
I think with Havertz excelling through the middle and Trossard best in central zones, there’s a world where a player like Nico Williams is the best forward signing. He can play both sides and has huge potential. I would’ve put someone like Pedro Neto here too, but his injuries concern me.
Total expected cost for five signings: £160m-£290m
My ideal 5 from the options discussed… Valles, Hato, Palacios, Simons/Eze, Isak
Academy promotions
With more sales than arrivals, Arsenal will need to make some internal promotions. The club also need to loan well to ensure they are maximising the value of all their assets.
Ethan Nwaneri: First team minutes
I think there are more minutes for Ethan next season. His ability to play in a few positions should get him some opportunities. I hope he is integrated on the pre-season tour and players coming back late from Euro 2024 should allow for him to do just that.
Mika Biereth: Bundesliga/Championship loan
Biereth has had two fantastic loan spells at Sturm Graz and Aberdeen and I think he is ready to step up again. A high-level Championship side or lower league Premier League team loan would be an ideal next step to either prepare him to contribute to Arsenal’s first team or increase his value ahead of a good sale. If a Bundesliga club were interested, that could also be a great move. Equally, if a bid of £10million or more were to arrive this summer, a sale now could make sense to boost the coffers.
Brooke Norton-Cuffy: Another loan
I think Arsenal need to find a better loan for him to get his value back up after a mixed season.
Myles Lewis-Skelly - Championship loan
I’d be tempted to get Myles some Championship minutes this season. He’s already one of the better players at under 23 level and I don’t think he is quite ready for the Arsenal first team, so a step up would be regular football in the second tier of mens football.