#40 - Arsenal's transfer targets and what it tells us about strategy

Most of Arsenal's targets have similar trends, so does it help us identify who is next?

With lots going on, I decided to take a step back and look at the themes from the market activity to show us what Arteta may be building ahead of the 2024-25 campaign and beyond.

Versatility = unpredictability

Mikel Arteta suggested Jurrien Timber’s injury last season was a big reason why Arsenal lacked some unpredictability.

Now the Dutchman has returned and in Riccardo Calafiori, Arsenal look set to add another versatile player that adds another layer of complexity for opponents to prepare for.

In Ben White, Timber, Takehiro Tomiyasu and Calafiori, Arsenal would have four defensive puzzle pieces to keep opponents guessing and provide a base for the whole system to function.

These players on the pitch enable the team to change shape in-game without making subs.

Despite only being fit for two games last season, we saw Timber at both right and left-back and in pre-season so far, he’s played as a central defender. You could even add William Saliba into the defensive chess mix given his excellent performances as a left-centre back for France at Euro 2024.

Now, fans will hope Arteta takes a similar approach to depth and unpredictability in attack and brings in one or two more signings to ensure we have all the tools in the armoury to win a major trophy next season.

There have been links in the last few days to Raphinha, a signing like his would give Arsenal just that in attack. The club were keen to bring him to the club when he was at Leeds, and even saw him as an option at number 9 as well as both flanks.

High-touch, ball carriers

This has been a trend of Arsenal signings for a few windows now. When you look at Timber and Calafiori, you see two ‘defenders’ with the on-the-ball ability of midfielders and the potential to carry it forward seamlessly.

This creates even more unpredictability as you could easily see players like Calafiori, TImber and maybe Tomiyasu and White tucking inside to support our number 6 in possession. This then creates a double pivot in midfield, allowing the ‘left 8’ to be less of a high-touch player and more of a box threat, or duel winner. This is why a move for Mikel Merino in that position may make a lot of sense.

The ability on the ball of pretty much everyone Arsenal sign these days also indicates Arteta’s ambitions to continue to dominate the opposition.

More physicality and availability

Calafiori and Merino (heavily linked to arrive in midfield) are both big players, winning lots of aerial duels and both have good recent fitness records.

As the team look to move on from injury-prone players like Emile Smith Rowe, Oleksandr Zinchenko and Thomas Partey, their replacements look likely to be those who have proven their fitness in recent years.

The significant investment in the ever-present Declan Rice was an indication of the commitment to availability last summer, and its being backed up again with this summer’s targets.

Mikel Arteta clearly doesn’t want a squad that is too big to keep happy, that is something he inherited on arrival, but he wants the 19 or 20 he does have to be available as much as possible.

So, what’s next?

Well, the imminent sale of Smith Rowe should add to the coffers at the club. Calafiori is set to be announced and Merino appears to be the main midfield target. Arsenal need at least one more signing on top of this set.

I would like to see a couple more. Eberechi Eze remains a favourite of mine and I wonder if Smith Rowe’s sale makes Eze’s release clause accessible.

Eze ticks a lot of the boxes discussed in this article. He had one injury last season but none in 22/23 or 21/22. He's versatile, capable of playing centrally or on the left and has the ball-carrying abilities described too.

He feels a bit more ‘midfield’ than ‘forward’ though, and I think Arsenal would benefit from another forward too, especially if they can sell Eddie Nketiah to Marseille.

It looks unlikely, but the other addition I would make is bringing in a new central midfielder to replace Partey, who I would sell if at all possible.

I think we are now heading into what will be a very busy August for the club. A return to competitive football coupled with a very busy transfer market.