#41 - Edu's 5-step to-do list: How much can we do this month?
Five things I think Edu Gaspar should have on his to-do list to complete Arsenal squad
Pre-season is over, and whilst the window remains very much open, Mikel Arteta’s decisions in the warm up games provide an indication as to what his squad will be and how he will use it.
This week, I take a look at what we’ve got, areas of weakness and what needs to be done in the final two weeks of the window.
Now before we get started, please let me point out, I am well aware Arsenal will not do all five of these things in the next two weeks. It could take two, or three windows, but Arsenal’s squad is moving to a very balanced place and there’s a few steps left to complete it. Here’s the five things I think we need to do, in order of priority.
1 - Sell Eddie and sign a top forward
It goes without saying that Eddie Nketiah needs to go. Hopefully his lack of involvement in the game against Lyon indicates a move away is close.
In terms of the forward that comes in, I’m not sure if Arsenal will go for a winger or a centre forward. Nico Williams was always my first choice, but he now looks set to stay in Bilbao.
I think there’s still options though. Someone like Joao Pedro would provide a PL-ready, young option that could play in a few positions. Edu will be well aware of the Brazilian’s qualities. Another Brazilian who is of similar ilk is Mathues Cunha of Wolves. Neither would be cheap.
If Arsenal are after an out and out centre forward, Victor Boniface or Viktor Gyokeres could be options available at the right price. Remember the club did try to sign Benjamin Sesko at the start of the summer, so that indicates Arteta’s desire for a taller out and out striker.
I wrote more about Boniface and Cunha here.
This one would be my top priority. If Arteta intends to use Gabriel Jesus more on the right, then Arsenal need another striker. If he’s more of a striker, we need another winger.
Either way, we need another top forward to push our existing set and allow for rotation. Leandro Trossard often struggles when starting games and Gabriel Martinelli has had an underwhelming last 12 months.
To win the Champions League or Premier League, another top forward of some variety is a must.
2 - Sign a number 8
This very much looks like it will be Mikel Merino. Arsenal definitely need another central midfield option and a number eight in the Merino mould looks likely.
Interestingly he’s a slightly older player, Arteta appears to prefer experience in central zones, as we saw in his signing of Jorginho. Someone like Merino also doesn’t block the path for Ethan Nwaneril who has been so exciting in pre-season.
Merino’s aerial dominance shows that Arsenal are going to only get even more physical and improve their set-piece threat.
3 - Replace Thomas Partey
Thomas Partey is a very divisive player, but no matter what you think about his ability, his lack of durability is unquestionable.
He’s very unreliable and I just think Arsenal need an upgrade in this position.
Jorginho for another year perhaps allows for the duo to share minutes over the season, but for Arsenal to have a top tier reliable midfield, I think they need to move on from Partey and find someone of similar calibre, who is younger and less injury-prone.
Arsenal are likely reliant on a late bid from Saudi Arabia to make this sale. His contract is due to expire next summer and I doubt Arsenal will extend it. It all suggests that Arsenal will make a number 6 signing next summer, when both Partey and Jorginho are likely to depart.
Opportunity could arise for Myles Lewis-Skelly. Used as a left-back in pre-season, he has the tools to play number 6 for Arsenal long-term and if he manages to impress over the course of this season, he could stay a claim to replace one of the two going out of contract in the summer.
4 - Move on from Vieira and Nelson and replace
Fabio Vieira looks like he will just not fit at Arsenal, after a series of underwhelming performances. Youngster Ethan Nwaneri is now ahead of him in the pecking order.
I think Arsenal need to loan him to get some value back. He’s not played a lot of football in his young career and he’s not going to get consistent minutes at Arsenal. A loan to a less physical league could reignite him and get value back to allow for a reasonable sale next summer.
The same could be said for Reiss Nelson. He’s not a bad emergency option and he’s homegrown, but the reality is he’s not a difference maker or a player the team can rely on. Arsenal need rotational players capable of starting games in place of players like Bukayo Saka, Nelson should follow in the footsteps of Smith Rowe to grow his career.
Should Arsenal shift both Nelson and Vieira, I think there’s room for a new player who is an attacking midfielder that can play wide. I’m thinking someone in the mould of Morgan Gibbs-White or Eberechi Eze. The sale and money raised from Smith Rowe’s sale also opens the door to a player of this ilk.
5 - Replace Ramsdale
This one is probably going to happen this month, but it’s lowest on my priority list. Arsenal will be keen to sell or at least loan Ramsdale to ensure his value doesn’t drop too much with another season on the bench. But if and when he is sold, he will need replacing.
There was some hype around Karl Hein stepping up given his pre-season exposure, but with the Estonian set to move to Real Valladoid on loan, Arsenal won’t have a senior back up to Raya.
Joan Garcia has been linked, but wouldn’t be cheap. I think the club see him as the long-term backup for Raya, and a player that could seriously push the Spaniard for the #1 spot in the long run.
Perhaps the club could go back for Daniel Bentley of Wolves, but he was expected to be third choice.
There’s other sales to sort like Kieran Tierney and Charlie Patino, as well as loans, but this is the bulk of what I believe Edu Gaspar should have on his to-do list.
If we can get one and two done from this list, I think it signifies a good summer, anything less will be disappointing and anything more a bonus.