Mikel Arteta has made it known that he and his scouting team are still able to plan for future business despite the limitations put on them by the coronavirus pandemic.
With Premier League clubs committed to finishing the 2019/20 season, that may well have a knock-on effect on the timing of the upcoming transfer window but the 38-year-old is hoping to take this in stride.
Factors including where Arsenal finish in the Premier League, what competitions they are in next season and budgets will affect their decisions around incoming players which is why Arteta feels starting to plan now is imperative.
“Absolutely," he said when asked if he could still scout effectively on Arsenal's official YouTube channel. "We have a lot of meetings to try and plan the season.
“We might have one, two, three different scenarios and we have to be prepared for all of them.
“I’m not a person that likes improvising a lot so we have to know that the circumstances can change every week and we have to be prepared as a club to react to that and adapt.”
Contemplating so many variables with of course mean Arteta and the club's hierarchy will need to scout extensively to prepare for each possible situation - whether they qualify for the Champions League, Europa League or neither.
These outcomes will also impact the state of current squad as players including Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Mesut Ozil and Bukayo Saka reach their final year of contract in the summer, and where Arsenal play their football could help or hinder negotiations.
Looking at replacements in the final third, football.london understand that the Gunners' scouting network are aware of both Odsonne Edouard and Jonathan David. Long-term target Dayot Upamecano's RB Leipzig contract also expires in 2021 which could offer Arsenal hope but much of what happens in the transfer market will depend on how they end the season.
As the current break as already exceeded a month [Arsenal's last match was March 7], Premier League clubs will without doubt be in need of a 'mini-pre-season' of sorts before attempting to complete the 2019/20 campaign.
Joining the side in December, Arteta arrived without the opportunity of a pre-season. With the possibility of football being played through the summer fast-approaching, he is already getting a chance to bond with his side as if it were pre-season - something he feels will be beneficial.
“That’s what we’re trying to do. We have some time to review what we have done as well, and the things that we have to improve as a team and as a coaching staff as well and have a big reflection on all the departments we have across the club," the 38-year-old added.
“How they are feeling as well about what we are doing, how we have set up as a club, if they have any ideas for us to improve, and we are more than welcome to help them.
“As well, how the workload can be better so then we make sure when we’re back, we don’t know in which condition, we make sure we are ready to hit the ground running.”
