Mikel Arteta added on-loan defenders Pablo Mari and Cedric Soares to his squad in January but he will certainly be after more long-term recruits when the summer transfer window opens for business.
Arsenal’s transfer policy has been somewhat muddled of late with the club signing a number of experienced players in their late 20s or early 30s and Arteta may feel inclined to bring the average age of the squad down by bringing in some young talent.
Here are four players from La Liga who would fit the bill.
Mohammed Salisu
Age: 20
Club: Real Valladolid
Position: Central defender
A report in local newspaper Diario de Valladolid back in November was the first to report interest from Manchester United in Salisu. It claimed the key to a move was Salisu’s agent - the father of Juan Mata.
That report also claimed that Salisu had a £10m release clause in his contract. Valladolid have been battling towards the foot of the La Liga table all season and Salisu has unsurprisingly been kept pretty busy, as demonstrated by the fact that he has made more clearances (136) than any other player in the division.
With both Sokratis Papastathopolous and David Luiz getting on, Arsenal could do with freshening up their backline and Salisu would fit the bill nicely.
Samuel Chukwueze
Age: 20
Club: Villarreal
Position: Forward
Chukwueze has enjoyed a rapid rise to prominence in the Yellow Submarine’s first-team squad after only making his debut in November 2018. The Nigerian international has impressed for Javi Calleja’s side, with his pace and directness a constant threat for opponents.
Chukwueze penned a new deal in October which is claimed to include a €100million (£88.4million) release clause which runs for the next two years before dropping to €80million (£70.7million).
His potential already appears to have been recognised by top English clubs, with Liverpool and Chelsea among the clubs linked to the forward. Chukwueze’s finishing and decision-making in the final third remain erratic but his playing style would be ideal for an Arsenal side that is loaded with pace in the final third.
Ferran Torres
Age: 20
Club: Valencia
Position: Winger
An explosive and hugely exciting winger, Ferran Torres has quickly established himself as one of Valencia’s most important players. Drawing comparisons to Real Betis winger and former Spain star Joaquin, Torres is a daring wide-man who takes risks in the final thirds and makes things happen.
Another ideal target for Arsenal, he enjoys the versatility of being comfortable on either flank as he is comfortable with either foot, can deliver a cross and has shown composure in the box. Yet it is his creativity, technique, and his close control at speed which make the Spain Under-21 international really stand out.
It is now said that Valencia are hoping to once again tie the highly-rated winger Torres down to a new deal to ward off interest from clubs, including Real Madrid, Barcelona and Liverpool. The winger starred in the UEFA European Under-19 Championship in Armenia last year, netting both goals in a 2-0 final victory over Portugal.
With Arteta expected to follow in Pep Guardiola’s footsteps by installing 4-3-3 as his go-to formation, Torres could be an ideal recruit for the right wing.
Mikel Oyarzabal
Age: 22
Club: Real Sociedad
Position: Winger/forward
Mikel Oyarzabal has grown into one of the best attacking talents in La Liga and is a key component of this hugely exciting Real Sociedad side. The Basque team are arguably the most vibrant and entertaining team in the Spanish top-flight this season.
The player has a €75million (£66.3million) release clause at the Basque club - a fee which could be attainable for any elite European club. Whilst Oyarzabal has shown commitment to La Real and could stay at the club beyond this season, he clearly has a huge future in front of him and aged just 22, his playing peak is still a long way off.
Oyarzabal has hit 33 goals in La Liga since the start of the 2017/18 campaign and his impressive level of performances earning him his first cap for the Spanish national side – in the victory over Sweden in June, where he also found the net. The 22-year-old starred for his nation’s Under-21 side in their European Championships triumph last summer and has consistently made the step up to elite level with ease.
Although capable of playing in a variety of attacking positions, Oyarzabal has predominantly lined up on the left for Sociedad and if he were to join Arsenal he could do likewise with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang shifted centrally.
