Arsenal are conducting yet another rebuild. After Unai Emery replaced Arsene Wenger two years ago, the club is already embarking on a new managerial venture.
Emery was fired earlier this season after little progress was made and the Gunners swung for the fences with his replacement, hiring former club captain and first-time senior head coach Mikel Arteta from Manchester City.
As they now look to offer Arteta with the support he requires in the transfer window, the work that will be conducted must be shaped by the players that are already available.
There is no point in buying another goalkeeper if there are already two capable goalkeepers in the squad, for example.
So, who are the current players that could shape Arsenal’s recruitment as Arteta looks to commence his rebuild of the squad?
Gabriel Martinelli
Arsenal had no idea what they were getting when they plucked an 18-year-old from the fourth tier of Brazilian football in a now-bargain £6 million move last summer.
There was, of course, tentative excitement that Gabriel Martinelli might be special, but no one could have foreseen this.
Renowned coach Francis Cagigao and new technical director Edu Gaspar were both confident in Martinelli’s talent and keen to swiftly complete the transfer before any other club got wind of his potential. And their scouting has been validated.
At only 18, Martinelli is Arsenal’s second-highest goalscorer. Jurgen Klopp heralded him as a ‘talent of the century, David Luiz recently discussed how impressed he was with Martinelli’s ability and attitude with Ian Wright, while his performances against Chelsea, Liverpool and Standard Liege were plenty enough to convince any onlookers that he is a special young prospect.
Martinelli is yet to stake a starting role in the Arsenal team, however. While he has impressed in almost every appearance, he is yet to establish himself as a consistent starter, either as a centre-forward or winger.
Nevertheless, if Mikel Arteta truly believes in his ability as many others do, he offers a solution to Arsenal’s looming striking and wide problems without having to spend inordinate amounts.
Attacking players do not come cheap. But in Martinelli, Arsenal might already have a special one. That would free up significant resources to spend elsewhere.
Lucas Torreira
As football.london reported earlier this year, Mikel Arteta is keen to sign an all-encompassing midfielder who can be influential in many situations within games: a player who can break up offensive attacks, recover possession, but then also carry the ball forward and break defensive lines with progressive and creative passes.
At present, Arsenal do not have a do-it-all central midfielder, and many would question whether they have a capable defensive midfielder, too.
The lack of protection for the defence has been an issue throughout the season, especially when two of Matteo Guendouzi, Granit Xhaka and Dani Ceballos start, their lack of athleticism or positional awareness disrupting the structure and effectiveness of the central midfield in defensive phases of play.
Of Arsenal’s current central midfielders, only one is capable in defensive areas, the scrappy, energetic, quick Lucas Torreira. The slight but sharp Uruguayan is a wonderful nuisance. He charges into tackles, makes interceptions and wins loose balls.
However, he is much more limited in possession. His passing, while neat and tidy, is restricted to shorter, more simple balls, while he rarely carries the ball past a defender and into advanced areas of the pitch.
As Arsenal look for a new midfielder, then, Arteta’s willingness to sacrifice Torreira’s play in possession for his defensive instincts will be vital.
If he values Torreira’s complementary style, Arsenal can focus on a more creative, progressive midfielder to partner him; if Arteta is concerned with Torreira’s limitations, a more destructive presence with a greater passing range is needed.
It all comes down to Arteta’s assessment of Torreira’s ability and value on the pitch.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang
There is a shadow hanging over every decision that Arsenal make this summer: the future of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. Everything that the club does will alter based on how the Aubameyang situation is resolved.
At present, Aubameyang has a year remaining on a contract that he is stalling negotiations regarding an extension on due to the uncertainty of Arsenal’s Champions League status. He will turn 31 in June and is expected to command a bumper pay-rise to remain at the club.
Conversely, he is the top goalscorer, the club captain, and has been Arsenal’s most important player since he arrived two-and-a-half years ago, scoring more goals than any other Premier League player bar Mohamed Salah in that period.
Earlier this season, Arteta said that he would like to keep Aubameyanng. That would take a large chunk out of an already stretched wage budget.
Meanwhile, by offloading Aubameyang, Arsenal could raise a sizable amount to reinvest in other positions, though in doing so, they may have to find another goalscorer, a position that is not of need with Aubameyang remaining with the team.
It is an extremely difficult decision with sound arguments on either side.
But how Arsenal solve the future of Aubameyang, whether it be through agreeing to a new contract, selling and reinvesting, or keeping him for another year and letting him leave for nothing in 2021, will hugely impact every other recruitment decision the club must make.
