Arsenal transfer priorities made clear with Kroenke meeting this week
Arsenal executives are flying to the US this week for a meeting with the Kroenke family.
The meeting has been in the diary for a while, long before sporting director Edu resigned last week, and there will be plenty to discuss.
Senior Arsenal executives, including managing director Richard Garlick and executive vice-chair Tim Lewis, met with Josh and Stan Kroenke around this time last year, with the November international break viewed as an opportune moment to get together.
Among the items on the agenda will be the next two transfer windows as Arsenal like to plan ahead with their business. Here, Standard Sport assesses what work needs to be done to strengthen the squad.
Inject some pace and magic out wide
This should be at the top of Arsenal’s priority list. The club were in the market for a new winger last summer, but Spain’s Nico Williams opted to stay at Athletic Club.
Williams has a £48million release clause in his contract and Arsenal could return for him at the end of this season, although they will likely face competition from Barcelona and other top European sides. Williams feels like the perfect signing for Arsenal given his age and undeniable talent.
The 22-year-old would represent an upgrade on left wingers Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard, who have both struggled this season. Arsenal are in need of an injection of pace out wide and a player who can spark them into life during tight games. Williams represents that.
Create more competition for No9 role
Arsenal were interested in RB Leipzig striker Benjamin Sesko last summer but he decided to stay put and sign a new contract. Reports in Germany suggest he could be on the market again at the end of this season and a fee of around £60m may be enough to snap him up.
Kai Havertz has developed into an excellent No9 for Arsenal, but the Gunners need greater depth up front. Gabriel Jesus has struggled with fitness and form over the past 18 months and will have two years left on his contract come the summer.
Arsenal’s pursuit of a new striker will likely hinge on Jesus’ future and how they recruit out wide could also have an impact. The Gunners could fulfil both their need for a wide forward and striker by signing a player who can do both - such as Newcastle’s Alexander Isak.
Arsenal have tracked the Swede since his days at Real Sociedad and he is reportedly stalling on signing a new contract.
Find alternatives and competition for Odegaard
The obvious answer to this problem is to play Ethan Nwaneri. The 17-year-old looks like a brilliant prospect and has scored three goals in his first two starts for Arsenal.
But he has struggled for minutes in the Premier League, even with Odegaard out injured. Arsenal have been devoid of creativity without their captain and it is an area of the squad that needs addressing, at least during the next few years when Nwaneri is still developing.
There is plenty of physicality in the Arsenal midfield with Declan Rice, Mikel Merino and Thomas Partey, but they need some style to go with their substance. A creative player who could play as a left No8, possibly even alongside Odegaard, would give the team more options in attack.
There is plenty of physicality in the Arsenal midfield, but they need some style to go with their substance
Arsenal sold Emile Smith Rowe, who could fulfil that role, while Fabio Vieira was loaned to Porto so there is a gap in the squad. Eberechi Eze, who was at Arsenal until he was released at the age of 13, has been continually linked with the Gunners and would fit the mould of what they need.
Work out solutions in goal and midfield
In their planning for the future, Arsenal will need to keep in mind the fact that they need two new goalkeepers next summer. David Raya is the clear No1 but his current back-up is Neto, who is on loan from Bournemouth.
Arsenal were keen on signing Espanyol’s Joan Garcia last summer to replace Aaron Ramsdale but they were priced out of a late move. The Gunners also need a new No3. They ideally want someone homegrown to fulfil the role with 18-year-old Tommy Setford doing it this season.
Last summer, the club had a £50,000 bid rejected by Wolves for Dan Bentley, who is an ex-Arsenal academy product, and he has since signed a new three-year contract.
Arsenal also need to think about the future in midfield. Jorginho and Partey are both over the age of 30 and out of contract at the end of this season. The club must decide whether to extend their deals but, either way, long-term they must look to inject some youth into that area of the squad.
