{"id":1089293,"date":"2019-05-17T12:58:17","date_gmt":"2019-05-17T11:58:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/?p=1089293"},"modified":"2021-09-14T16:43:25","modified_gmt":"2021-09-14T15:43:25","slug":"transfer-moves-arsenal-this-summer","status":"publish","type":"features","link":"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/features\/transfer-moves-arsenal-this-summer\/","title":{"rendered":"Transfer moves to expect from Arsenal this summer"},"content":{"rendered":"

Arsenal are gearing up for a crucial summer transfer window.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Gunners have had an impressive first season under Unai Emery, going on a long unbeaten run and qualifying for the Europa League final, but it is quite clear that the squad still needs a lot of work if it is to reach its potential.<\/p>\n

https:\/\/audioboom.com\/posts\/7259525-if-guardiola-s-to-be-believed-liverpool-lost-the-league-with-one-result<\/p>\n

So what does that mean for the summer? It means players coming in. What players? We’ve had a look at five different sources to suggest five signings the club are expected to make. Who are the sources, and what did they recommend? Read on!<\/p>\n

1. What the manager wants<\/strong><\/h2>\n

In general Unai Emery has refrained from speaking too extensively about Arsenal’s transfer targets. Partly because he doesn’t yet know the extent of his budget and also because he’s just not that type of coach. But when you’re linked with a bonafide world-class superstar who has won titles for club and country, you’ve got to say something.<\/p>\n

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Samuel Umtiti has had a troubled season at Barcelona. He played (and won) the World Cup with a knee problem, then declined to have an operation on his knee, preferring to let it heal naturally. This backfired and he basically missed the whole campaign, losing his starting place to Clement Lenglet. Now, Barcelona are looking to bring in Matthijs de Ligt, and Umtiti is far too good to sit on the bench.<\/p>\n

Enter Arsenal. The Gunners are one of those linked with the Frenchman and for his part, Emery offered the succinct but accurate summary. “He\u2019s a very good player,” Emery said<\/a>, before adding: “I\u2019ve always had French players in my teams. At Valencia, Sevilla, PSG and here at Arsenal. […] I\u2019ve always been able to count on those players.”<\/p>\n

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Emery is correct that Umtiti is a very good player, in fact, that’s underselling it. When fully fit he’s world-class and top 10 in the world at his position (maybe even top 5; he certainly was prior to his injury). Arsenal’s defence is terrible, but if you put Umtiti at the heart of it then it could be transformed. Not only is he an excellent defender in his own right but his organisational skills are supreme too. Sure, you’d have to keep an eye on his knees, but it could be a risk worth taking.<\/p>\n

2. A view from the press box<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Speaking of risks, letting Aaron Ramsey go on a free transfer was a huge one. It’s left Arsenal needing a midfielder. BBC Sport’s transfer guru David Ornstein has weighed in with who the Gunners might be targeting to fill that position.<\/p>\n

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(Photo by Srdjan Stevanovic\/Getty Images)<\/p><\/div>\n

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“Previously in January they came close to a deal for Christopher Nkunku from PSG,” he said<\/a> in an interview with Radio 5Live. “Adrien Rabiot is among the players they\u2019ve tried to sign in the past and have a long-standing interest in but he\u2019s quite a complex individual and has had some issues off the pitch.”<\/p>\n

Whilst Nkunku would be a signing similar to Matteo Guendouzi where they take a young French talent with a great skill-set and put them to work, the potential to snag a player of Rabiot’s class for free will surely be a temptation too good to pass up. The Frenchman has his issues, mostly surrounding the overbearing presence of his agent mother, but he has the ability and talent to comfortably slot into the hole Aaron Ramsey has left in the Gunners midfield. He can run, he can pass and he can shoot and he’s not renewing at PSG. Sign him up!<\/p>\n