Arsenal must finalize a few key sales before completing their summer transfer business. The North Londoners are surely aiming to secure a top midfielder and a reliable striker before the deadline but need to offload some fringe players first.
Early July saw the official announcement of David Raya’s deal, followed by the addition of Riccardo Calafiori. According to the Evening Standard’s Simon Collings, Arsenal is eyeing new signings in midfield and attack but needs to make room by selling existing players.
In the midfield, Real Sociedad’s Mikel Merino is looking like the primary target. Sociedad is ready to sell, and the player is interested, making his transfer likely once Arsenal can clear some space for a new midfielder.
For the attack, Arsenal is considering Viktor Gyokeres from Sporting CP, who scored 43 goals and provided 15 assists last season. To bring in Gyokeres or another top striker, Arsenal must sell players like Eddie Nketiah, Kieran Tierney, Aaron Ramsdale, and Reiss Nelson. These potential departures could follow Emile Smith Rowe, who is already on his way out.
The situation with Reiss Nelson is particularly pivotal. Arsenal wants to sign a versatile winger, but Nelson’s future must be resolved first. Despite making only 15 league appearances last season, Nelson’s decent pre-season might make Arteta want to keep him. However, for Arsenal to sign a new winger or striker, Nelson and others need to be sold to recoup funds.
Arsenal’s summer transfer activity depends heavily on selling fringe players to make room and room in the wage struture. Finalizing these sales is crucial for acquiring new midfield and attacking talents. Whether it’s securing Mikel Merino in midfield or a top striker like Viktor Gyokeres, Arsenal must act first to balance their squad for the upcoming season, but the priority right now must be selling rather than buying .
Jack Anderson
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Clearly Arsenal can’t keep on bringing in players and not creating space in the squad (both in numbers and overall wages).
For example, they worked had to get the overall wage bill down from a staggering 75% of income to around 50% but I read that’s now creeping up again to almost 60%. The likes of Calafiori, Merino (possibly) and whoever else will just make that bigger without sales.
Arsenal has been very poor at offloading players, particularly in recent seasons, which is why they have too big a squad now. It’s likely that Eddie, Ramsdale, Nelson, Kiwior and others will all need to depart (easier said than done). Edu needs to concentrate at least as much on the “exit” door as the “entrance” door.
I agree. The exits are much more important than the acquisitions which must be extremely focused if they come at all.
Just when it couldn’t get more difficult, it appears that OM have signed another striker, Youssoufa Moukoko, in place of Eddie. So, Arsenal is now stuck with a player that they really do need to sell but with no other potential buyers on the horizon at present.
I don’t know whether a compromise with OM would have been possible but as with Eddie apparently, Arsenal would do well to remember that if push comes to shove there are usually other alternatives available to potential buyers.
I think Arsenal can only sign Merino if Zinchenko leaves
How did u come to that assumption?
I think Merino or any midfielder arrival was dependant on ESR leaving.
We have 24 1st team players so 1 slot left so not about the quota either. Also plenty of space for non-homegrown players.
Zinchenko’s wage would be a huge waste of money if he just plays second fiddle to Calafiori, Rice, Merino and Odegaard
Yes Zinchenko has to go that is obvious if we get a decent offer
Reiss Nelson may have had a decent pre-season but he is flair player who flourishes in friendlies, in the premier league he has had one league start in four seasons. With that record, he is going to be difficult to shift and we may have to accept a deal with add-ons for performances but there is no point in another season of bench warming.
Patience is required, things will be moving towards the end of the window, even after the season kicks off maybe, as there’s not a lot of money around in Europe and teams in the Premier League are wary of FFP/PSA. As the window draws to a close, perhaps a little panic will set in, prices will drop as teams need to offload players, deals will be done and that’s when Arteta knows to strike. I think there will be a few each way deals done like Nketiah to Palace and Eze to us, not swap deals, but negotiated buying and selling. There are still 4 weeks left in this window, we all just need to be patient