What to expect from Mikel Arteta when he finally decides to sign players.
Arsenal is set to complete the signing of Flamengo’s Pablo Mari but what other transfer business can be expected from the club, either in January or next summer.
Mikel Arteta is currently in his first transfer window as Arsenal’s manager, but the Spaniard is likely to have a quiet window this month even with the expected Mari signing.
The club spent so much last summer and that is expected to happen again next summer and it would be interesting to see the kind of players that Arteta decides to move for.
Because this is his first stint as a full-time manager, no one knows what the Spaniard is thinking but I want to predict the sort of changes he might go for because of his current squad.
I expect Arteta to get rid of at least two of his current defenders and bring one top defender through the door.
He will have learnt from his time at Manchester City that quality and not necessarily quantity is key to success in management.
I expect Shkodran Mustafi to be sold alongside another of our underperforming defenders.
I expect Arteta to also sign a new midfielder to help the current group and I won’t be surprised if he allows Granit Xhaka to finally leave the Emirates despite backing him now.
With Barcelona actively looking to sign him, Pierre Emerick Aubameyang’s departure could be the only reason why Arsenal signs a new forward.
I expect him to stay beyond this season though and the only forward Arsenal would look to sign would be a youngster like Gabriel Martinelli.
I don’t think I can predict the future with much certainty but these are the areas that Arsenal need changes to do well next season.