Arsenal have signed only two players this summer to the first-team squad after finishing a disappointing fifth placed last year, and this is simply not good enough.
Prior to manager Arsene Wenger signing a new two-year deal in the close-season, reports claimed that he was tasked with moving quickly in the transfer window to have a squad worthy of challenging for the Premier League title, and that simply has not happened.
We’ve brought in Alexandre Lacazette and free-transfer Sead Kolasinac so far this summer, and with the window coming to a close on Thursday, alarm bells are ringing…
The two players brought in definitely look the part, and will play an important role in our season, but much of the deadwood in the squad needs shifting, and we certainly need a number of improvements.
Shkodran Mustafi looks set to leave the club before Thursday’s deadline too, and he isn’t one of the player’s I include in the ‘deadwood’ category, and will certainly need replacing.
For me, we need to bring in another centre-back or two (preferably ball-playing defender like Van Dijk), as well as a more defensive option to replace Francis Coquelin who has failed to build on that one impressive season he had for us.
Alexis Sanchez still looks keen on an exit too, and we should be actively seeking a replacement for him, so we can allow him to leave before his attitude has an inverse effect on our playing squad.
Wenger last week claimed he was happy with his transfer business, hinting that they would not be adding any more names to the squad, but he likes to keep his cards close to his chest, and he best just be playing games, because our options at present could leave us dropping down to sixth this term…
Is Wenger being coy about his transfer business or really doesn’t imagine signing more players? Are Kroenke and the board partly to blame for the transfer window or is it down to Arsene?
Pat J