We are anticipating Arsenal to have a busy-ish transfer window, but what positions actually need strengthening?
We are constantly linked with name after name, with a number of our supposed targets being midfielders, but we have a wealth of talent and numbers in that department, and other areas need looking at also.
We have three goalkeepers worthy of first-team action in Wojciech Szczesny, David Ospina and Petr Cech, although the former looks likely to leave the club on another loan deal this summer. Should Ospina agree to stay beyond the summer, we have no need to work on this position.
Somewhere we should be strongly looking at is our defence. Kieran Gibbs has been touted as wanting to leave in search of regular first-team action, and nobody would begrudge him an exit. Mathieu Debuchy is likely to leave the club also, leaving us short of numbers at both full-back positions, unless you consider Calum Chambers as a worthy option to play back-up to both Monreal and Bellerin.
Gabriel Paulista and Per Mertesacker have shared the CB role beside Laurent Koscielny this term, and neither have looked especially deserved of the role. We should sell the German in my opinion, and bring in an established centre-back, whilst possibly promoting one of our youngsters to the playing squad (possibly Krystian Bielik).
At the base of our midfield, we have a wealth of options, with Jack Wilshere, Santi Cazorla, Francis Coquelin, Aaron Ramsey, Mohamed Elneny and the newly signed Granit Xhaka all vying for roles. Despite this fact, we are still linked with possible moves for N’Golo Kante, Grzegorz Krychowiak and Marcelo Brozovic. These are all top players, but surely we would have to sell one or more of the above first?
We are also well stocked in the advanced midfield roles, with Sanchez, Ozil, Iwobi, Welbeck, Ramsey, Campbell and Walcott all available. The chance to add Henrikh Mkhitaryan would no doubt strengthen our side strongly, and could not be overlooked, but again, we should look to sell before we buy.
We are clearly shortest in the striker role, with Welbz ruled out for the next nine months, Walcott and Giroud are the only two options (unless you include Alexis). I still favour Theo being shown the exit door, and we should look to bring in two new forwards. Morata is strongly linked, while I would most like to see Lukaku and Vincent Jansson of Everton and AZ Alkmaar instead.
Do you agree with our weakest positions? Should we bring in a versatile defender who can cover both flanks? Who would you sell with Walcott?