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Who do Arsenal need to take us to the next level?

Gunning for the title by Ben Dungate

Aside from the blip at Old Trafford, the start Arsenal have made to the season is a cause for celebration, but also rumination. What do we need in terms of player acquisition to sustain this level and push for the title in the coming seasons?

Whilst we continue to enjoy our stay at the head of the Premier League, I don’t think any sensible Arsenal supporter truly believes we will be there come the end of the season. But we have demonstrated that we are capable of achieving a Top 4 finish. Tactics, formations, managers aside, what players and positions could Arteta look to strengthen in the January and summer transfer windows? He certainly seems to have his heart set on bringing in another winger.
Personally, and this is something I advocated before the last window closed, we should be seriously considering Jonathon David from Lille. Last season he was amongst the leaders in Europe for pressing statistics and has hit the net with impressive reliability. Also, I read an article where it stated that he has admitted to being a fan of Arsenal.
Having seen him a few times for Lille, I think he would be a tremendous addition to our Frontline. He drifts wide, can hold up play, and never appears to shirk his defensive duties. He seems a great fit and could be interchangable with Jesus, or play alongside him. I really like Eddie Nketiah and I’m glad Arteta is giving him more game time this season, but unfortunately I don’t think he is good enough if we truly want to challenge for the league and in Europe.
Also, seeing as we appear to be living in the age of the wingback. Players such as Jõao Cancelo and Reece James are few and far between but it is an area of the pitch that has been under more scrutiny. Kieran Tierney and Takehiro Tomiyasu have proven themselves to be worthy contenders for those positions, with Ben White and Zinchenko probably just ahead of them in Arteta’s thinking. So, for me, I think we are well catered for in the fullback/wingback positions.
William Saliba has been outstanding so far this season. So much so, he has shone a torch on Gabriel’s shortcomings. They have struck up a great looking partnership, but perhaps he deserves someone on his level. Perhaps Arsenal deserves that. I certainly think Aaron Ramsdale needs it!
And lastly, midfield. With the resurgence of the beautifully predictable, psychologically imbalanced Granit Xhaka, this has become less pressing, especially with Zinchenko so keen to fill the role our on-field leader/enforcer, box-to-box, needless yellow card-taking hero currently inhabits. We have been linked recently with the Italian Manuel Locatelli and he would certainly do for me.
What are your thoughts?
Ben Dungate

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46 Comments

  1. For me, if we can stay in the first two places by the start of the World Cup, then we could use the January Window to strengthen and be in with a sporting chance. We all know we are an injury or two away from losing our power.
    I agree that Jonathan David would really add something, Great movement. Locatelli could be a risk. He hasn’t performed for Juve and doesn’t look like he could be a ‘Thomas Partey’. Partey is the player I fear losing to injury, we are so dependent on him at the moment.

    1. Though I don’t undertand why we would need to recruit if only we’re in the top two,I agree with most of what you’ve metioned. Locatelli hasn’t clicked at this weak Juve team and has also turned us down before, so no thanks.

      Thomas partey is probably our most important player, and the recent bodø match away is evident for it. If Partey can play most of the games before the world cup and we get someone who’s really good at that position in January( like Enzo Fernandes), then i think we’ll be fine for top for and maybe top 2.

      1. Tavares and Balogun are getting great experience on loan as is Patino…these guys will come through and compete and potentially help save a fortune in the transfer market as well as being already Arsenal players and a lo e of the club

  2. As a team that is up and coming I Would love Bowen ,Maddison because they are the players I believe we could get .
    But If I had a world class wish list maybe Victor Osimhen

  3. Balogun and david are about the same level. Why spend those funds on David? It just doesn’t make sense

  4. Three players that would improve us instantly are , Diaby- Winger
    Bellingham – Midfielder
    Aleksander Mitrovic – Foward

    1. Mitrovic? I have to strongly disagree here. Incredible performance in the Championship last season, but he’s a loose cannon and only ever one bad tackle away from headbutting someone. I think he would be a big mismatch in terms of personality for what Arteta is trying to do and honestly we can just get better players than him.

      1. While I agree that Mitrovic will not fit into our recent transfer policy, I need say that he is a well proven EPL striker. His situation is same as Ciro Immobile of Lazio – a top quality striker who for whatever reason never left his club for a big team. He’s one of the only strikers around who only needs a half chance to score. We should definitely not sign him. But give him the credit he deserves.

        Players we should sign to improve us instantly:
        1. Defense – None needed. Tomi can always be a backup or a replacement for Gabriel when the need arises,
        2. Midfield – Bellingham
        3. Attack – Give Marquinhos games to improve. He’s showing tremendous potential. Pepe will also be back soon, so I don’t recommend anyone. Balogun will be back also. Signing Felix will be bad for Nketiah. We should be looking at Endrick of Palmeiras

        1. DB & dgr8xt
          I understand your concerns about Mitrovic and I could have mention Osimhen, but Jesus is doing extremely well now in my opinion so Mitrovic, would just offer something slightly different.

          But making a bold bid and acquire the trio would turn the league upside down.

  6. I like JD from Lille, too, but he’s not the right striker for this moment. He’s not a significant improvement on any of our strikers notably Nketiah and Balogun. I would prefer a more experienced and clinical finisher to share striking duties with Jesus. We need to stop singing and start acting like a team on top of the league.
    Top 4 is now in our grasp; we need to take it.

  9. Keeper – we have 2 very good keeper
    Defense – we need replacement for Holding
    Midfielder – Bellingham and Douglas Luiz as squad depth
    Forward – Mitoma (Brighton)
    Striker – Victor Osimhen

  11. Frankly, I would settle for all our existing young players signing new five year contracts. If that happens we will attract any other players we need

  12. CB – Kimpempe
    CM – Tielemans
    Winger – Mudryk

    Signing these player’s in January would make us bona fide title contenders.

  13. I would love victor osihmen forward, Tielemans in the midfield and any other good replacement for party’s inconsistency

  14. Never again must we be caught with our pants down, so if it’s only one signing come January it got to be that commanding defensive midfielder Arsenal has been crying out for.

    Any where between 30 and 60 mil should do the trick, that’s what big club do, at some stage we must wake up and smell the coffee

  16. @Gunsmoke has it down pat. We have enough squad depth except at one position: Defensive Midfield. I get so angry when so-called fans slate Albert Sambi Lokonga whose crime is playing in that position even though he is a central midfielder, not a defensive one. We just need one defensive midfielder to compete or alternate with Thomas Partey.

    1. Exactly my point mate.
      Bellingham is the perfect candidate in my opinion.

      But if we are operating on a shoe string budget there is a couple Brazilians that could fit the bill

      1. Bellingham isn’t a DM so would replace Xhaka if we got him, which we won’t. He’s going to Liverpool if he goes anywhere. We need a Rodri. I seem to be in a minority that thinks Thomas Partey is hugely overrated. He has a good engine but his defending doesn’t convince me and he rarely scores or creates anything in attack. Locatelli is excellent but doesn’t seem keen to come to us. Guess we are picking up a broken N’Golo Kante from Chelsea.

    2. I really like Albert. But I agree, look at the difference in Xhaka from when he played there to now. I am really impressed with the Caciedo boy from Brighton. Big improvement on Bissouma for them and would be an excellent fit for us. Great engine, great distribution, great attitude

  17. Ben ,Dongate,
    do you mean what will the club need to do as from now on to take us Arsenal to the next level of winning things (the quadruple of titles) this season?
    Should this what you meant, well, my kindid response to your mean will be first and foremost is, let Arteta earnestly continues with his nurturing his current young Gunners team to continue to grow strong and stronger to the very next level of the game. And continuee with his driving them hard and harder to always win every game played. Just as he’s currently doing this season’s campaign. The hard and harder driving up of his young Gunners team that is seeing them topping the League should relentlessly be pursued by him and the Gunners themselves to continue with unabated vigour.
    At the turn of the year into the next January window, if Arteta wants his young Gunners team revitalized to reinforced with new incomings top quality additions to enhance the performance of his young Arsenal team to have better and better chance to win a quadrupled of titles this season, and to sustain their charge for the wins season’s end..
    I say this. Arsenal will, going in into the 2nd half of the season campaign, Arsenal will continue to remain a top the League up to the end of the first half of this season. This is so because all the Arsenal’s remaining half of this season games are all winnable matches that they will win. Even including their big away game match at the Bridge against Chelsea the Gunners will also win.

  18. Just rwad from Fabrizio Romano, Douglas Luiz has extended his contract with Aston Villa.

    We need to find another Partey replacement, coz to me this is the most important, and urgent position, last season it cost us dearly.

    1. Agreed. It isn’t a natural role for ASL and does him a disservice asking him to perform there and is probably hindering his development. I assume we will want him to he a long-term replacement for Xhaka or as some sort of hybrid of the two roles. Anyway, Partey needs proper cover. Locatelli is an excellent player and would more than do.

    2. And that 15 year old should be given time I’ve seen him play n I know he’s better than most of those highly rated midfielders we have he’s technical his passes are great n he can take two to three players by himself he’s really gifted

  19. We got Emily Smith Rowe recovering. He will get back to his role and he scores big time. Nunez is good attacker he must come. Our bench has the talent that must be used to blend in with the first 11.

  20. We need to add a striker most importantly,..And David would do just fine..
    Jesus can operate wide if needed in case something happens to Saka. So we need to invest everything on just one big player.
    Midfield is there for us,..we have zinchenko ,Vieira, who can play there and we have elneny who would come back and patino would be ready by next season. Douglas Luiz has signed a new contract with villa. We just need partey to stay fit and Sambi to improve with age.Only question is what if something happens to partey in the mean while?? And I don’t believe in having too many players causing players unrest due to lack of game time.
    So this is my transfer strategy

    1. I think jesus should play as number 10 then a forward alongside him will be right because I think his work rate is what we needed

  21. Most importantly, I would look for a back up/rotation for Partey. Secondly, I would look for a back up/rotation for Jesus as Nketiah is clearly not upto the level Arsenal want although he is good at making effort but surely we need another strong striker. and finally, on the wings, there is no real strong back up/rotation for Martinelli, Nelson doesnt seem to be upto the level. The central defence seems to be ok, but could do with an addition to partner Saliba and the full back positions are well managed. Ramsdale and Turner are able GK’s so nothing to worry there.

  23. Declan rice all the way for me . I think he could find arsenal a bit more attractive now seeing as we are on the ascendancy. However we would have to wait till the summer to land him , seeing as he would have would have less than two years on his contract which I think would give us a chance of knocking back a couple millions of the ridiculous 100m+ price tag.
    Competition with Chelsea for is signature is an issue but I do think positive press we have garnered in recent time would help us land most of our prospects. Its really good but kind of wierd that every pundit has got a good thing to about .its actually surreal, with the exception of agbalahan though who will always manage a negative pun at us.His recent being arsenal running a risk of loosing tierny.

    1. Declan Rice is never going to join Arsenal. Ever. Losing Tierney would be bad but unlikely in my opinion. Where’s he going to go?

  25. We should stop buying these sub-standard players we need left wing in place of martinelli he doesn’t convince me n I think we can replace him with dembele the barcelona winger and only one center back a real good one n a defensive midfilder just like ngolo kante arsenal will not be touched

  26. N we need a cf to play with Jesus because I don’t see nketia being good enough for arsenal n u could see that game against bodo

  27. And that 15 year old should be given time I’ve seen him play n I know he’s better than most of those highly rated midfielders we have he’s technical his passes are great n he can take two to three players by himself he’s really gifted

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