Arsenal: 4 biggest transfer window questions remaining

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<p>— Arsenal (@Arsenal) <a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2021/08/02/transfer-window-4-big-questions-arsenal/2/"https://twitter.com/Arsenal/status/1421910781575278593?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%22>August 1, 2021</a></p></blockquote> <p><script async src=https://paininthearsenal.com/2021/08/02/transfer-window-4-big-questions-arsenal/2/"https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></div> <h2><strong>1. How Many Players Will Arsenal be Able To Sell?</strong></h2> <p>This may prove to be the most important, as it is difficult to foresee many more additions without offloading several who are surplus to requirements.</p> <p>First things first, there are the high earners such as Willian and Sead Kolasinac. Let’s be honest, we’d be lucky to receive a fee for either of them, but we need to do whatever possible to get them out the door and off the wage bill. There is also Lucas Torreira, who clearly wants a move elsewhere, so that one shouldn’t be as challenging.</p> <p>He’s gone off the grid.</p> <p>Furthermore, with no European football this season, there will be a lot less playing time to go around for academy products such as Eddie Nketiah, Reiss Nelson, and Ainsley Maitland-Niles.</p> <p>Perhaps most notably, a decision will have to be made on Joe Willock’s future after an impressive loan spell – do we cash in now or can he force his way into Arteta’s plans? Does anyone even have the money to buy him?</p> <p>The bottom line is that at least several, if not all, of these players must be moved on in order for Arsenal to conduct further business this summer. This all without including <a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2021/08/02/transfer-window-4-big-questions-arsenal/2/"https://paininthearsenal.com/2021/07/31/arsenal-push-lautaro-martinez-transfer/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Alexandre Lacazette</a>, Hector Bellerin or Granit Xhaka.</p> <div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background: #c01f2f" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2021/08/02/transfer-window-4-big-questions-arsenal/2/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> 2. Huge midfield dilemma </a> </div><!—pageview_candidate—><hr id="pagebreak"><div id="attachment_117744" class="wp-caption aligncenter"> <img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-large wp-image-117744" src=https://paininthearsenal.com/2021/08/02/transfer-window-4-big-questions-arsenal/2/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_389,w_590/https%3A%2F%2Fpaininthearsenal.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2017%2F07%2F1234382405-850x560.jpeg" alt="Arsenal, Granit Xhaka" width="590" height="389"><div class="fs-center-img"> <p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:590px;">LONDON, ENGLAND – AUGUST 01: Granit Xhaka of Arsenal during the Pre Season Friendly between Arsenal and Chelsea at Emirates Stadium on August 1, 2021 in London, England. (Photo by Marc Atkins/Getty Images)</p> </div> </div> <h2><strong>2. What Will the Starting Midfield Look Like?</strong></h2> <p>Arteta is expected to continue utilizing a 4-2-3-1, with Emile Smith Rowe fittingly playing as the No. 10. With Martin Odegaard back at Real Madrid, it remains to be seen if we can further strengthen this area of the pitch.</p> <p>It would seem ludicrous to burden the 21 year-old with that level of responsibility for a full season, but at the moment there is no true competition or cover for his position. The debate on what to do with Joe Willock remains, but he is a different type of player who appears better suited to a counter-attacking team, as we saw at Newcastle.</p> <p>Granit Xhaka has been linked with Roma for much of the summer, but Jose Mourinho’s team are apparently unwilling to meet Arsenal’s asking price for the Swiss International. If the 28 year-old now stays, it is expected that he will continue to partner Thomas Partey in a double pivot. That may have to wait with the latter set for a spell out of action.</p> <p>While Lokonga initially seemed like a signing for the future, perhaps he will have a role to play as well. His three outings so far have all been strong accounts of his ability.</p> <p>Still, surely we can’t go into the new season with largely the same midfield and expect to challenge for the top four? There has been interest in players ranging from Ruben Neves to Manuel Locatelli to James Maddison, but to this point no serious talks have materialized.</p> <p>Midfield is the engine of the team – both at No. 10 and No. 6 – and Edu will surely be looking to bolster Arteta’s options here. <a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2021/08/02/transfer-window-4-big-questions-arsenal/2/"https://paininthearsenal.com/2021/08/01/arsenal-central-midfield-transfer-hunt/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Failure to do so</a> will could endanger our season, not to mention both of their jobs.</p> <div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background: #c01f2f" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2021/08/02/transfer-window-4-big-questions-arsenal/2/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> 3. Leno questions </a> </div><!—pageview_candidate—><hr id="pagebreak"><div id="attachment_117770" class="wp-caption aligncenter"> <img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-large wp-image-117770" src=https://paininthearsenal.com/2021/08/02/transfer-window-4-big-questions-arsenal/2/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_389,w_590/https%3A%2F%2Fpaininthearsenal.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2017%2F07%2F1234386175-850x560.jpeg" alt="Arsenal, Bernd Leno" width="590" height="389"><div class="fs-center-img"> <p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:590px;">LONDON, ENGLAND – AUGUST 01: Bernd Leno of Arsenal during the Pre Season Friendly between Arsenal and Chelsea at Emirates Stadium on August 1, 2021 in London, England. (Photo by Marc Atkins/Getty Images)</p> </div> </div> <h2><strong>3. What is the Long-Term Plan for the Goalkeeper Position?</strong></h2> <p>Bernd Leno has entered the final two years of his contract, and it seems neither he nor the club are in any rush to extend it. Coming off a mediocre season, the German is currently the only senior option we have, as Mat Ryan has joined Real Sociedad on a permanent deal. So at the very least, we need an experienced backup, and possibly a long-term replacement as well.</p> <p>In recent weeks Arsenal have been linked with a move for Sheffield United’s Aaron Ramsdale. The young Englishman enjoyed a fine second half to last season, which earned him a late call up to England’s Euro squad and he has been named Player of the Season by Bournemouth and the Blades in each of the last two seasons while both sides were relegated.</p> <p>Still only 23, he clearly has a lot of potential, but the £40m <em>(forty million</em> <em>pound</em>) that Sheffield United are supposedly seeking is absurd. It’s ludicrous.</p> <p>We’ll have to see how serious Arsenal’s interest is, or if there are alternative targets who are available at a more reasonable price.</p> <p>All in all, I’d say sorting out the No. 1 goalkeeping position as well as a reliable backup should be near the top of our priorities for the summer window. The importance of having a competent keeper can never be overestimated.</p> <p>As it is, if Leno is injured Alex Runarsson will be in between the sticks, and if a new home is eventually found for him, then there is 19-year-old Arthur Okonkwo without a single <a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2021/08/02/transfer-window-4-big-questions-arsenal/2/"https://www.90min.com/leagues/premier-league" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Premier League</a> minute under his belt left to man the fort.</p> <div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background: #c01f2f" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2021/08/02/transfer-window-4-big-questions-arsenal/2/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> 4. What is going on here? </a> </div><!—pageview_candidate—><hr id="pagebreak"><div id="attachment_117771" class="wp-caption aligncenter"> <img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-large wp-image-117771" src=https://paininthearsenal.com/2021/08/02/transfer-window-4-big-questions-arsenal/2/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_389,w_590/https%3A%2F%2Fpaininthearsenal.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2017%2F07%2F1331851390-850x560.jpeg" alt="Arsenal, Hector Bellerin" width="590" height="389"><div class="fs-center-img"> <p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:590px;">LONDON, ENGLAND – AUGUST 01: Hector Bellerin of Arsenal during the Pre Season Friendly match between Arsenal and Chelsea at Emirates Stadium on August 01, 2021 in London, England. (Photo by Chloe Knott – Danehouse/Getty Images)</p> </div> </div> <h2><strong>4. Who Will be Our Starting Right-Back?</strong></h2> <p>It’s no secret that full-backs have become an increasingly important part of modern football as the sport has evolved. Fortunately, we are well covered on the left-hand side with the dependable Tierney and now Nuno Tavares to back him up; yet the right-back position still needs some figuring out.</p> <p>Hector Bellerin is coming off a poor season, and has somewhat surprisingly been a rumoured target of Inter. It’s since emerged that Arsenal have offered him a new deal this summer, although there is no feasible way that is genuine and can only be negotiation tactics. Right?</p> <p>Meanwhile Cedric is<em> fine</em> as a backup, but doesn’t offer enough to be a starter for a team with our aspirations.</p> <p>And then there is Calum Chambers, who ended the season in very solid form and should expect to start at Brentford. Will Arteta trust him as our primary option going forward, or does he want a different type of player there, perhaps someone with more pace?</p> <p>This will be one to keep an eye on in the coming weeks, particularly if Bellerin is sold.</p> <p>So there you have it, clearly there is a great deal of business still to be done, and the Arsenal hierarchy have their work cut out for them. After back-to-back seasons of finishing in eighth, let’s hope they get it right and provide Arteta with the tools he needs to take this club forward.</p> <div class="fs-shortcode" data-type="StoryLink" data-theme="dark" data-text="Player ratings vs Chelsea" data-url="https://paininthearsenal.com/2021/08/01/arsenal-player-ratings-vs-chelsea-3/" data-call-to-action="Next"> <div class="story-link-next"> <a class="story-link-next-btn" style="background: #c01f2f" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="story-link-next-shortcode" href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2021/08/02/transfer-window-4-big-questions-arsenal/2/"https://paininthearsenal.com/2021/08/01/arsenal-player-ratings-vs-chelsea-3/"> <span class="call_to_action">Next:</span> Player ratings vs Chelsea </a> </div> </div> <p>If not, then next year’s All or Nothing documentary could be a painful viewing for Arsenal fans around the world.</p><!—pageview_candidate—>">