Building a Competitive Squad: Arsenal’s Must-Buy and Sell Moves for the New Season

The pain we Arsenal fans have to endure during the transfer season is difficult.

It often gives other clubs the impression that we consistently make lowball offers or prefer to pay in instalments.

Witnessing the club make an opening bid for Rice, only to anticipate the inevitable rejection, feels like a familiar dance.

On my wishlist this time, I have several players in mind: Rice, Caicedo, Sacha Boey, Vlahovic/Hojlund. Bonus: Gundogan, Romeo Lavia (DM from Southampton), and Robin Koch (CB from Leeds).

Declan Rice, capable of playing as a defensive midfielder, possesses the athleticism of Aaron Ramsey and the engine of Vieira. His addition would improve Arsenal’s midfield processes and provide fortification. Although he may not be as progressive as Prime Partey, he could potentially succeed him as Partey is considerably older and not often considered for leadership roles. Rice, being a young leader, would be an upgrade in that aspect. He still has a good 5-7 years left in his career.

Caicedo is the Makélélé of the current generation, a cultured pitbull with sturdy legs. He sniffs around for opportunity to launch tackles to dispossess opponents. Additionally, he has the ability to slide into the Right-Back role, becoming an Inverted Right-Back like Zinchenko. At just 21 years old, he has a promising future ahead of him.

Sacha Boey is an impressive player based on YouTube evidence. He confidently runs at opponents and skillfully nutmegs those charging at him. He represents a significant upgrade from Cedric in terms of build and athleticism. Boey could serve as a backup with potential to grow into the Right-Back role, especially when Saliba or White is unavailable. He may even be able to play as a winger. At 23 years old, he is maturing well and could offer around five years of quality service.

Regarding the striker position, instead of discussing Vlahovic and Hojlund individually, it is essential to focus on the qualities we need. We require a striker who can trouble defenses simply by being near them. This would create space for our midfielders to advance. Ideally, we need a combination of Giroud’s link-up play, Drogba’s towering headers, Haaland’s speed, Carzola’s two-footedness, and Lukaku’s ability to roll defenders in both directions to create shooting opportunities while facing away from the goal. Additionally, it is crucial for the striker to be receptive to Arteta, similar to Rob Holding. However, finding such Mythical Creature within a budget of around 40 million seems like a challenging task.

Bonus!!

Gundogan would bring ready-made leadership to the team. With his maturity, he should be able to seamlessly fit in. However, it is important to ensure that his wages are not excessive. While having him would be good, it is not essential if we retain Jorginho.

Romeo Lavia, a solid defensive midfielder, could be a valuable investment for the future. Southampton’s relegation presents an opportunity to acquire him. He displays fiery play on the ball, unlike Lokonga, and is proactive in making tackles, a quality desired in a defensive midfielder. Despite playing centrally, Lavia shows an ability to identify spaces to run into. With proper care and coaching from Arteta, this 19-year-old has the potential to become a reliable player in the future.

Robin Koch, a 26-year-old right-sided center-back from Leeds, reportedly has a relegation release clause. His versatility is appealing since he can also play as a defensive midfielder. Upgrading from Rob Holding seems overdue, and Koch could be the solution. However, if Kiwior continues to perform as he did in the last few games, we may not need Koch after all.

With these additions, we would be well-equipped for the 2023/2024 season and ready for a new adventure.

In terms of players to sell/loan out, I propose Lokonga, Cedric, Pepe, Holding, ESR, Elneny, Xhaka, Nketiah, Nelson, Tavares, Mari, AMN, and Balogun.

COYG!!