When Edue left Arsenal, I have to admit – I thought it signalled the start of a stale period for the club. An individual who has been so instrumental to the club’s improvement over the last few years, he and manager Mikel Arteta appeared to make a good team.
Upon leaving, I thought that he had simply lost faith in the project, but now I think it’s maybe because he felt he had taken the club as far as he could go. Yes, he was crucial to the club’s talent acquisition strategy but there were a few glaring questions that were left unanswered.
How weren’t Arsenal able to sign a quality central striker upgrade on Gabriel Jesus and where was the central midfield, Patrick Vieira-like figure they have been crying out for since the former captain left? Surely, had he brought these in, they would have delivered that long-awaited Premier League title?
Berta The Upgrade To Finally Help Arsenal To Success
After Berta’s arrival, it seems everyone in the football media has suddenly changed their mind about Arsenal, sparking rumours that it could be the start of a revival and move the club to the next level.
To those in the know, Berta is a formidable, yet quiet character in the sport, being an almost invisible, yet effective part of Atletico Madrid’s success over the last decade; key to their signings and known as a tough negotiator. He also arrives in North London with a contact book that could be key to Arsenal’s future transfer windows.
It is what might happen this summer though that has got Gunners fans clamouring. Arteta has already intimated that this will be a big summer and I’m inclined to agree. It is well documented that there are two or three positions where the club needs surgery, but I have a feeling that six or seven could arrive.
Certainly two in the forward positions, one being through the middle – the need for a Bukayo Saka backup is well documented but I’m feeling, especially with links to talented Spain winger Nico Williams (who plays on the left), we could see three new attackers arrive.
Martin Zubimendi is another player Arsenal have been long linked with having reportedly tried to sign him last summer and it appears that Berta has expedited talks since his arrival, with the Real Sociedad holding midfielder likely to be a long-term replacement for Thomas Partey.
Who Could Arrive At The Emirates This Summer?
To see both Williams and Zubimendi at Arsenal would mean they definitely walk into the starting lineup and I think upgrades the team straight away.
It’s interesting that since Berta has got to Arsenal that links to Sporting Lisbon’s prolific hitman Viktor Gyokeres have been revived and for me, he’s a huge upgrade on what they have and in him, they would have their own Erling Haaland.
I’m pretty sure noone is coming in to replace Saka automatically on the right, but there have been links to a few players that Berta may well have his eye on.
One that I find intriguing and which I think would be a massive signing as a required rotation option is Bayern Munich’s Leroy Sane – and on a free with his contract soon to expire. For me, it’s a no-brainer – he’s still only 29, knows the Premier League and Arteta knows him from Manchester City when he was Pep Guardiola’s number two.
I’ve heard left-back is another position the club are supposedly looking at with the future’s of Kieran Tierney and Olexandr Zinchenko seemingly up in the air, though both Riccardo Califiori (who can also play at centre-back) and Myles Lewis-Skelly are more than capable.
The position I’d be more worried about is at centre-back and having a quality back-up for both Gabriel and William Saliba, who can also be rotated. Bournemouth’s Dean Huijsen has had a breakout season and could materialise into a target for Berta and would be a great option.
A back-up goalkeeper is another that’s said to be in the works and Espanyol’s Joan Garcia is supposedly being tracked. I would probably say another central midfielder is possible as well. Along with Partey, the future of Jorginho is in doubt and recent links have suggested Valencia talent Javi Guerro may be a target.
If you can, have a punt on Arsenal for next season’s Premier League title as soon as the odds become available, which could be before any deals are announced. I’m pretty certain their price will drop if the club lands each of these.