‘I still want to join them’: “World-class” Arsenal target wants to join even if they don’t win Premier League
Arsenal’s unexpected title push has seen them leapfrog Liverpool, Chelsea and Tottenham in terms of Premier League status.
The incredible campaign also transforms their business opportunities and opens them up to a tier of players they previously would not have been likely to recruit.
But how do Arsenal keep pushing forward and does it make any difference on the transfer front whether they actually win the league or not? In financial terms it should not make much difference. In the 2021/22 season Manchester City’s title winning prize money was £161.3million – that’s only £1.5million more than second-placed Liverpool picked up.
What does impact is their standing in the game. Two years ago the Gunners had no idea which level they should be shopping at but as champions of England you have a very unique selling point. As a contender that falls away, the lure is not quite so good, but it is still a big rise with that Champions League attachment.
What we know at this stage is that Arsenal’s intent is to sign at least three first-team players that can influence the starting XI. Beyond that, there are possibilities for a couple more, yet there is also going to be a sense of caution about bringing in too many new faces and affecting the balance and vision of the current squad.
What is Arsenal’s transfer priority?
It will come as no surprise that Declan Rice is a priority case for Arsenal to address and indications are that he is very open to the transfer even if they do not clinch the title.
Sources say he has been very impressed by what Mikel Arteta has managed to do and that at his current level he has strong belief in his own ability to carve a role in the side.
Rice, recently described as “world-class” by talkSPORT’s Adrian Durham, prefers the idea of staying in London when he leaves West Ham, although we have to bear in mind that if Manchester City come knocking he would not turn that down simply because it is 220 miles from where he currently lives. Everything will be based on projections and expectations set out to him. If the 24-year-old is to leave his beloved West Ham, it has to be a move that fulfils his full potential and Arsenal have been doing good work at selling him that vision with journalist Paul Brown recently telling GMS that the Gunners would be willing to pay £80m for the England star.
Which other positions will Arsenal look at?
The next area of focus is the situation at centre back. Arsenal do not currently have the depth chart in this position that a team competing for the Premier League would usually have, but that is not a criticism because the squad have exceeded all expectations with this charge that has come at least one season sooner than projected.
There are obvious concerns about Rob Holding having to play key matches such as the one at Manchester City where he was given a torrid time by the Kevin De Bruyne-Erling Haaland combination and in light of that Arsenal will look at signing a player from within the Premier League that is excelling yet still has room for growth.
Crystal Palace’s Marc Guehi is a very interesting option in this sense. The 22-year-old has represented England at every level, displaying his pedigree as a top level player, and scouts have been closely documenting the data and personality traits he has been producing at Selhurst Park. It should be made clear that Palace do not want to lose him in any sense and have him under contracted until 2026, so any Arsenal offer is going to have to reflect his age, growth potential, contract status and also add a premium that comes with pretty much any England player. In short, he will not be cheap.
Do Arsenal need to add to their forward line?
The third crucial cog is how they add to the attacking line. It is fair to say the club are considering two types of player here – a wide forward as well as a central player – and it is not beyond reality they could end up signing with types if things go well in the summer window.
Bukayo Saka has been pretty much irreplaceable this season while Gabriel Martinelli has had to share more minutes since Leandro Trossard joined from Brighton. In the centre of attack, Arsenal are going to carefully consider whether they could get by again without Gabriel Jesus. His injury break did not prove too detrimental this season but the option of finding a player who can help out in the 9 position is a big one to consider.
The rumours reach wide and far but Barcelona’s Raphinha, Bayer Leverkusen’s Moussa Diaby, Crystal Palace’s Wilfried Zaha have all piqued their interest and that gives us an early idea of how they might add. A huge game with Newcastle at the weekend is their latest test in terms of title credentials but whatever happens, Arsenal fans can take encouragement from the fact their club have no intentions to stand still.
