Arsenal’s summer was supposed to be straightforward. Win the league, back Mikel Arteta, and build a squad capable of retaining the title and conquering Europe. Simple, right?
Not quite.
Martin Keown, the former Arsenal defender turned pundit, recently outlined three positions the Gunners need to strengthen before the new season kicks off. Speaking to TalkSport, Keown was direct:
“I think Arsenal need another midfield player, someone who can control things. I think they need a left winger. You could say, they might go into the transfer market for a striker, I wouldn’t put it past them.”
He’s not wrong. But what’s happened since makes his comments even more urgent — and more complicated.
One Down, Two (or Three) to Go
The left wing spot? Arsenal have already addressed it. Leandro Trossard’s departure to Besiktas left a gap, and the club moved quickly for Christos Tzolis. According to Sky Sports, the Gunners agreed a £34m deal with Club Brugge — a Belgian Pro League record. Fabrizio Romano confirmed the 24-year-old Greek international “only wanted Arsenal,” turning down other suitors.
Tzolis brings pace, directness, and productivity. He registered 17 goals and 23 assists in 36 league appearances for Brugge last season. That’s encouraging, though he’ll face a steep jump in quality.
It’s the other two positions Keown highlighted — midfield and attack — where things get trickier.
Arsenal’s top attacking target was Morgan Rogers. The Athletic’s James McNicholas reported that Arteta led a personal charm offensive to bring the Aston Villa star to the Emirates. But Arsenal weren’t willing to exceed £80m. Chelsea offered £117m, and Rogers chose Stamford Bridge. That’s a setback, no question.
The Gunners now need a Plan B. David Ornstein has reported that Julian Alvarez, Junior Kroupi, and Bradley Barcola are all on Arsenal’s radar. Each would bring something different:
- Alvarez offers World Cup pedigree and positional versatility but would likely require a massive fee from Atletico Madrid.
- Kroupi, the Bournemouth forward, helped hand Arsenal the title last season with a crucial goal against Manchester City.
- Barcola, the PSG winger, is also attracting interest from Liverpool.
The Midfield Chase and Saliba’s Curveball
In midfield, Arsenal’s pursuit of Bruno Guimaraes has been football’s worst-kept secret. According to Yahoo Sports, formal talks with Newcastle are expected this week, with Arteta identifying the Brazilian as his top midfield target. Concerns over Declan Rice’s fitness and Martin Zubimendi’s inconsistent second half of last season have made this move feel necessary rather than optional.
But there’s a problem Keown couldn’t have foreseen when he made his comments.
William Saliba suffered a back fracture during France’s World Cup semi-final loss to Spain. Reports from L’Equipe suggest the 25-year-old could face four to five months on the sidelines if surgery is required. CaughtOffside reports that Arsenal are now exploring moves for Aston Villa’s Ezri Konsa and West Ham’s Konstantinos Mavropanos.
That’s a fourth position of need that nobody planned for. And it could force Arsenal to sacrifice — or at least delay — part of their original transfer strategy.
A football.london analysis raised the possibility that the Guimaraes pursuit might be paused to fund a centre-back signing. That would be a painful trade-off for a club that won the league and reached the Champions League final last season.
Keown’s three-position wishlist was spot on. But the reality is Arsenal may now need four signings, and the clock is ticking. The window doesn’t wait for anyone — not even the Premier League champions.
Arteta and sporting director Andrea Berta have built one of the strongest squads in European football. The question now isn’t whether they can attract top talent. It’s whether they can solve four puzzles at once without overpaying or settling.
If last summer taught us anything, it’s that Arsenal don’t panic buy. They’ll need that discipline more than ever in the weeks ahead.
