With the transfer market about to begin, Arsenal has a lot of work to do this summer. Next season, European football will return to the Emirates, and the Gunners will need to increase their depth.
Following Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s January departure, Mikel Arteta faces a number of major decisions this season. Before joining Barcelona, the Gabonese international was stripped of his armband in December and his contract was ended the following month.
Alexandre Lacazette was given the job until the end of the season, although he is expected to leave on a free transfer this summer. Since then, there has been much discussion about who should be named captain, with Martin Odegaard being considered a front-runner and goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale is pleased with the choice.
“If you give the armband to someone, it can go one of two ways: you either feel the pressure of the team and football club, or it gives you a boost that it gives you an opportunity to lead from the front,” he explained on the Seaman Says Podcast. “As much as I’ve laughed about Martin in interviews, he was at Real Madrid when he was 16-17, he’s seen all of the top players in the world, he’s the captain of his country, and for a 22-year-old, he’s done everything you can in a short period of time.”
“He’s a really calm person; he’s not the most outspoken, but you don’t always need your captain to be the most outspoken; you may have three or four other leaders who are. You may have two or three vocal leaders who perform – for him, the opportunity to wear the armband was a dream come true. I have no objections to him serving as our captain.”
