Arsenal has a hectic summer transfer window ahead of them. The North London club is now in fourth place in the Premier League, two points ahead of fifth-placed Tottenham Hotspur, whom they will face later this month.
If Mikel Arteta’s side can finish above Spurs, they will qualify for the UEFA Champions League next season, a competition they have failed to qualify for in each of the previous five years.
The Gunners are keen to acquire at least one forward, a central midfielder, and a backup full-back at the end of the current campaign, according to Sports Deputy.
Arsenal are interested in Monaco midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni as well as Bayern Munich winger Serge Gnabry, who formerly played at the Emirates Stadium, according to transfer analyst Gianluca Di Marzio.
Manchester City striker Gabriel Jesus is also on the club’s transfer shortlist, according to Sports Deputy, with a £35 million deal expected to be enough to sign the Brazilian this summer, and technical director Edu has spoken with the player’s agent in recent months. Meanwhile, the CIES Football Observatory estimates Gnabry and Tchouameni’s total value to be between €90 million and €120 million (£75 million and £100 million).
The Gunners may not be able to sign all three rumoured targets this summer, but in the event that they do, Sports Deputy looks at how they could line up with the three highly coveted players.
The 4-3-3 system
Arteta has chosen to use a 4-3-3 system since the turn of the year, with Thomas Partey at the base of midfield and Granit Xhaka and Martin Odegaard farther forward in the number eight roles. This has provided the Gunners a more balanced midfield while also making them more threatening in transition, resulting in more goals.
Tchouameni’s adaptability is one of his many assets, and depending on the fitness and availability of the injury-prone Thomas Partey, the French international may easily step into the no.6 or no.8 role. Gnabry, Jesus, and Bukayo Saka form a front three that provides an uncommon combination of goal threat, ball retention, and counter-attacking speed.
Midfield pivot
Arteta has also used a double pivot in midfield on few occasions, a position in which Xhaka shines. The importance of rotating the midfield next season will be critical, especially given Partey’s fitness difficulties.
A midfield duo of Xhaka and Tchouameni provides stability and ball movement, and might be a strong option against other top-six sides. This season in Ligue 1, the young Frenchman has posted exceptional defensive figures, averaging 3.08 tackles and 3.38 interceptions per 90 minutes.
When you add in his passing abilities (5.65 progressive passes per 90), it’s easy to see why Real Madrid and Liverpool are supposedly interested in him. Gnabry and Saka as inverted wide forwards makes a lot of sense because they both like to cut in and shoot with their strong foot, while Jesus can drop deep and bring others into play.
