Arsenal’s summer transfer business has yet to hit top gear as preparations continue for the defence of their first Premier League title in 22 years. The only senior addition to Mikel Arteta’s squad so far is Ecuador international Piero Hincapie, who put pen to paper on a £34.5m move from Bayer Leverkusen after a successful loan spell last season.
But with the first wave of players due back at the Sobha Realty Training Centre next week for pre-season, activity is expected to accelerate. Sporting director Andrea Berta looks to make the most of a reported £250m transfer budget, with several arrivals and departures anticipated over the coming weeks.
“Arsenal have only made one signing despite a £250m budget, as they eye Barcola.”
A new left winger and central midfielder remain Arsenal’s priority targets as Arteta looks to go back-to-back in the Premier League and one step further in the Champions League. The Gunners have been linked with a host of eye-catching names in those positions, including Morgan Rogers, Rafael Leao, Bruno Guimaraes and Ayyoub Bouaddi.
One of the biggest names linked with a move is Paris Saint-Germain star Bradley Barcola. The 23-year-old, currently representing France in the closing stages of the FIFA World Cup, reportedly informed the French giants earlier this month of his desire to leave. But Arsenal’s hopes of landing the winger appear to have been dented after French legend Marcel Desailly urged Barcola to stay put.
Speaking to Sportcasting, the former Chelsea defender said: “Barcola doesn’t need to leave PSG. He’s too young. He’s only 23 years old. Didier Deschamps is teaching him a lesson, and he’s giving him a chance.” He added: “He’s young – the attention and defensive alertness isn’t there to match the speed he projects when he’s going forward. He wasn’t making the effort to get back into position.
“So he’s growing, he’s learning and he’s getting that winning mentality on both sides of the game – being available for the team structurally without the ball while also being the one who makes the difference, just as the older players are doing.”
With Leandro Trossard expected to depart north London for Besiktas and Gabriel Martinelli managing just one league goal last season, Arsenal are firmly in the market for a new left-winger. The coming weeks will determine whether the champions can turn their substantial budget into the signings needed to sustain their success.