Mikel Arteta has identified central midfield as an area for improvement this summer.
With a forgettable Premier League already being concluded, Arsenal turns their attention towards the FA Cup final, perhaps the most essential 90 minutes of their 2019/20 campaign, as they face cross-town rivals, Chelsea, on Saturday.
Lifting the FA Cup would mean entry into Europe’s secondary club competition, Europa League, for Mikel Arteta’s men. Considering the tight purses with which Arsenal operate in the transfer windows, some additional funds would certainly be welcomed when a major rebuild is on the horizon.
Despite the uncertain European fate, Mikel Arteta has set out a clear plan for the transfer market – where midfield has been identified as a priority – as Arsenal take nimble steps to climb up the Premier League table.
To materialise the midfield shakeup this summer, the Gunners hierarchy have been in multiple dialogues to conclude a few deals for their targets, mainly Thomas Partey and Dani Ceballos. Amid the talks, Arsenal have been presented an opportunity to sign a former Premier League star.
Arsenal and Chelsea meet in the #FACup final - but which team has the best manager? 👨💼
— GOAL (@goal) July 31, 2020
As per reports from The Independent, Barcelona have offered attacking midfielder Philippe Coutinho in exchange of Arsenal’s Matteo Guendouzi and an additional payment of £9m. The Brazil international has failed to succeed at the Camp Nou since a high-profile transfer from Liverpool in 2018.
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Tottenham Hotspur have been in the mix too, but Arsenal’s player exchange offer puts them ahead in the race, currently. Also, the deal could fall through with the Gunners having discussions with Juventus over a potential player swap involving Guendouzi. It would be interesting how the London club manages Coutinho’s prospective £200,000 weekly wages.
"The Emirates hierarchy are currently weighing up multiple options as they seek to reshape Mikel Arteta’s squad this summer, with some of that dependent on whether they qualify for the Europa League out of Saturday’s FA Cup final. Winning it will significantly add to Arsenal’s budget. (Miguel Delaney, The Independent)"
Barcelona’s keen on clearing their wage accounts this summer. The Catalan club looks for financial bailouts to pare their losses incurred due to the pandemic. As things stand, Azulgranas are looking to sever their ties with expensive flops Philippe Coutinho and Ousmane Dembele.
From Arsenal’s perspective, this transfer could be a feasible option with an uncertainty hovering over Dani Ceballos’ future and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang yet to commit his future to the club. Coutinho could be a marquee presence in the Gunners’ squad should the Gabon international choose to leave London in the coming months.
It looks like Philippe Coutinho could finally resurrect his career after a failed move worth £142m to Catalonia, including a temporary spell with Bayern Munich. A switch back to the familiar territory of the English Premier League might be the best option for the 28-year-old, with a prospect of being Arsenal’s centrepiece.