As the season draws to a close, Arsenal’s attention has turned to the summer transfer market. However, signings can be agreed before even the window opens with the end of the campaign marking the end of some player’s contracts with their clubs.
Arsenal have a lot of needs for quality in the window with primary targets like Moises Caicedo and Declan Rice expected to cost huge sums. Therefore, adding quality whilst saving money will be very beneficial to the club.
With that in mind football.london takes a look at the top five free signings that Arsenal can secure this summer to bolster their Champions League ambitions for next season. All options have to take into account their age profile, style and situation.
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Raphael Guerreiro
We’ve discussed Raphael Guerreiro before and I see the Portuguese international as a genuine option to replace Kieran Tierney should he leave this summer. Having won the Bundesliga Player of the Month for March playing in centre-midfield, the natural left-back has demonstrated his ability to play internally; something Mikel Arteta has loved from Oleksandr Zinchenko.
At 29, Guerreiro offers experience and potentially title-winning characteristics should Borussia Dortmund win their final game of the season. Five goals and fourteen assists this season highlight just valuable an asset he could be and cost nothing in terms of a fee.
Daichi Kamada
Arsenal have already been linked with Mason Mount and football.london understands there is a keenness to bring in a more creative midfielder this summer. Daichi Kamada has been an impressive figure in the Bundesliga and helped Frankfurt to a Europa League title too.
The Japanese international attacking midfielder has played centrally and on the left and if Emile Smith Rowe is to move on, Kamada could be a good cost-efficient replacement. The 26-year-old has 16 goals and 6 assists this season for Frankfurt in 45 and sports a very good clean bill of health besides missing the odd game. AC Milan are interested and so Arsenal would need to move fast.
Marco Asensio
Marco Asensio, who arrived in Madrid from Mallorca, became something of a prodigy at Los Blancos. His loan to Espanyol where he racked up 15 assists in the season as a 20-year-old earned him a place in Zinedine Zidane’s squad where he’d score some amazing goals in huge moments like the Champions League final and Super Cup.
His versatility to play attacking midfield or on either flank is a great asset and he’s still a goalscoring midfielder first after transitioning from the frequent creator he was as a youngster. He’d add quality depth and greater competition to the right flank more so than Reiss Nelson should he leave on a free.
Youri Tielemans
Linked with Arsenal before, football.london understood last summer that Edu Gaspar was willing to wait until 2023 to make a move due to the price tag being asked for by Leicester at the time. It’s also allowed for greater evaluation of the player whose had struggles in the Foxes season which currently looks to be ending in relegation.
Whilst the Belgian is not at the top of the list of centre-midfielders any more, with Granit Xhaka likely to leave, adding further reinforcement to the likes of Rice, should he sign, will be important as to address the depth issue in the side.
Evan Ndicka
Lastly is Evan Ndicka, another Frankfurt player but this time a left-sided centre-half. With Gabriel Magalhães and now Jakub Kiwior in the side perhaps there is far less of a need for the Frenchman.
However, Kiwior is yet to fully convince and the Pole’s versatility to play left-back, right-sided centre-back and even defensive midfield could see him more of a left-sided Takehiro Tomiyasu for the squad. Ndicka could provide Gabriel with more specialised competition and reprieve through rotation and become a sellable asset being just 23.
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