The middle of February is a great time for football fans, as it signals the beginning of the Champions League knockout stages which showcases the best players on the biggest stage.
Unfortunately for Arsenal, Mikel Arteta will not be leading his team out before the famous anthem, but he will still be keeping a close eye on the proceedings.
The Gunners are set for major recruitment in the summer, as The Sun claims that Stan Kroenke is ready to splash £180m on new signings.
These new signings could be decided on the Champions League performances by some of the players the Gunners have been linked with, and The Arsenal Way looks at four players that Edu and Arteta will certainly be keeping an eye on once the knockout stages commence
Jonathan David
Jonathan David has a wonderful chance to prove that he is ready for the Premier League after the round of 16 UEFA Champions League drew saw Lille against Chelsea.
Arsenal have been heavily linked to the young striker in order to solve an emerging striker crisis brewing at the north London club.
The two matches against Chelsea in the Round of 16 in the Champions League will be the perfect opportunity for the Gunners’ to see how David fares against one of the best teams in the Premier League
In this campaign, he already has 12 goals in Ligue 1 which is the highest in a league that boasts the likes of Kylian Mbappe and Lionel Messi.
David could cost around £47 million if reports are to be believed, and he could justify this price tag by putting in excellent performances against Chelsea.
Renato Sanches
Renato Sanches will be teaming up with David for Lille as they play Chelsea in the round of 16 of the Champions League.
The Lille midfielder has on the best ball-carrying tendencies in Europe highlighting his confidence and bravery to turn defence into attack in a swift manner.
And the player himself confirmed that Arsenal could be his destination, as Speaking to L’Equipe, Sanches said: “Maybe Milan and Arsenal are interested but I don’t know. I spoke with my agent, I know which clubs are calling me but I can’t say right now. But I know I’m ready. If an offer comes in, I’ll find out what’s best for me.”
The intrigue at a potential deal is also reciprocated as Arsenal are 'very interested' in signing the Lille midfielder, according to recent reports.
French outlet Le10sport claims that the Gunners have made their interest in Sanches known to the player, the club, and his representatives.
Two excellent displays against Chelsea will certainly Edu the incentive to push for a transfer.
Antony
Arsenal have been linked with many players from Ajax, but in particular, Antony is a player who has caught the club’s attention in the past, and it is an avenue Edu could revisit with a strong performance in the Champions League.
The Gunners first registered their interest in the young Brazilian before he signed for the Dutch side Ajax, when he was a player at Sau Paulo.
Antony played 37 games for Sao Paulo and scored four goals, whilst providing six assists, but it has been his performances in Europe that have attracted the attention of the biggest clubs around the continent, as he has been a regular starter for Ajax
The Brazilian is set to kick off his Champions League knockout stage campaign against Benfica, which will give Edu an excellent opportunity further study his talents.
Serge Gnabry
Arsenal fans will already be familiar with Gnabry due to his time with the Gunners but he has another chance to give fans a reminder about what a quality player he is.
According to German outlet Bild , Gnabry and his representatives are demanding £12.5m-a-year in wages to sign a new contract, but Bayern have yet to agree to these terms, which has put talks currently on hold.
The German winger still has a lot of admiration for Arsenal club, which was proven with a tweet claiming that London is Arsenal’s after Gnabry’s Bayern Munich side dismantled Tottenham in the Champions 7-2 in 2019.
Bayern are set to play RB Salzburg, and excellent performances over two legs could force Edu into seriously exploring his contract struggles and taking advantage in an attempt to bring him back to the Emirates.
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