Arsenal won titles and broke records by making some of the best transfer decisions in footballing history. Not only taking underperforming future stars like Thierry Henry and Dennis Bergkamp and fulfilling their potential but signing players like Sol Campbell from their fierce rivals.
Arsenal have lacked this ruthless edge in their recruitment in recent times. In fact, the players signed from fellow Premier League clubs have been underwhelming and sometimes regressive for the squad. Mikaël Silvestre anyone?
However, things have started to change of late. In 2021, Mikel Arteta and Edu collaborated to rebalance the squad and in doing so reassessed the targeting of possible singings.
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Ben White and Aaron Ramsdale, who were key components of their respective Premier League sides Brighton and Sheffield United in the 2020/21 season were brought in. These were the first signings made from an EPL rival that were not deemed surplus to requirements when they joined.
Cedric Soares, Willian, Petr Cech, Danny Welbeck and David Luiz were all considered expendable to Southampton, Chelsea and Manchester United. Brighton and Sheffield United did not want to lose their stars and made the Gunners spend big to get them.
This season though it has paid off as White and Ramsdale have elevated the positions they occupied in the squad. Becoming part of the fabric of Arsenal’s top-four challenge.
This summer the strategy looks to continue in the same vein but on an even higher level. Arsenal are linked with Premier League stars fighting not only in the top half of the table but for the title.
Manchester City pair Gabriel Jesus and Raheem Sterling have found themselves tipped with interest from Arsenal. It is the understanding of football.london that the former is on Arteta’s shortlist whilst the Telegraph have reported Arsenal's possibility of exploring a deal for Sterling.
Both have started regularly for Pep Guardiola’s side and aided both their Premier League and Champions League ambitions. Signing one or both of the City stars would show a serious level of intent from the Gunners.
Leicester City midfield fulcrum Youri Tielemans is also a subject of serious interest. CBS Sports’ Ben Jacobs claims that should the Gunners meet the Belgian’s requirement of Champions League football a deal is very possible with talks having taken place since January.
These types of moves for Premier League rivals of Arsenal hark back to the significance of a player like Sol Campbell. The England international’s arrival built upon the growing dominance alongside Manchester United in the Premier League and pushed the Gunners onto the 2002 double-winning season and the Invincibles league win in 2004. A Champions League final followed two years later.
Whilst the arrivals of Sterling, Jesus or Tielemans might not elevate Arsenal to that level yet, they would certainly push the club in the direction of chasing a route back to that tier. These are the signings that Arsenal have needed for some time, and it is massively encouraging to see them linked ahead of what needs to be a summer prioritising levelling up the squad.
