Five players that could make Arsenal serious title contenders once again.
Iker Casillas – Real Madrid
The Real Madrid legend still can’t force his way back into the starting XI after a year-and-a-half of being relegated to cup duty and he has now conceded that his time at the club may finally be up. With the Gunners set to lose Lukasz Fabianski at the end of the season, Arsene Wenger will undoubtedly be in the market for a new goalkeeper. However, he may well decide to go all out for a genuine number one rather than sign a backup to Wojciech Szcz?sny. Madrid could be tempted to sell at the right price, and Arsenal could hardly do any better than bringing the 32-year-old on board.
Serge Aurier – Toulouse
With Bacary Sagna no nearer to putting pen-to-paper on a contract extension it’s time Wenger began looking for a suitable replacement. Reports in both England and France are already claiming that they have found one in Serge Aurier, the powerful Toulouse full-back. Equally capable of defending as well as he attacks, the 21-year-old is known for bambing down the right flank and terrorising his opposite number. He would be a welcome addition to the squad whose physical attributes would suit the Premier League, meaning that it wouldn’t take long for him to bed in and get up to speed with the English game.
Fernando – Porto
The Brazilian is Porto’s rock in the centre of midfield and though Manchester City have been heavily linked with a move for him this summer there is still scope for Arsenal to steal in and make him their own. The Gunners are still in desperate need of a true defensive midfielder, as they have dropped far too many points this term thanks to their lack of a ball winner sitting in front of the back line. A starring role in Arsenal’s midfield may also help him force his way into the Brazil squad for the Copa America next year.
Diego Costa – Atletico Madrid
It’s fair to say that Costa is just about the hottest property on the market at the moment and whoever is lucky enough to have him in their shirt next season will have pulled off a minor miracle. Chelsea are still being tipped as favourites to land his signature, but his future is still not a foregone conclusion and if Wenger is able to stump up enough cash then he has everything else at his disposal to make the Gunners the more attractive offer.
Jackson Martinez – Porto
Strikers will be the main focus of Wenger’s transfer window as both Nicklas Bendtner and Olivier Giroud look to be on their way out and the manager will know enough this time to realise that having a lightweight strike force isn;t going to get you anywhere. If he can land just one of these two world class strikers then he will already be ten times better off than he is now.