Arsenal fans will be hoping that their transfer business isn’t quite done yet this summer, but it would be a surprise to see them move for another attacking player.
They already have Willian, Lacazette, Pepe, Saka, Martinelli, Aubameyang and Nketiah to play in the attacking roles ahead of next season, but a report from Football Insider has suggested that West Ham winger Felipe Anderson has emerged as a target.
He’s a Brazilian international and he was highly rated at Lazio so it was a surprise when he left for West Ham, while you do wonder if he might be more suited to playing for a bigger club.
The report claims that West Ham paid up to £42m to sign him so they are looking to recoup as much of that as possible, so it’s not going to be a cheap operation for Arsenal.
READ MORE: Man City may need to depend on Arsenal making a financial sacrifice in order to sign a key target
When you consider they they still need a holding midfielder it would be a shock to see them sign Anderson unless someone like Lacazette moved on, but he could be an exciting signing.
He’s got pace and he can play on either side of the attack, while he also has the quality to unlock a defence and produce something out of nothing.
It’s one of those strange reports that’s so surprising you almost start to wonder if there is something in it, but it does look like someone would need to leave The Emirates first.
Another Brazilian Edu? We are becoming a dumping ground for your old has been mates.. Enuff already
May carry some truth to it.
Arsenal are in need of a left sided midfield. We have been linked to Aouar, Coutinho and Szoboslai, any of whom will balance out Ceballos if he returns on loan and provide a very fluid two prong front ahead of the DM or likely Granit (deep lying playmaker)
…either of the front two midfielders can drop to cover wiht Granit or stay up and provide more forward presence, press higher which is Arteta(Pep’s…Dutch) style.
We know Aouar cost (although with Lyon, its unpredictable – Worth noting last summer Arsenal committed early on an over priced Pepe that still cost 16m each summer to their transfer kitty where Lyon overplayed their hand with Liverpool which eventually called their bluff on Fekir who eventually went for a paltry 20m + to Betis)
OTOH Arsenal also in pursuit of another unicorn signing at DM in Partey with Atheltico likely holding on price.
IMO Arsenal can only afford one unicorn signing either at LCM or at DM.
This is permutated by how much they can likely raise in market without detriment to squad quality.
1) One of the strikers will go. current noise is on Laca (and I hope Arteta is right that Auba will re-sign bc if not Arsenal will have a bigger issue having already put Laca on market)
Either will fetch (Hopefully) 30-40m ball park. This is the big ticket sale item.
2) Prob they will also have to relinquish one of Bellerin or one of the keepers (either of Leno or Martinez). at 25-30m mark. Of the two options, IMO Bellerin is more important to squad with AMN and Soares still unproven over sustained season where keepers, Arsenal has good back up wiating on wings in Macey and Iliev both experienced.
3) Peripherial players. They need to fetch 40m combine. This is from Sokratis, Mustafi, (maybe Chambers), holding, Kolasinac, Torreira, Elneny and Balogun.
They are struggling to fetch price in part the transfer team led by Edu is inexperience fighting on so many fronts…but Torreira rumoured to be on verge of 22m (structured) move with initial 6m good enough. Then its a question of another 18m from say 3-5m for Balogun, and possibly 15m for Kolasinac (Italian clubs showing some interest beyond Schalke who prefer to pay nothing)
If edu and team can raise combine 110m from these sales, they will have money to fund :
1) Magalhes at mid 20m
2) Pepe and Saliba commitments not to mention Mari/Soures recent fees and loans for Ceballos and Willian (whom I feel is exorbitant business wise considering age /salary and 3 year deal)
3) The they can spend on following permutations :
Felipe Anderson on loan for 5m (proviso back end commitment is reasonable) and then invest in Partey
or
Aouar (proviso Lyon can be pushed to lower to sub 40m mark) and then say a cheaper option in DM instead of unicorn signing with say a loan for Khedira (Or Javi Martinezor busquest) for a year.
Or maybe
Szoboslai or Coutinho for mid 20m and mid 20m Diawara
Or say
Felipie Anderson for 5m loan and 20m Diawara and mid 20m for a striker (particularly if Laca is sold instead of Auba) in say Dembele (If Lyon is still on parle terms) or say more realistically Ediard at Celtic.
Which is why as much as Arsenal need to be realistic and not go chasing unicorn signings in all departments remaining that need filling, it also needs to sell very carefully but also realise on pricing for their peripheral players (something they are struggling with at present)
Everything is related.
As for Felipe Anderson, it is as above not a permutation that I would discount. He’s a creative player with great ball retention which Arsenal need and at 27yrs still a decent age plus will as mention balance out Ceballos on right side.
For a team to compete with other big teams like liverpool, man city , man u en chelsea it must have squad depth xo Arsenal are on a right track let them bring that man as quickly as possible..