Arsenal are a side who have made mistakes in the transfer market over the years. Overpaying for players, paying them too much and breaking the wage structure or simply not moving for a profile who pushes the needle forwards.
To reach the top, a transfer theory emerged which was used to measure whether a player was the right move to make to see progression in the group. To be like the best, you have to sign the players who the best would also sign.
With both Manchester City and Liverpool the two sides at the top for so many of the past few years, when Arsenal would look to sign a player the rationale would often be would either of the title-challenging pair also sign them. If not, why make the move?
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With Arsenal now eclipsing Liverpool and taking their place as the team looking to topple Man City, they arguably need to apply this context to their market plan more than ever, right? Not necessarily.
Whilst it would be obvious to say that Arsenal should look to sign players that Man City would too, it doesn’t always fit. Take the man football.london understand to be Arsenal’s priority transfer target of the summer, Declan Rice.
The defensive midfielder has been linked with a move to Man City in the past. However, the reigning Premier League champions are already well-stocked in the position, with Rodri and Kalvin Phillips, plus young talent Maximo Perrone.
Therefore what need for Rice is there beyond taking him away from Arsenal? Which, worryingly, I wouldn’t discount at this stage.
So perhaps the City theory does not always work for Arsenal? Again, it isn’t this simple.
As the starting West Ham United and England defensive midfielder, Rice has shown that despite perhaps not being needed by Man City right now, he is certainly good enough to feature for them. The associated £100million-plus price tag on him is certainly further evidence of this.
Rice would compete with Rodri for a place in City’s team and that is exactly why Arsenal need to find a way to secure the 24-year-old. Arsenal’s rebuild is nearing completion and although depth should be a key part this summer, adding the players who look to establish the club in the elite tier and to enable strong rotation in a Champions League year is imperative.
Rice is the perfect addition whilst also keeping the exciting talent. Granit Xhaka has been linked with a move away, but replacing him with Rice would only improve one position rather than reinforcing by adding Rice and keeping Xhaka.
Arteta wants to have a squad that lacks the vulnerabilities that injuries bring. Having that strength in depth will be the key challenge to overcome.
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