As the calendar turns to July, the transfer window has officially hit its stride, with blockbuster deals being completed across Europe.
The Premier League is no exception with managers finalising their squads for the start of pre-season and players arriving on a daily basis. We may only be halfway through, but there is already some jostling for who the transfer window ‘winners and losers’ will be.
Almost never correct and almost never representative of the season ahead, it doesn’t stop supporters bragging that their club’s business has been the best of the bunch. Arsenal and Manchester United have had very contrasting starts to the summer, with the Gunners coming out of the gates quicker, landing Fabio Vieira from Porto, Sao Paulo’s Marquinhos and back-up keeper Matt Turner from New England Revolution in MLS.
United on the other hand, under the stewardship of new manager Erik ten Hag, have yet to confirm a single arrival. The former Ajax boss had hoped to quickly put his stamp on the playing squad coming off their worst ever Premier League season.
But that frustration could soon be coming to an end, with Frenkie de Jong closing in on his £56million move from Barcelona and Tyrell Malacia likely to follow after a deal was agreed with Feyenoord.
And the Dutchman won’t be finished there either, with attention now shifting towards landing a versatile attacker and one more midfield player. Arsenal look set to be busy as well. Gabriel Jesus is expected to be confirmed imminently and Mikel Arteta is still on the lookout for a winger, having seemingly lost the battle with Chelsea for Raphinha.
So with two months of the window remaining, Mirror Football has taken a look at how both sides could line-up come September - should everything go to plan for Arteta and Ten Hag respectively.
Goalkeepers
No surprises here. Both clubs have definite starters in Aaron Ramsdale at Arsenal and David de Gea at United. The aforementioned Matt Turner looks set to become Ramsdale’s understudy with Bernd Leno leaving, whilst De Gea’s back-up Dean Henderson is set for Nottingham Forest.
That could mean that the Red Devils are in the market for a number two, with just Tom Heaton and youngster Nathan Bishop waiting in the wings, should their Player of the Season suffer an injury.
Defenders
Arteta looks set to roll into the new campaign with the same back four which ended last term. Gabriel and Ben White should be the starters, albeit with William Saliba breathing down the starters’ necks. Kieran Tierney and Takehiro Tomiyasu are also guaranteed to earn a place in the line-up, in arguably their most settled part of the team.
There could be some upheaval at Old Trafford however. Having conceded 56 times in the league last season, there are clear signs that upgrades are required. Lisandro Martinez from Ajax has been linked with both Arsenal and United, but could add some competition for Harry Maguire and Raphael Varane at the heart of their defence.
On the flanks, Diogo Dalot looks to have beat out Aaron-Wan Bissaka to start on the right - the latter has been told he can leave, according to reports. While on the opposite side Luke Shaw will have to contend with the arrival of Tyrell Malacia. With Ten Hag keen to exert his influence early on, Malacia could get the nod at the start of the 2022/23 campaign.
Midfielders
United’s summer has centred around improving their options in the middle of the park. Paul Pogba and Nemanja Matic have both departed, leaving a gaping hole in the centre of midfield.
De Jong will plug that gap just fine and can be the centre-piece in which Ten Hag’s ambitious rebuild is structured around. Youri Tielemans has also been linked and would add some extra bite, as well as the Leicester City man’s cultured passing. Bruno Fernandes figures to feature at the tip of the midfield three, but links with Christian Eriksen would provide a tantalising option to replace him.
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As for Arsenal, Arteta will have an early decision to make as to whether Fabio Vieira is thrown straight into the starting XI. Having cost more than £30m, there will be an onus on the Portuguese to make an instant impression, but with changes elsewhere, the tried and tested fulcrum of Granit Xhaka and Thomas Partey could win out.
In front of them, Martin Odegaard looks a sure-fire starter and could yet be given the captain’s armband, having assumed the responsibility in the final weeks of last season.
Forwards
As United’s summer has been centred around De Jong, Arsenal’s has been with Gabriel Jesus. The Manchester City forward will become the focal point of Arteta’s attack and tasked with filling the boots of Alexandre Lacazette and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
Alongside him, Bukayo Saka is the first name on the team-sheet, having become the Gunners’ talisman in recent years. Gabriel Martinelli is an option on the other side, but the pursuit of Raphinha shows the Arsenal boss is open to a new arrival and after losing out on the Brazilian, Serge Gnabry’s return would be a more than sufficient consolation prize.
Meanwhile, the furore surrounding Cristiano Ronaldo ’s future looks to have been quashed, with United making it very clear he will not be leaving next season. Despite being 37, he will start the majority of games and likely continue his remarkable scoring record.
Jadon Sancho is primed for a big second season with United, having seen his preparation for the first hampered by injury, illness and England’s run to the Euro 2020 final.
And completing Ten Hag’s triumvirate is Ajax star Antony. The new boss is keen to land a left-footed player to cut in from the right and his old player is suited to that role perfectly. There is still some gap between Ajax and United’s valuation of the 22-year-old, but there is hope they can complete a deal before the end of August.
Arsenal’s XI (4-3-3): Ramsdale; Tomiyasu, White, Gabriel, Tierney; Xhaka, Partey, Odegaard; Saka, Jesus, Gnabry.
Man Utd’s XI (4-3-3-): De Gea; Dalot, Varane, Maguire, Malacia; De Jong, Tielemans’ Fernandes; Antony, Ronaldo, Sancho.
