After a seven-season hiatus, Arsenal have finally qualified for next season's UEFA Champions League.
Mikel Arteta's side have improved drastically over the last couple of years and they will be hoping to continue to close the gap on Manchester City during this summer's transfer window. Qualifying for Europe's elite competition will help increase Sporting Director Edu's piggy bank as the Brazilian looks to bolster Arteta's squad over the coming months.
But the Gunners still don't have unlimited funds, they will have to allocate them sensibly depending on what their squad needs most. With that being said, football.london has taken a look at some of the players the north Londoners have been admiring and who would make most sense in regards to Arteta's set-up.
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Defensive decision
It is no coincidence that Arsenal's title charge took a significant knock the second defender William Saliba went down with a back issue. Prior to the Frenchman's injury, the Gunners had been flying high at the top of the table but in the six matches Rob Holding took his place, they picked up just nine points - surrendering the title advantage to Manchester City in the process.
football.london understands that Arteta is therefore keen to bolster his options at the back, with a Crystal Palace centre-back Marc Guehi on the Spaniard's wishlist. Bayer Leverkusen stalwart Edmond Tapsoba is another defender the club have looked at as well, football.london understands.
Dinamo Zagreb's Josip Sutalo has also been linked in recent times, with the Evening Standard reporting that the Croatian international could cost £18 million to prise away from the Maksimir Stadium this summer. Of course, Sutalo is likely to be the cheapest option of the three but Arsenal need a more proven defender if they are to effectively close the gap between themselves and Pep Guardiola's City.
To play as a centre-back in Arteta’s system, you need to be comfortable on the ball when under pressure, physically dominant and capable of defending in a high line - covering large spaces behind you. Guehi certainly fits the latter two but the 22-year-old isn't as accomplished as Tapsoba on the ball.
The Burkina Faso international has averaged 4.91 progressive passes and 4.41 passes into the final third per 90 minutes this season, as per fbref, whilst Guehi has managed just 2.82 and 3.67 in these two respective categories. Of course, you need to take into consideration that the Bundesliga is perhaps a little less challenging than the Premier League, as well as the fact that Guehi plays in a less expressive system for a centre-back, making it harder to rank highly when on the ball.
But ultimately, Tapsoba's ball-playing ability is more polished and he is three inches taller than the Palace man, something that is important when you consider that Arsenal's centre-backs often find themselves isolated when defending aerially.
Verdict: Sign Tapsoba
Midfield dilemma
Arsenal are keen to bring in at least one midfielder and West Ham United captain Declan Rice remains Arteta's priority signing for the summer window, football.london understands. But the England international isn't the only holding midfielder to be admired by the north London outfit, who saw several bids for Brighton's Moises Caicedo rejected back in January.
Both are excellent players and tactically malleable options but considering the Seagulls are resigned to losing Alexis Mac Allister, it seems unlikely that they would also sell Caicedo in the same window, especially when you factor in that the Ecuadorian signed a new contract at the Amex Stadium just a couple of months ago. For the Gunners' current needs, Rice makes a bit more sense than Caicedo anyway.
The Hammers skipper is more than capable of playing at the base of their midfield three, à la Thomas Partey, as well as the free-roaming no.8 position that Granit Xhaka has been deployed in this season. Rice's durability makes him an even more attractive prospect, boasting a near-impeccable injury record - something that can not be said for the aforementioned Partey.
The 24-year-old will provide additional leadership skills at the Emirates Stadium but most of all his ability to progress the ball via vertical passing or carrying the ball makes him the perfect option for Arteta and co.
Verdict: Sign Rice
Wildcard option
Signing Rice and Tapsoba would likely take up a large chunk of Arsenal's allocated summer funds. If that leaves room for just one more big signing to be made, there may be a choice between recruiting a forward or another midfielder. Bayern Leverkusen winger Moussa Diaby has been mooted as a potential target for the wing and football.london understands that there is genuine interest in Chelsea's Mason Mount as a potential signing for the No.8 role.
But one player that fits the criteria for both is Ajax playmaker Mohammed Kudus. The Ghana international has regularly been deployed as a right-winger this season, also being utilised in an advanced midfield role this term, making him the perfect option to challenge Xhaka as the left-sided centre-midfielder, as well as right-winger Bukayo Saka.
Considering the way Arteta sets his team up, it is preferable that the right-winger is left-footed and the left-winger is right-footed, a tactic that suits Kudus who likes to cut in from the right flank on his favoured left foot. Aged just 22, he fits the Gunners policy of signing young, high-potential players and his versatility makes him a sensible option at the end of the current campaign.
The talented youngster has found the back of the net on 18 occasions this term, with four goals coming in the Champions League - where he has even been utilised as a false nine on occasion.
Verdict: Sign Kudus
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