Arsenal are set for yet another busy summer transfer window. The north London side currently find themselves fourth in the Premier League table, two points clear of fifth-placed Tottenham Hotspur, who they play later this month. If Mikel Arteta's men are able to finish above Spurs they will secure a place in next season's UEFA Champions League - a competition they haven't qualified for in each of the last five years.
Qualifying for Europe's elite competition will undoubtedly have a huge impact on their transfer dealings whilst football.london understands that the Gunners are keen to sign at least one attacker, a central midfielder and a backup full-back at the end of the current campaign. According to transfer expert Gianluca Di Marzio, Arsenal are interested in Monaco midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni as well as Bayern Munich winger Serge Gnabry, who used to ply his trade at the Emirates Stadium.
football.london also understands that Manchester City frontman Gabriel Jesus is one of the names on the club's transfer shortlist, with a £35million bid thought to be enough to land the Brazilian this summer and technical director Edu has held talks with the player's representatives in recent months. Meanwhile, CIES Football Observatory value Gnabry and Tchouameni at a combined €90million-€120million (£75million-£100million).
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The Gunners might not splash the cash to sign all three reported targets this summer but just in case they do, football.london take a look at how they could line up with the three highly sought after talents.
4-3-3 system
Since the turn of the year, Arteta has preferred to utilise a 4-3-3 system whenever possible, with Thomas Partey at the base of midfield as Granit Xhaka and Martin Odegaard are deployed further forward in the number eight roles. This has given the Gunners balance in the centre of the park whilst also making them more dangerous in transitions - scoring more goals in the process.
One of the many strengths of Tchouameni is his versatility and the French international could easily slot into the no.6 or no.8 role, depending on the fitness and availability of the injury-prone Thomas Partey. A front three of Gnabry, Jesus and Bukayo Saka picks itself, with the trio of attackers offering a rare blend of goal threat, ball retention and speed on the counter.
Pivot midfield
Arteta has also frequently utilised a double pivot in midfield, a role that Xhaka often excels in. Rotating the midfield will be key next season, particularly when you consider the aforementioned fitness issues that Partey struggles with.
A duo of Xhaka and Tchouameni in the middle of the park offers stability, ball progression and could be an excellent option against fellow top-six sides. The young Frenchman boasts elite defensive numbers, registering 3.08 tackles and 3.38 interceptions per 90 minutes in Ligue 1 this term.
Combine that with his passing ability (5.65 progressive passes per 90) and you can see the reason that he is reportedly being pursued by the likes of Real Madrid and Liverpool. Again, Gnabry and Saka as inverted wide forwards makes a lot of sense as they both like to cut in and shoot with their strong foot, whilst Jesus through the middle can drop deep and bring others into play.
