There may still be four games left in this season, but Arsenal are already beginning to prepare for the next. Across the course of their unexpected Premier League title charge, the Gunners have learned the importance of a deep squad and are determined to strengthen this summer.
The primary area Mikel Arteta wants to strengthen in is midfield. football.london understands that Declan Rice is their main target in this area. The Gunners also want to strengthen in defence where football.london understands Marc Guehi is among the targets. Elsewhere reports have suggested that Edu could be on the hunt for a forward player with Moussa Diaby heavily linked.
With all that going on it felt like the perfect time with a Q and A with football.london's chief Arsenal writer Kaya Kaynak. You can look back on some of the highlights below.
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Q: What's the latest with Marc Guehi? Is he someone who Arsenal are looking at? What would he offer?
KK: Arsenal are keen to strengthen at centre back in the summer. Ben White and Takehiro Tomiyasu CAN play there, but they're viewed more as fullbacks by Mikel Arteta. If there's one thing Arsenal have learned from Man City this season, it's that that they're going to need an all-round squad in order to win the biggest trophies. Marc Guehi is one the players they're looking at in order to bridge the gap between William Saliba and Rob Holding. Edmond Tapsoba is another player they have looked at.
Interestingly enough though, you may notice a lot of Premier League players among the Arsenal transfer targets this summer. James Ellis who has recently been promoted to Head of Recruitment was initially tasked with being across the UK market when he first came into the club as a first-team scout in 2021. Arsenal have looked domestically more often recently and that expertise is one of the reasons why.
Q: If Arsenal are going for Rice with Jorginho being signed as quality backup, is there a chance for Partey to leave during the summer?
KK: It's not just Declan Rice Arsenal are going for. Moises Caicedo is another player they like too! That would seem to suggest that they're looking to build beyond Partey in the future, which makes sense given that he and Jorginho are both nearer the end of their careers. Edu has said that he would like to start bringing in replacements for first-team players' before their time is up so that the club can continue to sustain success in a similar manner to what Liverpool did by bringing in Luis Diaz before letting Sadio Mane go.
With that in mind, I'd say it's unlikely that Partey leaves this summer. He'll have two years on his deal, but I can't see Arsenal feeling a need to cash in. Instead, the Gunners are just looking to add depth to a crucial position on the pitch.
Q: What is the situation with Emile Smith-Rowe? Could he leave this summer??
KK: From what I've heard Smith Rowe is fully fit. We did a piece on him on the site that referenced that he is setting PBs in terms of strength and speed, while his nutrition has also improved. It's a bit of a mystery why he's hardly playing. I guess you could argue that Reiss Nelson is ahead of him at the moment, but Smith Rowe has been training as a central midfielder, so it's probably more apt to say that it's Fabio Vieira who's in front of him in the queue. That's despite a slow start to life in England for the former Porto man.
I'd be surprised if he were to leave this summer myself. He's got three years left on his deal still, and would probably need to force a move away if he wants one. No doubt there's plenty of interest from teams in the Premier League and abroad, but I think he'll stay put as things stand.
Q: What do you make of Patino's potential sale and what implication does it have towards Hale end players?
KK: I think Patino's situation is one where Arsenal have maybe managed their hand poorly. They let his contract dwindle down to the final year before triggering a two-year extension option in early January. Had they tried to negotiate a deal a year before when he had scored on his debut and made a start against Nottingham Forest then my suspicion is that he would have signed and maybe Arsenal would have been able to send Patino out on loan for another season, maybe to a Premier League team because I think he's at that level.
The reality is though that the step up from Hale End to first team is going to be tougher now. Arsenal are challenging for big trophies and can't afford to wait around while young players develop like maybe they could in the past when Bukayo Saka, Emile Smith Rowe, Eddie Nketiah etc. were coming through. I asked Jack Wilshere and Per Mertesacker about this in recent interviews and they both welcomed the challenge as they felt it means the academy level has to improve. Unless that does happen the step up looks tough.
Having said that the academy remains a fantastic source of revenue for Arsenal. Between Patino and Flo Balogun this summer they could easily raise £50m in sales. That's enough to buy two Leandro Trossards! If they can keep producing talents like this, then it's definitely in the best interests of the club.
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