Arsenal will ride the wave of success this season with an even bigger summer transfer fee.
Mikel Arteta and Arsenal have an exciting summer ahead of them (Image: James Gill – Danehouse, Getty Images)
When the final whistle blew at the Vitality Stadium on Tuesday night, there was a sigh of relief across north London, followed soon by raucous celebrations in and around the N5. Arsenal deserve to be crowned Premier League champions for the first time in 22 years.
Naysayers will point to corner tactics and VAR, but this has been a long time coming for a team that lost by a narrow margin three seasons in a row. The players who left everything on the pitch, the fans who persevered and most of all Mikel Arteta should be praised.
When the Spaniard took over as head coach six-and-a-half years ago, Arsenal were in such turmoil that few could have imagined they would ever be able to break their Premier League drought and look forward to a Champions League final.
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But the same principles that have allowed Arteta to reach this stage will not allow him to rest on his laurels when it is all over in Budapest later this month. If he hasn’t started yet, he’ll start planning for the summer and next season almost immediately.
Now, Mirror Football predicts how the Gunners manager will build on this success and ensure his side dominate the Premier League for years to come.
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Kurpi recording fee
It makes sense to sign a player who gave Arsenal the title. Emotional reasons aside, the 19-year-old Frenchman’s goal for Bournemouth against Manchester City showed exactly why so many teams are lining up to sign his signature, floating into space before displaying incredible poise and technique on the finish.
Bournemouth recently announced they would not accept an offer of £85 million for the talisman, who scored 13 goals in his debut season in England. But even Crupi’s around £90m – a record fee for an Arsenal forward – could be well worth it if the North Londoner is successful in negotiating a transfer with the Cherries.
Eli Junior Crupi scores the goal to give Arsenal the title (Image: Robin Jones – AFC Bournemouth/AFC Bournemouth via Getty Images)
He would add versatility up front, capable of playing as either a left-sided inside forward like Leandro Trossard or as a lone striker, as well as providing a much-needed goal threat. Crupi also has the added bonus of being adored in north London even before he put on an Arsenal shirt.
Luxury at Barcola
Quality over quantity should be the main objective for Arteta and sporting director Andrea Berta. Last year, the Gunners spent a record amount of over £250m on eight players.
Their needs have now changed to require more elite players rather than improving the team as a whole. One such player who happens to be on the market is Paris Saint-Germain’s Bradley Barcola.
Still only 23, the Frenchman is world-class on the counter-attack and has more attacking tools than Leandro Trossard or Gabriel Martinelli. Barcola is frustrated by his lack of starting minutes under Luis Enrique this term, given that the Spaniard has prioritized Juvica Kvaratsjeria and Desiree Due.
PSG’s Bradley Barcola’s transfer fee is around £85 million (Image: Getty Images)
Still, he is needed at Arsenal, as evidenced by his heroics during last year’s treble-winning season, when he scored an incredible 44 goals in 64 appearances. Barcola’s transfer fee is expected to be just over £85 million, the same amount as Crupi.
sell dead trees
It is understood that Arsenal will still have to sell players at great expense this summer. Neither Berta nor his predecessor Edu Gaspard have had an impressive record in terms of selling players for significant sums in past transfer windows.
This is an underrated part of the transfer plans, with the north Londoners still lagging far behind their rivals. Fortunately, there is no shortage of players looking for an exit this summer.
Gabriel Jesus, Christian Norgaard, Fabio Vieira, Ethan Nwaneri, Martinelli and Trossard could all be released as reinforcements. It’s up to Berta to find a suitor and negotiate a deal to make ends meet.
Shock tonari movement
Sandro Tonali is an elite midfielder (Image: Getty Images)
If Arsenal still have money left in their account after signing Crupi and Barcola, Newcastle’s Sandro Tonali would be a truly special signing. Fortunately for Arteta so far, Declan Rice has always been there. But he may not be injury-free forever.
When that time comes, Arsenal need to be ready. Tonali’s engine and ability to win duels would make him a seamless replacement for Rice and a potential midfield partner.
The 26-year-old Italian was heavily linked with a move to Arsenal in January. His agent is also said to be keen on a move for the player, especially as Newcastle are expected to miss out on European football.
Tonali’s transfer fee is expected to be in excess of £80 million. It certainly won’t be easy to accomplish this contract and the other two. But such ambition is what separates title-winning teams from Premier League dynasties.
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After 22 years of near misses, heartbreaks and drama, the Gooners are once again the best team in the land. The souvenir edition tells the story of an extraordinary season by Mikel Arteta’s men. Order your copy here
