Very interesting list you’ve got there. Here’s my thoughts:
I don’t disagree, but was going on the BBC Gossip column. I think they were talking about circa £25m last summer, so maybe that’s the more realistic figure. I’d sooner an older experienced backup GK over Garcia.
Football gossip: Kean, Garcia, Leao, Kerkez, Modric, Rohl, Ancelotti - BBC Sport
I think with the players around him, we can win the league, but based on the price, you could sub Sesko for Gyokeres - I’d still prefer Sesko though!
Wirtz would be a transformational signing. A true generational talent. Versatile being able to play as a No.10 or left or right wing. He would bring goals and assists and significantly upgrade our team. If it was down to me, he would be my number 1 target this summer. As for Gyokeres and Sesko, personally I can’t see us playing with two strikers. I prefer our current formation/system.
£25m isn’t that much for either player in todays market. We need to do better at sales. Something I expect Berta to address. Saudi could be interested in Trossard, which possibly indicates we could receive a higher fee.
We used to have a fair few(but still the minority IIRC) that thought a wide forward was a bigger need than a striker a year ago.
I wonder how we’re feeling now.
Swap cunha out for an actual midfielder and it’s a perfect list.
Not sure who because wirtz is likely too expensive.
Why no option for both?
Hope Southampton would be ok with us pocketing the money for him
Desire Doue from PSG on the LW would be tasty.
Is he what we desire?
We’re desperate for a top quality striker because Havertz, Trossard and Jesus are nowhere near good or reliable enough for a top European club, although they are decent squad options, and we also need a genuine upgrade on Martinelli.
In:
Striker - Gyokeres
LW - Lookman/Williams/Kvaratskhelia/Wirtz
MF - Zubimendi
GK - Garcia 20m
Keep:
Partey
Kiwior
Trossard
Havertz
Vieira
Sell:
Nelson
Zinchenko
Jesus
Lokonga
Players leaving at end of contract:
Jorginho
Sterling
Tierney
Neto
It would mean we’d be spending around 200m but will probably get around 50m from selling surplus players, as well as having several high earners off the wage bill.
Although a net spend of over 150m is a lot, we spent very little in the last couple of windows and the owners know how desperate Arteta is for some quality attacking players, so Berta needs to do what he was hired for, which is to sign the players we need to sort out our inadequate attack.
I’d love Partey to get a short extension. But I doubt he will.
His fitness has been very good this season.
Havertz the only one of the three that should be kept long term but not as a guaranteed starter
I think we all know we need both, this is moreso if you had to choose one to be prioritised, which one would it be?
Surprised so many going for wide forward (almost 50/50), I’d have much more faith in martinelli/Trossard returning to form and getting 10-15 goals than us relying on havertz all next season again and still not having a clinical finisher.
I would even pick another creative midfielder over the winger tbh. I think there’s an option for havertz playing wide in some games too, he drifts out there so much already.
You are braver than me.
Trossard & Martinelli have proven to be no more better than squad players and don’t have it in them to be consistent starters.
Even if you bring in a striker, you will still have a heavy right sided bias which has been nullified by teams in 2 consecutive seasons, making the team predictable & the striker redundant.
With Havertz, we know he will do the donkey work and allow Saka & new left winger to get the goals. If I have to choose between the two, Left winger > Striker
Only need one of them to do well though or both to do okay. 2 seasons ago martinelli produced starting numbers and last season Trossard did.
Problem we had was even when they produced those numbers we didn’t have a clinical striker and therefore lost out in key moments.
I’d like us to fill all 3 slots but priority 1 has to be a striker imo. We can’t go into a season with Mikel Merino as backup CF.
There is a bigger chance of Havertz doing well & scoring 15 goals in PL than one of (or both of them combined) Trossard/Martinelli doing well & scoring 15 goals in PL.
Compare it with Liverpool, Havertz alone has 12 goal contributions despite missing games - 6 less than Jota/Nunes.
Trossard/Martinelli 21 goal contrubitions - 8 less than Luis Diaz/Cody Gakpo (who are also underperforming)
Our problems are not in CF position in terms of stats & game play. We do need an x factor in striker position but it is not a must.
Not to mention - eye test - Martinelli & Trossard are horrible starters to rely for one more season.
If we don’t sign a striker, we might not win the title.
If we don’t sign a left winger, we will definitely not win the title.
Agree with this.
Ideally Havertz is the backup
The striker is the bigger need. We can always wheel Jesus out in November in the left wing or hope Nwaneri goes up another level. We can not afford to be another Havertz injury away from Merino up front.
To add one more argument - if we get a left winger, Trossard can play as a striker as a backup to Havertz.
I like Trossard, but he’s not a good option at cf. have seen enough evidence now. When he first signed, he looked handy.