How would qualifying for the Champions League boost Arsenal’s transfer planning?


Arsenal players celebrate



How would qualifying for the Champions League boost Arsenal’s transfer planning?

By Oliver Gafsen

Mikel Arteta is two months away from a transfer window that will define his time at Arsenal, and Champions League qualification could make all the difference in the hunt for next season's targets. 

Despite recent wobbles against Brighton, Crystal Palace and Southampton, the top-four is still in the Gunners' hands, sitting three points behind Spurs with a game in hand.

The Gunners will have the chance to wipe out the gap to their rivals in May's North London Derby, and although clashes against Chelsea and United stand in the way, Tottenham have yet to travel to Anfield, and 2022 wouldn’t be the first time Arsenal were the beneficiaries of a Spursy collapse at the end of the season. 

 

A year without European football has only brought home the importance of Arsenal's place on the continent, but we should also take a look at the transfer implications Champions League qualification could have should Spurs lose their bottle. 


 

A big summer


Mikel Arteta has checked the box for young players thanks to Emile Smith-Rowe, Gabriel Martinelli and Bukayo Saka, not to mention last summer signings of Ben White, Aaron Ramsdale and Martin Odegaard.

A focus on youth was long overdue, but recent results have demonstrated Arsenal's need for experience, all the more pressing given the departure of Alexandre Lacazette as the last of our old hands. 


Show me the television money


Despite halving their wage bill, Arsenal are set for losses exceeding £100 million as they continue to feel the fall-out of the Covid pandemic.

The Champions League isn’t the same financial game changer for Premier League clubs, but Arsenal could certainly use the £40 million teams reportedly collect by the round of 16, nevermind up to £80 million of television money.


Not so silly season


It’s too early to build a clear picture of Arsenal’s targets, with everyone from Eden Hazard to Marcus Rashford rumoured to be Emirates-bound while the usual Wilfried Zaha stories are dusted off.

However, the lure of the Champions League could prove invaluable given the names available for free transfers this summer.

Kylian Mbappe and Paul Pogba might be a stretch, but Arsenal are already linked with Ousmane Dembele who's been turning Nou Camp jeers to cheers with nine goals in his last seven league matches.

Angel Di Maria and Luis Suarez, are also rumoured to be keen on a return to English shores, with Chelsea defenders Andreas Christensen and Antonio Rudiger similarly out of contract.

It’s grim up north


 

Arteta’s main targets are reportedly midfielder Ruben Neves who's worth up to £50 million after a sensational season for Wolves, as well as 22-year-old Darwin Nunez whose 29 goals for Benfica could go a long way to solving Arsenal’s issues up front.

But both players are attracting interest from Manchester United, and the promise of Champions League football could be decisive in securing their signatures. 

 


Sooner than we think


 

However the season is to conclude, the Gunners might not have to wait long for a return to Europe’s elite, with reports UEFA are introducing a pathway for fifth and sixth-placed Premier League teams in 2024.

The Champions League of course provides money and signings, but it also gives chances for players to grow as youngsters test themselves against the best, and for the fans, the buzz of European nights under the Emirates lights are overdue. 


Photo Credit: Getty Images

Popular posts from this blog

What have we learned from Arsenal's pre-season so far?

Image
  Arsenal – what have we learned from pre-season? By Jack Lacey-Hatton It only feels five minutes since Euro 2020, but incredibly we are just one week away from the new Premier League season starting. Arsenal will travel to newly promoted Brentford for a London derby in front of a noisy crowd next Friday night, not the easiest of starts to the new campaign. But what sort of shape are Mikel Arteta’s side in, going into what could be a defining season for the manager? We took a close look at what we have learnt from the pre-season period and what kind of shape the squad are in.   The new signings are ready to go It has been a mixed transfer window so far. Some fans would have expected more both leaving and arriving at the Emirates stadium over the summer. But positives can be taken - Ben White has arrived from Brighton for £50million, and highly-rated full back Nuno Tavares has come in from Benfica. Albert Sambi Lokonga completes the 2021 summer singings so far. Cruc...
Read more

Transfer Profile: Ruben Neves

Image
Transfer Profile: Ruben Neves By Jonny Bray It is hard to believe that Ruben Neves is still only 25-years-old.   It feels as if the Portuguese international has been tipped for big things for nearly a decade now.  With the midfielder out of contract in 2023, it appears his time at Wolverhampton Wanderers could be coming to an end.  Understandably, with a player like Neves on offer for a reduced price, clubs around Europe are queueing up to secure the international's signature.  So, after all this time, should Arsenal move for Ruben Neves now, or is it time for the Gunners to turn their attention to a new target?  What would he bring?  Arsenal do not have enough defensive midfielders.  Martin Ødegaard, Emile Smith Rowe and Bukayo Saka give Mikel Arteta plenty of midfield options going forward, but the Gunners have been found lacking when out of possession this season. Thomas Partey has been in and out of the side due to injuries, a fact that has not hel...
Read more

Where will Arsenal finish this season?

Image
Where will Arsenal finish this season? By Alec McQuarrie Arsenal have made steady improvement over the last few seasons under Mikel Arteta. After finishing 8th in his debut season, the Spaniard oversaw a five-point improvement in his first full campaign.  And last year an eight-point leap followed, which was unfortunately not enough to pip Tottenham to fourth place.  Cruelly, the 69 points accumulated would have been enough to seal Champions League qualification in the previous two seasons.  Looking at the trajectory over the Arteta era, it would be fair to assume a continued improvement this coming season.  After all, with five signings already secured this summer and Alexandre Lacazette the sole first-team player to depart, surely fourth place should be a bare minimum expectation.  Oleksandr Zinchenko offers much-needed cover at left-back and competition for central midfield.  Gabriel Jesus is a proven goalscorer and brings a tireless work-ethic to fulfil...
Read more