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It looks like being a tough summer at Arsenal. Having failed to qualify for the Champions League for the third consecutive season, the Gunners haven’t got much to spend this summer, and they may have to sell players to do so.
Last season was the first in 20 years where the Gunners went into a campaign without Arsene Wenger in the dugout, as Unai Emery took over at the Emirates. It wasn’t a bad first year in charge for Emery, as Arsenal reached the Europa League Final, as well as finishing sixth in the Premier League.
It has now been a frustrating start for them in the transfer window. On Monday, they had a £40 million bid turned down for Crystal Palace star Wilfried Zaha, who has made it clear that he does wish to move to the Emirates this summer.
However, Palace value the Ivorian at closer to £80 million, a fee Arsenal may struggle to reach unless they sell their best players. There has reportedly been interest in striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, though it would be a huge risk for Arsenal to sell their top scorer from last season.
Also see : Barcelona Transfer News, Arsenal Transfer News, Manchester united Transfer News.
It does look like Zaha is the sort of player Arsenal need, as he would give them another option going forward, and he is the sort of player who can carry the ball and take on an opponent, the sort of player Arsenal don’t really have at the moment.
However, £80 million may be a stretch too far for Arsenal at the moment. Here are five alternatives to Zaha that Arsenal could target this summer.
#1 Lucas Vazquez (Real Madrid)
It has been a bit of a summer of transition at Real Madrid. Zinedine Zidane is back in charge at the Bernabeu following short, and unsuccessful spells in charge for Julen Lopetegui and Santiago Solari.
They have already spent over £250 million this summer, with the likes of Eden Hazard, Juka Jovic, and Ferland Mendy all making big money moves to the club. They now may be looking to balance the books slightly, partly in order to fund a move for Manchester United’s Paul Pogba.
One man they may be willing to sell is Lucas Vazquez, who found opportunities hard to come by last season. He started just 15 La Liga games last season and he may be looking to move elsewhere in hope of more first team football, something he could get at Arsenal. He has been linked with a switch to the Gunners in recent weeks, in a move which would cost around £30 million, so he would come a lot cheaper than Zaha.
#2 Malcolm (Barcelona)
Malcolm was involved in one of the longest transfer sagas of last summer when he left Bordeaux to join Barcelona, despite agreeing a deal to join Roma. However, the move hasn’t really worked out for the Brazilian winger, and there is now certainly a chance that he could be moved on this summer. He started just six times in La Liga last season, as well as making three appearances in the Champions League, all of which came from the bench.
He may prove to be surplus to requirements at Barcelona this summer, as they look likely to bring in Antoine Griezmann from Atletico Madrid, while there is also the outside chance that Neymar could return from PSG. Malcolm may be a good signing for Arsenal, as he does have that ability to go past a player that they don’t currently have. There is the issue that he hasn’t had too much football in the past year, but with a full pre-season behind him, he could be a very useful asset.
#3 Ryan Fraser (Bournemouth)
It could be that Arsenal are keen to bring in a man with Premier League experience, and if they don’t get Zaha, Ryan Fraser might just be their man. The Bournemouth man had an excellent season last time out, scoring seven goals, and providing 14 assists, with only Eden Hazard making more in the Premier League. He may feel that it is now time for him to take that next step, and that might not be possible while he remains at Bournemouth.
Although it may be a risk for Arsenal to sign someone who hasn’t had sustained success in the Premier League over the course of the last few seasons, Fraser may be a player who thrives when surrounded by better players. It may be that he needs time to adapt, but if he can recreate his form from last season, he will be an excellent addition for Arsenal, and he would certainly come cheaper than Zaha.
#4 Yannick Carrasco (Dalian Yifang)
Over the last few years, we have seen a large growth in the number of players leaving top European clubs, and heading for the riches of China. Often it is players reaching the end of their careers, who look abroad for one last pay day before they retire.
However, there are occasionally players who seem to have left Europe far too early, and Yannick Carrasco certainly seems to be one of those. The Belgian was a regular for Atletico during his time in Spain, and scored in the 2016 Champions League Final.
Now, after 18 months in China, things have turned sour, and he may be looking for a return to Europe. Having missed last month’s game against Hebei CFFC, he was suspended by Dalian Yifang, and it may be the final straw for the winger. He does have the potential to be a genuinely world class talent, and he would suit what Arsenal are looking for. However, he may not come cheap, and he may demand much higher wages than the other players on this list.
#5 Yacine Brahimi (Free agent)
If Arsenal are looking to bring players in on a cheap, there can be no cheaper than bringing someone in on a free. Yacine Brahimi is someone who has been regularly been linked with a move to the Premier League in recent years, and having been released by Porto this summer, that move may just be closer than ever. The Algerian spent five years in Portugal, but his release may mean a race for his signature this summer.
Brahimi is coming off the back of a good season with Porto, where he scored 13 goals in all competitions, the highest total of his career so far. He is 29, so may only be at the top of his game for another year or two, but that may just be the sort of thing Arsenal need at this time. If they were to bring him in on a free, it would allow them to spend money on other areas of the squad they need to strengthen, such as in defence.
