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For almost a decade now, Arsenal have been widely mocked as a team aiming only as high as fourth place in the league, despite having a squad potentially strong enough to challenge for the title. Much of this was down to Arsene Wenger's negative style of play, but under Unai Emery things have started to change.
Whilst they currently sit fourth with 60 points, they're only a single point behind Spurs, who are in third. Arsenal have shown signs of improvement, but signings must be made in the summer to bolster their squad, or they risk falling behind entirely.
In this list of players, we'll go through players that have been linked with Arsenal recently or would make a good fit. Only realistic options have been included.
#10 Steven Bergwijn (PSV)
Steven Bergwijn is a 21-year-old left winger who currently plays for PSV in the Eredivisie. He also represents the Netherlands national team, having made three appearances since his debut in October 2018.
Bergwijn has been steadily improving in recent years to the point where now, he's starting virtually every game for the Dutch side. In just 24 matches so far this campaign, Bergwijn has netted 11 goals and assisted 12, illustrating how much of an impact he has on the first team.
His age means that he can still be developed and moulded to fit a certain style of play, something that Unai Emery will be eager to do, should the Gunners sign Bergwijn in the summer.
Everything points towards a move to Arsenal, given that he would fit the team well - although would most likely be a back-up option - and that he's affordable, with a market value of around £30m. Premier League action is also just what a player of his calibre needs at this level if he wants to become the best he can be.
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#9 Ismaila Sarr (Stade Rennais FC)
Ismaila Sarr is a 21-year-old left winger who currently plays for Stade Rennais FC in Ligue 1. He has also featured for Senegal's national team 20 times since having made his debut back in January 2017.
With a blend of both pace and strength, Ismaila Sarr is a force to be reckoned with down the flanks. Whilst his main position is left winger, he can also play out on the right, as well as up front in the centre-forward role.
Arsenal have lacked a strong left winger since the departure of Alexis Sanchez, so Sarr could be an affordable, yet quality, replacement to bring in this summer. He will likely cost the Gunners around £30m.
However, Arsenal are known to be tight with their money, so to pay £30m for a rising star might be a bit of a stretch for them. But, on the other hand, Unai Emery is much more open to spending cash than Arsene Wenger was, so it's really a fifty-fifty as to whether Sarr will be wearing the Arsenal shirt next season.
#8 James Rodriguez (Bayern Munich)
James Rodriguez is a 27-year-old attacking midfielder who currently plays for Bayern Munich, on loan from Real Madrid. He has featured for his country, Colombia, a total of 68 times since making his debut in October 2011.
Perhaps one of the most high-profile players on this list, Rodriguez made a name for himself in the 2014 FIFA World Cup with a string of superb performances. His style caught the eye of Real Madrid, who bought him from AS Monaco that very summer for around £70m. And whilst his time at Madrid started off promisingly enough, he soon began to slip down the rankings until he was surplus to requirements.
In recent years, he's been with Bayern Munich on loan. There is an option for Bayern to buy Rodriguez at the end of his spell, but it doesn't necessarily mean that Munich will get first dibs over other clubs competing for his signature. That decision lies with Madrid.
Now that Rodriguez has experienced La Liga and the Bundesliga, he might be up for a new challenge, especially now that he's nearing his 30s, as he might not get another chance like this one. If a club like Arsenal swoops in for him in the summer, I think he'd be wise to take it as if he can prove himself in the Premier League as well, then he'd be regarded as one of the best midfielders in the world right now.
The only thing that might put the Gunners off is the £60m price tag that Madrid are after. But a club as rich as Arsenal certainly have the cash in the bank to see this transfer through, it just comes down to what they truly feel is best for the team.
#7 Nicolo Barella (Cagliari)
Nicolo Barella is a 22-year-old central midfielder who currently plays for Cagliari in Serie A. He has also represented Italy's national team four times since his debut in October 2018.
With 26 appearances to his name already this season, Barella has earned his fixture in the first team through his consistency to perform well from game to game. Whilst his stats of one goal and two assists certainly don't look too great on paper, in the game itself, Barella has a large say in regards to what happens on the pitch.
As well as being a central midfielder, Barella has been utilised as a defensive midfielder and an attacking midfielder in recent months -- it's clear that Rolando Maran wants to find the best position possible for his star player.
Another major task for Maran and Cagliari is keeping hold of Barella until next season; he's being hunted by so many clubs right now that it seems an almost impossible job. If Arsenal can meet his market value of around £30m, then Cagliari will struggle to turn down such a sum.
#6 Pablo Fornals (Villarreal)
Pablo Fornals is a 23-year-old attacking midfielder who currently plays for Villarreal in La Liga. He has represented Spain twice since his debut back in May 2016.
Fornals has featured in 28 matches for Villarreal so far this season, scoring once and assisting twice. Although it's unlikely that he would be a star player at Arsenal, he would certainly be an affordable option to bolster their squad depth in the midfield, especially now that Aaron Ramsey is set to join Juventus.
The Spaniard has a market value of around £27m, but the Gunners would have to pay a total of around £35m to secure his signature. After all, he is an important player in the Villarreal first team, so prying him away from the La Liga side will prove difficult without the incentive of money.
Fornals would also serve as a challenge for other players in the midfield to keep hold of their places; right now, it's too easy for them as they know they'll be played each week whether they perform or not.
#5 Chris Smalling (Manchester United)
Chris Smalling is a 29-year-old centre-back who currently plays for Manchester United in the Premier League. He has also featured for England's national team 31 times since his debut in September 2011.
Having joined Manchester United in 2010 from Fulham for around £7m, Smalling is getting close to a decade with the Red Devils, and although he spent the first half of his spell at Old Trafford being a key player, he's slowly started to slip down the rankings.
Victor Lindelof and Eric Bailly are gradually forming a solid defensive relationship at the centre of United's defence, which leaves no real place for Smalling nowadays. And when you take into consideration his age, it's no wonder why he's being overtaken by the youngsters.
However, a move back to London with a club like Arsenal could revive his stagnating career and give him a chance to prove to everybody just how valuable he still is. Given that he'll likely be available for around £15m to £20m, Arsenal could bag themselves a bargain with this one.
#4 Kieran Tierney (Celtic)
Kieran Tierney is a 21-year-old left-back who currently plays for Celtic in the Scottish Premiership. He has also featured for Scotland's national team 12 times since making his debut in March 2016.
Although a hip injury forced him out of many games for Celtic this season, Tierney has still managed to play in 18 matches and register 5 assists in the process. Tierney has a turn of pace on him that leaves defenders lagging behind and if they fail to reach him in time, he can whip in a devastating ball for his teammates to score with ease.
Tierney has been with Celtic for the entirety of his footballing career, having progressed through their youth academy, to the U17s, and the U20s, before finally being called up to the first team in 2015, when he was just 18 years old.
Kieran Tierney would make for a great tactical fit at the Emirates, and could possibly even replace Kolasinac who has been largely lacklustre this season. The Scot has drawn comparisons to the likes of Andrew Robertson at Liverpool; if Arsenal could get a player like Tierney and utilise him the same way Robertson is at Anfield, they could do wonders.
#3 Suso (AC Milan)
Suso is a 25-year-old right winger who currently plays for AC Milan in Serie A. He has also featured for Spain's national team a total of four times, having made his debut in November 2017.
Suso's name might ring a bell for you, and that's because he was with Liverpool back in 2014. He had been signed in 2012 from Cadiz U19s and was developed in Liverpool's youth teams until he was shipped out on loan to Almeria in the summer of 2013. After he returned, Suso spent six months with the main squad before being swiftly sold to AC Milan for just over £1m.
For whatever reason, Suso was, to put it bluntly, awful. He was sussed out by virtually every defender in the Premier League and failed to make any sort of impact when he played, which is why the Reds were more than happy to let him go when Milan came knocking.
But it's been his time with AC Milan where he's blossomed into one of the best wingers in the league. With 5 goals and 7 assists in 26 matches so far this season, it's safe to say that Suso has come on by leaps and bounds since he left Liverpool, and now could be set for a return to the Premier League if the Gunners make their move.
As stated previously, the flanks are where Arsenal are weak, so signing Suso would make a world of difference, not only to their squad in general but also to their attacking momentum. However, with a price tag of around £40m, Suso won't come cheap.
#2 Christopher Nkunku (Paris Saint-Germain)
Christopher Nkunku is a 21-year-old central midfielder who currently plays for Paris Saint-Germain in Ligue 1. He has also represented France's national team at U21 level, having made six appearances in total for the side. Nkunku is yet to make his debut for the senior side.
Nkunku is still young, but he's getting frequent game time at PSG right now, having already racked up 18 appearances this season, scoring three goals and two assists in the process. He's proven time and time again that he has huge potential, which is why clubs like Arsenal are now starting to take notice.
Not only would he be an asset to the midfield, but because he can play as a left or right winger as well, he immediately rises close to the top of the Gunner's shortlist. These are positions that must be strengthened, and Nkunku could manage exactly that for Arsenal.
Because he's still developing, Nkunku is yet to cost a fortune, which is why now is the best time for the Gunners to make their move. They could sign Nkunku for as little as £10m if they target him by the summer. He would be a bargain that the fans could all appreciate.
#1 Nick Pope (Burnley)
Nick Pope is a 26-year-old goalkeeper who currently plays for Burnley in the Premier League. He has only represented England's national team once, which was in the World Cup this summer, where he served as a back-up to Jordan Pickford.
Pope has spent much of his career with teams around League One, never really making any waves until about a year ago when he started making appearances for Burnley ahead of the sidelined Tom Heaton.
He was signed by Burnley from Charlton in June 2016 for just £1m, but now, almost three years on, Pope is worth close to £10m, a figure likely to rise once he gets given chances in the first team again.
Pope has only played twice for Burnley this season, registering a clean sheet in one of the two, but this is because he serves as a back-up option to Tom Heaton. Pope is still ahead of Joe Hart, though, who is now a third-choice keeper.
If Arsenal were to sign Nick Pope, it would likely be as a back-up choice to Bernd Leno. Currently, the Gunners have Petr Cech in that role, but he's set to retire in the summer, so they need to act swiftly to find a replacement, which is why Pope has been linked recently.
