5 players who could be Arsenal’s final signing of the summer

The Unai Emery revolution is well underway at Arsenal this summer. For the first time in 22 years, they will go into a Premier League season without the leadership of Arsene Wenger, who bought great success to North London during his time in charge of the Gunners.

Emery has already begun to put his stamp on the club in the transfer window. Jack Wilshere’s time at the Emirates came to an end, as did that of Santi Cazorla. Per Mertesacker’s playing days are also over, and he takes up a coaching role at the club.

As far as incomings are concerned, it has been more experience than marquee signings. Bernd Leno has been bought in to challenge Petr Cech for the number one spot in goal, while Stephan Lichtsteiner and Sokratis Papastathopoulos have joined to help strengthen the defence.

There have been a few younger signings as well. Matteo Guendouzi joined from French side Lorient, and Lucas Torreira moved to the Emirates in a deal worth £26.4 million from Sampdoria after an impressive World Cup with Uruguay.

It won’t just be the players who change, but it will be the system and the style as well. For much of last season, Arsenal set up with three at the back, but Emery is likely to revert to four at the back, a system he, and most of his players, are more comfortable with.

The passing style played under Wenger will also change slightly. They will still probably look to play an exciting brand of football, but there will be more of an effort to get the ball from back to front a bit quicker.

But there are still a number of things that could change before the season gets underway. Rumours suggest that Aaron Ramsey is being targeted by Chelsea, while there are still doubts over a number of players. Emery himself has said he wants at least one more player in the door before the transfer window is over, and that could end up having a huge difference to how the squad looks going into the season.

Here are five players that could move to the Emirates before the transfer window is up.

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#1 Andre Gomes (Barcelona)

Gomes has had a tough couple of years with Barcelona

For most players, moving to Barcelona is the dream. It means joining perhaps the biggest and best club in world football, and playing with some of the best players in the world. It looked that way for Andre Gomes, who, after an impressive European Championships campaign with eventual winners Portugal in 2016, joined Barca in a deal worth an initial £30 million, rejecting the advances of Real Madrid.

Things haven’t gone to plan for the midfielder though, and he looks set to leave the Nou Camp this summer. He has appeared just 46 times in La Liga in his two years with Barcelona, and just 16 of those came last season.

He needs to leave to get his career back on track, and Barcelona are unlikely to stand in his way. He would be an excellent replacement for Aaron Ramsey if he leaves Arsenal, and his passing ability means he would fit the way Emery will play.

The only problem with the deal is that Gomes has just left Barcelona’s tour of America due to injury. Arsenal will want him available immediately, and he may not be if that injury proves to be serious.

#2 Steven Nzonzi (Sevilla)

Nzonzi is the sort of physical player Arsenal have been looking for

Nzonzi’s rise in the years since he left the Premier League has been nothing short of spectacular. When he left Stoke City in 2015, he was a solid Premier League centre midfielder, but after three years at Sevilla, he is a Europa League and World Cup winner, and is seen as one of the best defensive midfielders in Europe.

He has thrived in Spain, and it may be that a return to the Premier League is on the cards. And it has been said that Arsenal are still yet to find a replacement for Patrick Vieira in midfield, and he left in 2005.

It is true that they have lacked that physical presence, and more importantly, they’ve lacked a leader. If Nzonzi was to move to Arsenal, he wouldn’t be quite as good a leader, but few would be.

He would fit the bill as a centre midfielder, and would seamlessly slot into this Arsenal side, given his Premier League experience.

#3 Goncalo Guedes (PSG)

Unai Emery has long been an admirer of Guedes

One place where Arsenal do appear to be lacking heading into the new season is in attacking areas, behind the strikers of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette. Both Mesut Ozil and Henrikh Mkhitaryan are excellent players, but after those two, there isn’t much more than squad players.

Emery won three Europa League titles with Sevilla, so will undoubtedly be targeting that again this season, but will also want to see his side push for a top-four spot in the league. If they are to do so, he will need quality squad depth, which Arsenal are lacking.

Guedes is currently a PSG player, but wasn’t selected for their pre-season tour of Singapore. The Portuguese international was part of his side’s World Cup squad, and formed a decent partnership with Cristiano Ronaldo up front.

He spent last season on loan with Valencia, where he put in some impressive performances. Emery has long been an admirer of the 21-year-old, and PSG need to sell so to comply with Financial Fair Play, so don’t be surprised if this deal goes through this summer.

#4 Bernard (Free Agent)

Bernard is available on a free transfer this summer

In his younger years, there were high hopes for Bernard, particularly when he joined Shakhtar Donetsk, who have gained a reputation for bringing through young Brazilian players in recent years.

Bernard was the next on the production line, and he was also a part of Brazil’s squad at the 2014 World Cup. He actually started in the disastrous 7-1 defeat to Germany in the semi-final, but that was his last international appearance.

He has long been admired by Arsenal, and now he has left Shakhtar, that move could certainly happen this summer. He is still only 25, so will have the chance to fulfil the potential he showed at a young age.

He would almost be a risk-free signing for Arsenal, because he is available on a free. He is a fast, tricky, winger, who has an eye for goal, as well as an ability to set up others. He will certainly improve the squad if he were to move to the Emirates.

#5 Ousmane Dembele (Barcelona)

Dembele struggled with injuries in his first season with Barcelona

This is very much a wildcard option on the list, but that isn’t to say it couldn’t happen. Dembele signed for Barcelona last season as a replacement for Neymar after his world record move to PSG.

It cost nearly £100 million to bring him to Camp Nou, but due to injuries, he was limited to just 23 appearances in all competitions, during which he scored just four goals. He may struggle for appearances this year as well, as he looks to have fallen behind Philippe Coutinho and new signing Malcolm in the pecking order.

There have been rumoursthat he will leave Barcelona this summer, particularly after the signing of Malcolm, most likely on loan. He would be an excellent signing for Arsenal, even if it is only for the season.

He is fast, direct, and has the finishing product to match, all of which makes him the sort of player Emery should be looking at signing. Arsenal don’t have many players like him already at the club, and he would offer them something different, and open up other options.