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For the first time in over 20 years, Arsenal is heading into the transfer window without Arsene Wenger in the dugout. This, as a result, means that Arsenal is moving into a massive season with former Paris Saint-Germain boss Unai Emery at the helm. Arsenal can expect a host of changes that will see how the club works with a new man in charge, starting with the signings they make.
Arsene Wenger's transfer policy was one of the biggest criticisms the legendary Frenchmen faced. His uninspired signings, season after season saw Arsenal drop down the Premier League table, and now they have missed out on the Champions League two seasons in a row.
In an increasingly competitive top four, no team is guaranteed a spot anymore. These are the 5 players that Arsenal should sign if they want to challenge for the title and make it to top competition in Europe again.
#5 Leon Bailey: Bayer Leverkusen
The two positions where Arsenal have a striking lack of quality are both the wings and central midfield. A solution for the left side of the wing is signing the Jamaican youngster/speedster Leon Bailey. His market valuation of around €45 million may just be worth it considering what he brings to the table.
The likes of Iwobi is a great player, but as rivals boast the likes of Leroy Sane and Anthony Martial, you can see that there is a skill-based disparity on the wing for Arsenal. Some quality and flair could be added to the Arsenal team by the addition of someone like Bailey, who contributed to 12 goals and 9 assists last year in a very sub-par Leverkusen team.
Considering the caliber of attacking players Arsenal have right now in the form of Lacazette, Aubameyang, Ozil, and Mkhitaryan, Bailey could be capable of providing some tremendous service to them and use his pace to assist Aubameyang for counter attacks in particular.
The fact that these names are also aging helps because Bailey is a 20-year-old sensation that may just become an Arsenal icon.
#4 Kieran Tierney: Celtic FC
A player that is linked with almost every Premier League club, the young Scottish left-back Kieran Tierney is one of the hottest prospects in football right now. Arsenal isn't best equipped on the left back position, with an aging Nacho Monreal and a less than spectacular Saed Kolasinac. If Arsenal feels the need to strengthen that position, the young wonderkid could be a great one for Arsenal.
Arsenal has an average age of around 25 years in their squad, but most of the elite players have crossed that age. Even their recent signings of Sokratis and Lichtsteiner went for experience, but it is time for Emery to spend on some youth also.
A 21-year-old left back, Tierney has been instrumental to Brendan Rodgers's Celtic side. He played 40 games in their Invincibles season and featured 55 times last season. He also played every single minute of Celtic's Champions League group stage games, getting an assist for his troubles.
He already has a winning mentality and experience playing in Europe's elite competition. Furthering that experience in the Europa League this season, and he could help Arsenal make a concerted push towards the Champions League next season.
#3 Sergej Milinkovic-Savic: Lazio
The 23 year old Serbian, Milinkovic-Savic has become one of the most sought-after players in Europe. His exploits in the middle of the park for Lazio were instrumental to their campaign last season and he could replicate that form in England but as a Gunner. His €90 million valuation is off-putting, but he may just be worth every penny to Emery.
As mentioned earlier, Arsenal's core is aging and needs to be freshened up with some young, yet tremendous players. Savic is one of those. He can play anywhere across the midfield line, but thrives the most centrally and promises to give immense attacking contribution too. He had 14 goals and 9 assists for Lazio last season and could be a massive addition to Arsenal.
Considering the free-flowing football that Arsenal play, Savic could unlock defenses and set-up the various attacking combinations that Arsenal can put up. His inch-perfect passes and ability to be in the right place at the right time could be the biggest asset in helping Arsenal return to the Champions League.
#2 Steven N'Zonzi: Sevilla
The first (and only) player to not be a young prospect in this list is the defensive midfielder from Sevilla, Steven N'Zonzi. The former Blackburn Rovers and Stoke City player is now one of the best defensive midfielders in the game. A sure and level-headed presence, N'Zonzi's tremendous tackling and distribution abilities make him an enticing signing.
The one position where Arsenal haven't had stability is defensive midfield. Xhaka may be a great player, but his temper makes him volatile. Along with that, the likes of Elneny just cannot cut it. With options in this position slim, Lucas Torreira was just signed to bolster this position.
However, a World Cup-winning N'Zonzi may just be a better bet to have, because of his experience and skill. The squad rotation could see every player get adequate opportunities, but N'Zonzi is the kind of player you know can control a game on a good day.
Despite running the risk of over-saturating the defensive midfield position, it is imperative that Arsenal sign Steven N'Zonzi, as everything that the 29-year-old provides is too good to overlook. Torreira will have to go through an adaption period, which the much more experienced N'Zonzi won't.
Coupled with that is the European pedigree of N'Zonzi. He is a signing that is too good for Arsenal to miss out on.
#1 Ousmane Dembele: FC Barcelona
Unai Emery wants to bolster the wings. Barcelona just signed Malcom. This may just be the perfect marriage in football. The 21-year-old French winger has been reported to be upset that Barcelona has signed Malcom and looks to be engineering a move away from Camp Nou. After a middling first season at Barcelona, plagued with injuries, this may just be the second chance the winger needs.
Averaging around a goal or an assist every 90 minutes last season, Dembele's contribution when he played was more than sufficient. However, he failed to step up when his team needed him the most, a case in point being the 3-0 Champions League loss to Roma. However, his quality cannot be disputed and Arsenal should make a plunge for this young signing.
Playing in Arsenal means he will be part of a set-up which will give him more freedom to provide, as compared to being overly reliant on Lionel Messi. A flowing system that Emery promises to bring would be better than Valverde's relatively tight play for Dembele and we could see the Frenchmen dazzle everyone in England like he did in Germany and France before this.
