5 players who could save Arsenal's season

After this past weekend’s loss to Bournemouth, it’s pretty clear that Arsenal’s season is in trouble. Pressure is mounting on boss Arsene Wenger, they’re about to sell their best player in Alexis Sanchez, and they currently sit in sixth place, eight points adrift of the Champions League places.

It’s pretty clear that they need new blood, and quickly – and with big money about to be paid to them for the services of Sanchez, the Gunners should have plenty to spend. Whether Arsene Wenger can spend it wisely, who knows? But here are five players who could save Arsenal’s season and get them back into that all-important top four.

---

#1 Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scores goals for fun

Gabonese forward Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has been scoring goals for fun for Borussia Dortmund for years now – averaging 28 goals a season during his time there – and according to the latest rumours and reports, he’s the man who Arsene Wenger is looking towards to replace Alexis Sanchez and save Arsenal’s season.

A fee has yet to be mentioned but supposedly, Aubameyang has already agreed personal terms with the London club, as he’s refusing point blank to return to Dortmund after being internally suspended for his conduct for the third time in the last twelve months. So it looks very much like he could be moving to the Emirates this January.

Could the move work? Well, Alexandre Lacazette was just as prolific in the French Ligue One before his move to Arsenal, and he’s hardly set the Premier League on fire thus far despite being impressive at times. But Aubameyang is less of a pure striker, he’s one of the quickest players in the world, and he’s had more European experience. He could be the man to fire Arsenal back into the Champions League.

#2 Henrikh Mkhitaryan

Henrikh Mkhitaryan has fallen out of favour at Manchester United

The current word on the Alexis Sanchez transfer is that Manchester United are the closest to securing his signature, and the Chilean has agreed terms with the Red Devils, but the stopping point is Armenian playmaker Henrikh Mkhitaryan, who Arsene Wenger wants to bring over to the Emirates. Mkhitaryan is supposedly mulling over his decision, but what could he bring to Arsenal?

The Armenian signed for Manchester United in the summer of 2016, costing around £30m and becoming one of Jose Mourinho’s first signings for the Red Devils. 2016/17 saw him appear 24 times in the Premier League, and on occasions, he showed flashes of brilliance – his scorpion kick against Sunderland for instance – but after making five assists in the first three games of 2017/18, he’s fallen out of favour at Old Trafford.

Mourinho has been known to freeze players out randomly before though, and it’s hardly a damning verdict on Mkhitaryan’s talents. At his best, he’s a tremendous playmaker who can dribble past opposing players and find passes that few others can. The addition of the Armenian to Arsenal’s squad would be a massive boon for sure.

#3 Thomas Lemar

After a summer move fell through, Thomas Lemar could finally end up at the Emirates soon

If you believe the media hype, Arsenal actually planned to sign French winger Thomas Lemar in the summer as a replacement for the Manchester City-bound Alexis Sanchez, but when the two sides couldn’t come to terms, his move from Monaco fell through and so Sanchez ended up staying at the Emirates in the end. With Sanchez almost certainly on his way out now, could Arsenal make another move for the Frenchman?

Well, it’d certainly make sense. Lemar had a fantastic season for Monaco in 2016/17 as they marched into the semi-finals of the Champions League, and while he’s lost his flashy teammates since – the likes of Kylian Mbappe, Bernardo Silva and Tiemoue Bakayoko – he’s started 2017/18 in tremendous form, scoring two and assisting in four in Ligue One and earning a 7.28 average rating on WhoScored.com.

His style of play – quick feet, excellent dribbling skills and the ability to score goals with both feet, even from long range – would certainly fit into Arsene Wenger’s usual gameplan, as he’s even said he loves to focus on quick passes to teammates. He’d cost big money – apparently £90m – but if he could shoot Arsenal back into the Champions League it’d be worth it.

#4 Malcom

Malcom could be an Arsenal superstar for years to come

Another player apparently on Arsene Wenger’s potential shopping list is Brazilian forward Malcom, who currently plays in France’s Ligue One for Bordeaux. At just 20 years old and with the prime of his career ahead of him, the Brazilian would prove to be a timely signing, as he has plenty of experience for a young player having starred for Bordeaux for the past three seasons.

The sticking point appears to be Bordeaux’s willingness to sell – Malcom only signed a new deal with the French side in the summer and they’ve said he’s going nowhere, but of course, the kind of money Arsenal could offer may well be enough to make them change their mind. And looking at his style of play, he’d be a ready-made replacement for Sanchez – the kind of player who would excite the fans like few others.

Primarily operating from the right side of attack, his willingness to cut inside and shoot has allowed him to score some tremendous goals, and he’s already scored 7 and assisted in 5 in 18 Ligue One appearances this season – surpassing his statistics for last season. If Arsenal could sign him and he could continue that kind of form at the Emirates, Sanchez could be forgotten quickly – particularly if the Brazilian could save the Gunners’ season.

#5 Jack Wilshere

The man to save Arsenal's season may already be at the Emirates...

While Arsene Wenger may be looking to splash out big money on Aubameyang or Lemar to replace Alexis Sanchez, or may be looking to bolster Arsenal’s defence with someone like Jonny Evans, it may well be that the man to truly save Arsenal’s season is already wearing the red-and-white shirt. All that needs to be done is to give him a new contract. That man? Jack Wilshere.

Despite Arsenal’s poor recent form, Wilshere has clearly been the Gunners’ best player recently after being reinstated to the starting line-up. He’s now played the last eight Premier League fixtures for Arsenal, scoring against Chelsea and assisting in a tremendous Sanchez goal against Crystal Palace. In his new deeper-lying position, Wilshere isn’t only back to his best – he’s looking better than ever.

With Sanchez about to leave and the future of Mesut Ozil in doubt, it’s time for Arsene Wenger to begin to do what he should’ve done when the tremendously talented Englishman first broke through all those years ago, and build his side around him. With Wilshere pulling the strings from midfield and the Sanchez situation finally over, the likes of Alexandre Lacazette – and any new signings Wenger might bring in – could finally break free to re-ignite the Gunners’ season.