Now that Petr Cech is in the bag, the fans would be hoping for more activity in the transfer window, as it’s evident that the Gunners need to improve in other positions if they want to challenge on all fronts this forthcoming season. Signing a player of Cech’s caliber was a show of Arsenal’s ambition this campaign and as expected, Cech is all over the official website. You can check out his first Arsenal interview here. He said all the good stuff.
When Olivier Giroud suffered that injury early in the season, Wenger signed Danny Welbeck from Manchester United but it’s fair to say that Welbeck is still a work in progress. I really like the lad – determined fella, nice work rate, good reserves of pace, home-grown (they are hard to find nowadays – just ask Man City) and he’s someone that can be a Gunner great because the potential is there but when you score eight goals in 34 games in your first season at Arsenal, there are indications that you’re not ready to lead the line just yet. Despite the fact that Giroud endured a torrid goal-less spell towards the end of the campaign, he still managed 19 goals in 36 games. Also remember that he missed a fat chunk of the early season with the club.
Arsenal certainly needs ‘an upgrade’ in the center forward position, and a couple of names have been mentioned by the Press. According to the Express, Olympique Lyonnais have told the Gunners that they can get want-away forward, Alexandre Lacazette for £21 million. Following his hot streak last season where he scored 31 goals in 38 games for the French outfit, Lyon tried to offer the forward a new deal but reports coming from France is that he has refused to ‘sign da ting’ and is looking for pastures anew.
Lacazette was one of the most prolific scorers in Europe last season, netting 27 league goals and for £21 million, it would seem like a fantastic bargain. The 24-year-old forward would have to adapt to the rigors of the Premier League but he’d feel at home at Arsenal, a club renowned for its French contingent and they can make Lacazette settle in a lot quicker. The forward is also adept playing on the wings, just in case Wenger feels the need to play him alongside Giroud.
Elsewhere, it seems as if Morgan Schneiderlin will be joining Manchester United instead of Arsenal with the Red Devils closing in on the French midfielder. The Metro reports that the Gunners are closing in on signing Portuguese enforcer, William Carvalho, that’s currently doing his thing for his nation in the European U-21 Championship. In his first three games in the competition, Carvalho has made the most passes in the competition (284) with a pass completion rate of 88%. He has also averaged 1.7 interceptions per game.
Carvalho is in the same mold with Francis Coquelin that goes in for the kill to break up opposition play before spraying a pass to his teammates further up the pitch. I will never forget this epic moment he had for Sporting where he took out two players with one tackle.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rc5isJsiWpg
If the Schneiderlin moves break down, William Carvalho wouldn’t be a bad acquisition for the Gunners.
I’d be monitoring the situation in the coming days for any improvements.
Sayonara.
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