Right now in the Football Transfer Tavern, Arsenal fans are suffering that oh so familiar feeling of being envious about another clubs’ transfer business.
Only a few weeks ago, our resident Gooners thought everything was changing for the better following the relatively early signing of Petr Cech by Arsenal’s often late standards.
However, Arsenal fans have been left looking peeved after Manchester United completed a double swoop for both Bastian Schweinsteiger and Morgan Schneiderlin yesterday, wrapping up their signatures in swift style.
Arsene Wenger often tells Arsenal fans that he’ll only add quality signings that can truly change the fortunes of his side in every transfer window but this tact is often painstaking for Gooners to endure.
Having missed out on not only Schneiderlin but also Geoffrey Kondogbia who joined Inter Milan, you can imagine the #WengerOut mob are lighting their pitchforks if Francis Coquelin gets injured and no significant cover in the defensive midfield position is brought into the club.
Not only this but Arsenal also sometimes go after players that nobody could’ve imagined prior to them arriving at Emirates Stadium.
Just look at the likes of Nacho Monreal and Danny Welbeck who have arrived in recent transfer windows; nobody and not even the press caught wind of their transfers until right before the time in which they moved.
Alluding to this theme somewhat, we’ve come up with five left-field transfer targets that Arsenal may be considering this summer.
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Click on the image below to reveal the 5 left-field transfer deals Arsenal may consider this summer.
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David Alaba
If you pay close attention to everything related to your club’s hashtag on Twitter (who doesn’t?), you would’ve noticed that David Alaba is a new name who has been linked with an Arsenal switch very recently.
The rumour was initially sparked by @arsenalbarclays, a handle belonging to somebody with 14,000 followers who had claimed to have heard the story via beIN Sports.
While this rather unfounded rumour has been brushed aside by a large majority of Gooners, can it be ruled out entirely?
Back in 2013, the Austrian international claimed: “Arsenal is a dream, that’s my favourite team. But now I’m living my dream.
“Regarding offers from other clubs, I have not discussed them after consultation with my father and my agent,”
With the player previously publicly expressing his affection for Arsenal, this is at least something concrete and who knows, with Wenger often pulling new targets out of thin air, Alaba is somebody who’d be adept in defensive midfield or at left back.
Jose Callejon
Just how many times in the past have Arsenal looked to sign yet another attack-minded midfielder when they could’ve really done with some reinforcements in the defensive and striking departments more urgently?
While it may be hard to believe, one rumour that is doing the rounds at the moment is a Gunners swoop for Napoli’s Spanish attacking midfielder / forward Jose Callejon.
The Express are among those that claim the Spaniard is keen on departing Italy with Wenger earmarking the deal as one that would yield value and quality.
While Arsenal boast an embarrassment of riches in the wide areas in the form of Alexis Sanchez, Danny Welbeck, Theo Walcott, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Jose Callejon is somebody who could also perform in the false number nine role but with Walcott receiving few chances in this position, this ideal with Callejon seems a long shot.
Alessio Romagnoli
Little is known about Roma’s Alessio Romagnoli here in the tavern but our landlord has just compiled a little bit of research online to read that he is a 20-year-old centre back who has already racked up 13 appearances for the Serie A giants so far in his fledgling career.
Enjoying a season-long loan spell at Sampdoria last term, Romagnoli was a part of the Italy squad that played at this summer’s European Under-21 Championships in the Czech Republic.
The latest regarding the youngster’s situation is that despite Arsenal being interested in his services, AC Milan have lodged a £14.3 million bid for his services so the competition is tough to secure Romagnoli.
While you’d imagine Arsenal are well stocked in central defence right now with Per Mertesacker, Laurent Koscielny, Gabriel Paulista and Calum Chambers to call upon, Mertesacker is ageing and perhaps Wenger will earmark a move for his younger understudy in Romagnoli?
Faouzi Ghoulam
Rather strangely, Arsenal seem to have been linked with a fair few left backs this summer despite being able to call upon the equally dependable pair of Nacho Monreal and Kieran Gibbs,
With Monreal experiencing a remarkable turnaround in form last season, most Gooners in the tavern reckon it is he and not academy graduate Gibbs that should be the first choice in the position under Wenger next season.
That said, either the papers know something we don’t or they’re just misleading people again because Napoli’s Algerian international left back Faouzi Ghoulam has been linked with an Arsenal switch for a few weeks now.
With Metro reporting a couple of days ago that Ghoulam is days away from a Gunners switch, the latest is that Arsenal are lining up Ghoulam as part of a double swoop that will also include the aforementioned Callejon.
Moves for the Napoli pair aren’t being endorsed by many Gooners right now who’d prefer to be swooping for their team-mate Gonzalo Higuain instead!
Julian Draxler
If you thought the Julian Draxler to Arsenal rumours has subsided for good, you’d be wrong.
They’re back with a vengeance after Metro claimed the Gelsenkirchen giants are finally ready to cash in on their German international star given the fact they’re chasing after Inter Milan’s Xherdan Shaqiri themselves.
Linked with a Gunners switch in the last four transfer windows, it’s clear Arsene Wenger likes the player and with a chance to sign him reportedly opening up, perhaps he can revisit his plans to sign him while converting him to play as a centre forward.
With fellow German internationals Per Mertesacker and Mesut Ozil already at the club, you’d imagine that Draxler would be keen on a reunion so perhaps this is a left-field rumour that is about to come to the surface once more.
