Three Problems That Arsene Wenger Must Address At Arsenal In The Summer
Arsenal have had a rather topsy-turvy campaign so far but the fact that they are still in the 6th spot and 7 points behind arch-rivals Tottenham Hotspur will not bode well for most of the fans. After failing to qualify for this season’s Champions League, there has been a growing sense of frustration among the supporters and it seems to be nearing a saturation point. The situation does not look good for Arsene Wenger and it is quite evident that the Gunners are in dire need of making some serious changes at the end of the season.
They have a good team at present and that has been clear in several matches so far. However, if they are to harbour any serious hopes of winning the Premier League title, they need to address a lot of concerns. At present, they are still in the running to win silverware (the Carabao Cup and the Europa League) but that is not enough for a powerhouse side like Arsenal. Hence, going forward, here are 3 areas of concern Arsenal must deal with over the summer.
Injection Of Younger Blood
Arsenal used to be renowned as a club for young talent and homegrown superstars. However, lately, they seem to be following the trend of purchasing players with hefty price tags. While there is nothing wrong in that, the team needs younger players in a lot of areas.
They still require players for the midfield and the defence, and perhaps the club should utilise this opportunity to seek out younger and more promising players to continue Arsenal’s famous legacy. To see the likes of Reiss Nelson and Ainsley Maitland-Niles burst forward has been quite delightful and that is something they need to work on.
Contractual Issues/Retirement
Per Mertesacker is set to hang up his boots by the end of the season and Santi Cazorla’s contract is set to expire at the same time. Meanwhile, they will also need to deal with the likes of Aaron Ramsey and Danny Welbeck – both of whose contracts will expire in the summer of 2019.
Wilshere’s contract expires at the end of the season and they will face a big decision when it comes to these things. With newer and more efficient structures in place, the process can be more streamlined to suit the club’s immediate requirements.
Wanted: New Goalkeeper
The Gunners are in desperate need of a new goalkeeper. More than anything else, that should be a top priority for Wenger. Petr Cech is an experienced wonder and he has done a lot of good things for Arsenal but he is not getting any younger.
With David Ospina mainly playing in Europe and cup encounters, the Gunners will need a new No.1 keeper and they have been linked with signing quite a few goalkeepers as well. It will be interesting to see who ultimately completes the switch this summer.