What we’ve been grown used to is the Arsenal engine that runs, half season after half season so brilliantly that very few at this time raise eyebrows and wonder how Arsenal can be halted. Quite consistently though, Arsenal is a team that falls behind at the start of the season due to a few issues, which has destroyed their premier league chances season after season.
As the transfer windows whizzes by, it is often from the red part of London where an outburst of fans is witnessed and this is usually because of Arsene Wenger’s naivety to land in significant players to close down the existing voids or to replace the injured ones at the time of an injury crisis. Year by year Arsenal have struggled to cope with the injuries and lack of signings and bench strength is often the cause of their downfall. This coming transfer window though, I am quite sure Arsenal fans wouldn’t tolerate another month to go by just like that without looking at the voids and filling them up. I personally look at 3 players Arsenal can target to bolster their chances of finally laying their hands on the coveted English Premier trophy.
Arsenal is a team that has a star studded playing eleven, but is a team that also lacks replacements if many players are injured. For a team that struggles to cope with injuries, replacements and backups are important. The midfield line up at Arsenal consisting of players like Ramsey, Wilshere, Cazorla, Arteta often fails to play consistently and are injury prone. Despite Coquelin getting injured for the first time in years, Arsenal have failed to retrieve a good backup. In this case Arsenal don’t have a player in the midfield who can strike a partnership with Ozil and nor do they have a midfielder who can go box to box and help out defensively as well as in the attack. Arsenal lack an attacking midfielder and a defensive midfielder.
Olivier Giroud and Danny Welbeck are the only 2 strikers Arsenal have and while one is on the sidelines for what seems like eternity, Arsenal can’t really rely on Giroud alone. Hence Arsenal need a young striker too for loan mostly or a permanent transfer (which ever Wenger prefers) who will give the much needed rest for Giroud and take off Arsenal’s dependence on the French striker.
Here are the people Arsenal can target and probably land in this window. If every single Arsenal player is fit, Arsenal need only a central defensive midfielder but looking at the list of injured players now Arsenal do need at least 2-3 players who can come into the side immediately replacing the injured ones efficiently.
1) Aleksandr Kokorin
Kokorin finds himself in the list of Russia’s emerging youngsters. The lad being 24 years is a huge boost. Aleksandr Kokorin plays as a centre forward or as a striker. In 8 appearances for Dynamo Moscow, Kokorin has scored 4 goals and has a pass percentage of 75% this season. He has played 650+ minutes, which is also an achievement and a trait for which Arsenal can land him in.
Aleksandr Kokorin can reduce Arsenal’s dependence on Olivier Giroud and Danny Welbeck and make a name for himself at England. He may as well turn out to be one perfect buy for the Gunners. Kokorin is a really good dribbler and a sublime poacher. He gets into good positions, waits for the ball and neatly slots it in. With an assist king like Ozil behind you, who wouldn’t shine? I can already feel the excitement to feel my eyes on this potentially brilliant kokorin and Ozil partnership. Though Kokorin isn’t tall enough, he is a team player who can be really effective if the play is from the ground and preferably not in the air. While Giroud can provide an aerial threat, Kokorin can compliment him in the style of his own. Arsenal must bring in this young lad if they can!