Arsenal are in serious trouble right now.
All seemed rosy when the Gunners won a third FA Cup in four years back in May but the Arsenal hierarchy may be regretting the two-year contract extension offered to Arsene Wenger earlier this summer.
After just three Premier League games, fans are already calling for the Frenchman to go – something has to give. The club acted swiftly and effectively to sign Alexandre Lacazette for £52 million just a few months ago and Wenger will be hoping that his compatriot can help to ease the pressure on his shoulders.
Lacazette, a goal machine during his time at Lyon, scored less than a couple of minutes into his Gunners debut against Leicester City on the opening weekend but he has struggled to make a positive impression since then.
Whether Lacazette hits top form or not, Arsenal must spend heavily in January. More often than not, signing players during the campaign doesn’t work but the Gunners have no choice if they are serious about challenging for the top four.
Arsenal slipped out of the Champions League places for the first time in Wenger’s tenure last season and another failure will hurt his legacy as one of the modern greats. Wenger’s reputation is on the line but more importantly, so are Arsenal’s chances of maintaining their status as one of England’s biggest clubs.
With no Premier League title triumph since 2004, the Gunners are in danger of slipping into the second bracket, especially if the likes of Southampton and Everton continue to improve. Arsenal need to spend big in order to keep pace with the two Manchester clubs, Chelsea and Liverpool.
At the time of writing, football betting odds show Arsenal at 13/8 to finish in the top four this season and a fresh arrival or two in January should enhance competition across the squad.
Arsenal are confident of securing a January deal for Thomas Lemar #AFC https://t.co/5JQR5mGohS
— Express Sport (@DExpress_Sport) September 7, 2017
According to various reports, Thomas Lemar has agreed a deal in principle to join the Gunners midway through the campaign and supporters will be more than happy if the Monaco man makes the move to the Emirates Stadium.
But Lemar alone isn’t enough. Arsenal are crying out for a dominant central midfield figure and Sporting Lisbon star William Carvalho fits the bill.
West Ham United tried and failed to sign the Portuguese this summer and their loss can be Arsenal’s gain. Wenger has spoken highly of Carvalho in the past and, with the right financial backing, the Gunners could bring in at least two new faces in January.
With the Gunners sitting in the bottom half of the table after three matches, one thing is for sure: action is needed. Assuming that everything will improve in time is not the way forward – Arsenal must focus on bringing talented players in before it is too late.
Wenger is coming under intense pressure and rightly so, the Gunners haven’t been up to scratch thus far. But with Lemar and somebody like Carvalho, Arsenal can push on and qualify for the Champions League next season.
Football is a funny old game but Wenger’s time at the Premier League’s top table is coming to an end. Arsenal need something special to compete with their rivals now – and financial backing may be the only way forward.