Sven Mislintat wants Arsenal to sign players in four different positions this summer, according to reports, in what is shaping up to be a significantly busier window than last year.
Last summer, Arsenal only signed Sead Kolašinac and Alexandre Lacazette, despite a number of high profile sales.
The Daily Mail write that the new head of recruitment at the club has identified the four areas he thinks Arsenal need to strengthen this time around, to help them push on next season.
Let’s take a look at each one:
3Holding midfield
After selling Francis Coquelin in January, Arsenal are now very short on dedicated holding midfield players. Granit Xhaka and Mohamed Elneny sometimes play the position, to varying degrees of success, but Mislintat clearly thinks the team need an upgrade.
If Santi Cazorla doesn’t come back from injury, which looks more and more likely, the squad is down to four central midfielders in total.
That’s unless you count Ainsley Maitland-Niles. Unfortunately after the home leg against Östersunds FK, he’ll probably have to wait a while for more midfield chances.
When you look at the injury record of Jack Wilshere and Aaron Ramsey, as well as the fact they could leave this summer given their expiring contracts, Arsenal might need a new box-to-box midfielder as well.
For now though, Arsenal just need to find someone to protect the defence.
The team have conceded more goals than anyone in the top seven, and that’s just as much about the midfield’s lack of protection as the defenders’ failings.