This summer is shaping up to be a significant one for Arsenal.
To start with, the Gunners need to sign a new centre-forward, and a defensive midfielder. football.londonunderstands work is in place to bring in Martin Zubimendi, while a backup goalkeeper is also necessary after not replacing Aaron Ramsdale yet, plus an additional attacker and defender could be required depending on outgoings.
That is five signings they may have to make during the upcoming transfer window. However, they could need at least as many in the summer of 2027 to replace those due to be out-of-contract.
Jorginho, Kieran Tierney and Thomas Partey are in that situation right now. However, the impact of their potential departures – plus the returns of Neto and Raheem Sterling to Bournemouth and Chelsea, respectively, when their season-long loans expire – pales in comparison to the forecast for 2027.
Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Jesus, Gabriel Magalhaes, Gabriel Martinelli and William Saliba. Those are the five whose contracts only run until the season after next, and the club still want to renew existing players’ deals.
As, assumedly, Liverpool did with Mohamed Salah, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Virgil van Dijk. However, they have not managed to do so in the 18 months since, with all three now merely months away from becoming free agents.
Two sporting directors – first Michael Edwards, then his successor Julian Ward – deciding to leave a matter of months apart hardly helped. They, though, hired Jorg Schmadtke on a short-term contract and then Jurgen Klopp also announced his departure last year only exacerbated the situation.
Arsenal are in not too dissimilar a position. Edu Gaspar ‘s resignation last November has seen Jason Ayto become the club’s interim sporting director, an internal move akin to Ward inheriting the role from Edwards.
While there are no signs of Mikel Arteta going anywhere, Liverpool are the warning for the Gunners about not neglecting your existing player’s contracts. They have, to a degree, acknowledged that in their financial reports for 2023/24.
“The group seeks to maintain playing success by continually investing in the development of its playing squad, and it enters into employment contracts with each of its key personnel with a view to securing their services for the term of the contract,” a section of the strategic report, underneath the ‘risks and uncertainties’ header, reads. “However, the group operates in a highly competitive market in both domestic and European competition and retention of personnel cannot be guaranteed.”
There are no guarantees in football, but Arsenal must do their utmost to heed their following statement: “In addition, the activities of the group’s main competitors can determine trends in the market rates for transfers and wages that the group may be required to follow in order to maintain the strength of its first team squad.”
The strength of their squad needs maintenance. And that happens by retaining Gabriel, Saliba and Saka – not having them become the next Alexander-Arnold, Salah and Van Dijk.
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