Ten targets Arsenal should have signed this summer.
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10) Sokratis Papastathopoulos (Borussia Dortmund)
Linked with a move to Arsenal late on in the summer transfer window, Borussia Dortmund defender Sokratis Papastathopoulos could certainly have made a top class addition for the Gunners in central defence. After losing Thomas Vermaelen to Barcelona, Arsene Wenger’s side now look short of backup options to the likes of Per Mertesacker and Laurent Koscielny, despite the impressive early-season form of youngster Calum Chambers. One injury to any of these players, and it looks like Arsenal will curse their inability to push through this deal for a solid and experienced Greek international, who looked to be available for a reasonable price.
9) William Carvalho (Sporting Lisbon)
One of the best young midfielders in Europe, William Carvalho was linked strongly with a move to Arsenal for much of the summer transfer window, though it is reported that the Gunners never managed to meet Sporting Lisbon’s valuation of the player. The 22-year-old would certainly have made an upgrade on the likes of Mathieu Flamini and Jack Wilshere in the deep-lying midfield role, and a superb long-term replacement for club captain Mikel Arteta, who is also out injured at the moment, leaving Arsenal short of quality options in that part of the pitch.
8) Adrien Rabiot (Paris Saint-Germain)
Another outstanding young talent linked strongly with Arsenal is Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Adrien Rabiot. The 19-year-old midfielder was said to have rejected a contract offer from PSG and could have moved for a reasonable fee as the club do not want to lose him on a free transfer next summer. AS Roma were also said to be tracking the promising Frenchman, who would have made another fine signing for Arsenal in what has become something of a problem position for them in recent times.
Available for just £10.5m, there may be few better bargains in the transfer market than French striker Loic Remy this season, with the prolific forward supposedly snubbed by Arsenal as he instead made the move from Queens Park Rangers to Chelsea. A top class replacement for Fernando Torres, Remy will now compete with big names such as Diego Costa and Didier Drogba for a place in Jose Mourinho’s starting lineup, but he would surely have become first choice at Arsenal, who are well short of strikers after a long-term injury to Olivier Giroud. Given that Danny Welbeck ended up costing £16m, it’s hard to understand why Arsene Wenger did not try harder to sign Remy instead.
A superb signing for just £30m, Chelsea got the better of Arsenal on another top deal this summer as they signed the Gunners’ former captain Cesc Fabregas. After a difficult spell at Barcelona, the Spanish playmaker was allowed to leave the Nou Camp this summer and was supposedly offered a return to his old club Arsenal before they turned him down. Fabregas instead made the move to Chelsea and has slotted into the side perfectly, re-establishing himself as one of the best midfielders in the Premier League again, almost as though he’d never been away. Why Barcelona misused him in different positions is baffling, as is Arsenal’s choice not to re-sign him given their current options in midfield.
5) Matija Nastasic (Manchester City)
Despite not being in the best run of form, Manchester City defender Matija Nastasic could have made a good signing for Arsenal as a replacement for the departing Thomas Vermaelen. The Serbian international looked superb in his first season at the Etihad Stadium, and remains a highly regarded young talent who could improve if given the chance. After falling out of favour at City, this was a chance for Arsenal to sign another solid centre-back, but another target that got away from them again.
With signings in defensive midfield clearly needed, even without an injury to Mikel Arteta, Arsenal should have pursued the signing of Wolfsburg’s superb Brazilian midfield general Luiz Gustavo. The 27-year-old was also linked with the Gunners last summer whilst still at Bayern Munich, and it is hard to understand what has held up his proposed move to the Emirates Stadium. Undoubtedly one of the best midfielders in the Bundesliga, Gustavo could add something to this Arsenal side, who are short of a tough-tackling player to protect their often fragile back four.
3) Mario Balotelli (Liverpool)
Costing the same as Danny Welbeck, Mario Balotelli made the move from AC Milan to Liverpool this summer to become one of the most exciting signings of the whole transfer window. The Italian international may be a risky signing given his behavioural problems, but on his day he is a world class talent who could go on to become one of the best strikers in the world if he finds some consistency. There’s no doubt he would have been an upgrade on Olivier Giroud upfront for Arsenal, and it is highly surprising to hear that Arsene Wenger twice turned down the chance to bring him to north London this summer. This definitely seems like one missed target that will come back to haunt the Gunners.
2) Radamel Falcao (Manchester United)
Manchester United’s latest addition Radamel Falcao is no doubt an expensive signing considering he is only joining a season-long loan, but still one that could have been well worth it for Arsenal. The Colombian international has been one of the best strikers in the world for the last few years, showing prolific form at Atletico Madrid before making the big-money move to AS Monaco last summer. Although United have paid around £6m to take him for the 2014/15 campaign, a player of his quality could prove to be the difference between winning a trophy and not.
SEE ALSO: Manchester United XI with Radamel Falcao.
A player linked with Arsenal all summer long, it is a big surprise that Sami Khedira did not eventually make the move to the Emirates Stadium from Real Madrid. The German international, a World Cup winner with his country this summer, is one of the best players in the world in his position and would have been just what Arsenal needed to complete their squad. With his contract issues at Madrid, he may still be available on a free transfer next year, though other clubs will no doubt provide increased competition for his signature, leaving Arsenal to ponder what might have been.
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