Mohamed Salah sold, Kevin De Bruyne leaves, Alexander Isak signs – Arsenal dream summer window
Arsenal are entering an essential summer with the opportunity not only to continue establishing themselves as title challengers and to be amongst the favourites for the UEFA Champions League but to strengthen their squad in a way that it will keep them there. There is expected to be more upheaval at several clubs with Jurgen Klopp leaving Liverpool and both Chelsea and Manchester United potentially changing head coaches too.
Meanwhile, Manchester City are entering the final year of Pep Guardiola’s contract with the fate of their investigation regarding the alleged 115 financial breaches to see a conclusion too. Arsenal look to be one of the few stable clubs for the foreseeable future and a summer could entail not only some dream signings but fantasy movements elsewhere in the league.
For example, despite suggestions that Mohamed Salah looks to be staying at Anfield for another season, rumours remain to suggest that Saudi Arabia would still be prepared to invest a huge amount to try and tempt the Egyptian and Liverpool into a move for the 31-year-old.
Liverpool losing Klopp and Salah in the same summer would be a massive blow and new head coach Arne Slot would need to find a replacement to fill the void of their talisman in his first season. Virgil van Dijk is not getting any younger either with one of the three title chasers of this season preparing to enter a transitional phase.
To Man City and Kevin De Bruyne is another player who has been linked with a move to Saudi Arabia. Once again the Belgian has been pivotal in saving Manchester City in big games as recently as their win at Crystal Palace.
He has also been a thorn in the side of Arsenal in matchups between the pair, scoring in their 4-1 win last season which dealt the biggest blow to the Gunners’ title hopes. Losing De Bruyne and then Guardiola, should he not renew his current deal beyond 2025, would put the Citizens as well into a transitional period which Arsenal would need to try and exploit.
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From an incoming perspective, centre-forward remains the biggest area in which fans appear to want to see big investment. The problem is of course that there are not too many obvious candidates for the position.
One player who would be a dream target however is Newcastle United’s Alexander Isak. The Swedish centre-forward has had an excellent campaign and was on the Gunners’ radar whilst he was at Real Sociedad playing alongside Martin Odegaard.
Newcastle would be very reluctant to sell but suggestions financial restrictions may need them to sell players have given hope that Arsenal could exploit their situation somewhat. Isak would be a fantastic acquisition for the club but the likelihood remains incredibly low.