Arsenal: Double signing almost confirmed; Interest in Atlético star, Debuchy to leave
There was further good news for Arsenal fans following Arsenal’s first Premier League win of the season at Watford yesterday, with Arsene Wenger confirming the arrivals of Lucas Perez and Shkodran Mustafi.
Goals from Santi Cazorla, Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Özil were enough to give the Gunners a 3-1 win, and Perez and Mustafi are set to be confirmed as Arsenal players in the next few days.
Speaking after the game with Watford, Wenger said: “I think they should both go through. They have both had medicals and we just have to finish the paperwork. It looks like it will be announced next week.”
Reaction to these deals has been mixed, with some suggesting Arsenal have ‘settled’ for Perez and Mustafi in some kind of panic.
The fact is, Wenger was told that Arsenal should strengthen at centre-back, deep-lying midfield and up front and he has done just that, accounting for the early summer capture of Granit Xhaka.
Whether the new arrivals are of requisite to fire Arsenal to the title remains to be seen, but Wenger has at least rolled the dice in an attempt to win the league.
The Arsenal boss has held the view in recent summers that if he can’t buy the perfect ‘Goldilocks’ striker, he would rather not buy anyone. Clearly, that position has softened this summer.
Arsenal are unlikely to bring in anybody else in the final days of the window, but The Daily Star are reporting that there is a long standing interest in Antoine Griezmann.
The Gunners may have spent close to £90 million this summer, but there are additional funds available to spend big on a ‘marquee player’ should one become available.
Wenger had seemingly banked of Diego Costa returning to Atletico Madrid this summer, thus freeing up Griezmann, but such a move has not materialised.
The Star’s report however, states that Arsenal will return for the French international at a later date with a source stating that Griezmann is open to a new challenge.
There could be some outgoings however, and Mathieu Debuchy’s shirt has been removed as an option on the club’s online shop hinting that he could soon be shown the door.
As Manchester City are discovering, it is becoming increasingly difficult for Premier League clubs to move on unwanted players because of the inflated salaries they are on.
Debuchy was extremely unfortunate to suffer ruptured ankle ligaments and a dislocated shoulder in his first season at Arsenal, which handed Hector Bellerin a chance of first-team football.
The young Spaniard has never looked back, and Debuchy has not given him much of a fight for the right back berth at Arsenal.
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