Arsenal could be one of the biggest spєɴԀers in Europe this summer after signing Kai Havertz for £65million – with Ԁєɑłs for Declan Rice and Jurrien Timber set to follow
It’s shaping up to be abusy transfer windowfor Arsenal.
The Gunners have alreadyconfirmed the signing of Kai Havertz, 24, fromChelseain a £65million Ԁєɑł, whileDeclan Riceis on the verge of completing a £105m move fromWest Ham. The latter, also 24, could be unveiled as anArsenalplayer in the coming days.
Arsenal are also close to agreeing a £40m transfer fee with Ajax for 22-year-old defєɴԀer Jurrien Timber. If all those three Ԁєɑłs are finalised, the Gunners will have spent more than £200m on fresh talent… and there is still two months to go in this transfer window.
All of those three players are young, but they also have a shared quality: versatility. ThɾօυɢҺout Mikel Arteta’s three-and-a-half years in charge of Arsenal, he’s always looked to bring in footballers who are capable of playing in a number of positions.
Ben White, Gabriel Jesus, Takehiro Tomiyasu, Lenadro Trossard and Oleksandr Zinchenko have all played in a variety of positions since being signed by Arteta. The Gunners boss wants plenty of options from the bench and cover, just in case an ιɴjυɾу crisis unfolds.
It’s a trait Pep Guardiola wants to see in his players atManchester City. The likes of Nathan Ake,John Stones, Bernardo Silva, Manuel Akanji and Rico Lewis often swapped roles thɾօυɢҺout last season, helping Guardiola’s side win the Treble.
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Arteta would’ve learnt from Guardiola during his time as Man City’s assistant manager between June 2016 and December 2019. Arteta knows he needs strength in depth, not just a good starting XI. That is particularly true with the signings of Havertz and Timber.
While Rice will replace Bayer Leverkusen-bound Granit Xhaka in Arteta’s starting XI, Havertz and Timber are expected to play supporting roles. Havertz can be deployed as a centre-forward, winger, attacking midfielder or even in a deeper role.
Timber can play at centre-back, full-back or in central midfield, as his former Ajax manager Erik ten Hag argued in 2020. Ten Hag added: “He dares to speak out immediately and has not been shy in the dressing room. Those are important qualities to get far.”
And what about Rice? The England international has already been converted from a centre-back into a defensive midfielder and appears to becoming more of a box-to-box star. His role at Arsenal will be clear, but that doesn’t mean he’s not an adaptable player.
Arteta often speaks about his desire for versatility when signing a new player. After Zinchenko’s move from Man City a year ago, the Gunners boss said: “He can play in both [defence and midfield]. He was a natural No.10 early in his career and we converted him into a left-back [at Man City], which can do a lot of things that we want in our way of playing.
“That versatility is something that is going to be important for the team because we have players in that position who are more specific full-backs, so I’m really happy.
“[Versatility] is one of the things and the way we can adapt structures, formations and rotations within the squad and playing with the same players in a different way. To be more unpredictable is obviously important and that is why we have recruited [versatile] players.”
That word, “versatile”, came up again when Arteta spoke toMarcaabout the Havertz Ԁєɑł. He said: “He is a talented, versatile player and only 24 years old. Talent has a price and, at Arsenal, we are always interested in young players with experience.”
Arteta knows exactly what he’s looking for in a player. So, who else could Arsenal sign this summer? The club’s co-chair Josh Kroenke promised they will be “aggressive” in the transfer market when opportunities arise during an interview two years ago.
Presuming Kroenke sticks to that promise, Arsenal fɑɴȿ can expect their team to continue spєɴԀing. The Gunners have a greater transfer budget this season after єɴԀing their seven-year exile from theChampions League, and they can also attract better players.
Crystal Palacecentre-back Marc Guehi, 22, was on Arsenal’s transfer shortlistearlier this summerand so wasLeicesterright-back Timothy Castagne, 27. The latter fits into the versatile category, as he can play at left-back or on the right flank.
Arsenal may move on from both of those targets once they complete a Ԁєɑł for Timber. The most likeliest signing is that of Romeo Lavia, with the exciting teenage midfielder expected to leaveSouthamptonafter their relegation from thePremier League.
Lavia, 19, was a regular for the Saints last season – giving him that experience Arteta requires – and could be available for around £45m. He could replace Thomas Partey in Arsenal’s midfield, withJuventusand clubs in Saudi Arabia after the Ghanaian’s signature.
It remains to be seen whether Lavia will complete a move to the Emirates, but one thing is for sure: Arsenal’s transfer business isn’t done. Expect Arteta to keep on splashing the cash, especially on emerging stars who can play in multiple positions.
