Arsenal have secured Champions League qualification for next season, and attention will now turn towards the summer transfer window for Andrea Berta and Mikel Arteta.
Newcastle were beaten 1-0 by Arsenal at the Emirates on Sunday afternoon, with Declan Rice’s emphatic 55th-minute strike giving the Gunners all three points.
The result means that Arteta’s side are guaranteed a place in the top five, while they’ll secure second place in the Premier League if they avoid defeat to Southampton on the weekend.
Arsenal have already reached an agreement with Real Sociedad over Martin Zubimendi, with the Spaniard expected to arrive at the Emirates in a £51 million deal, kicking off what is likely to be a busy summer of spending for the North London club.
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Gary Neville thinks Arsenal don’t need to sign a defender this summer
Berta is eager to add a striker, a winger, a midfielder, a back-up goalkeeper and a defender to Arteta’s ranks this summer.
A number nine is widely understood to be the main priority, although a defender is also seen as a pivotal acquisition.
Arsenal were heavily linked with Dean Huijsen, which suggests the Gunners want a right-sided defender who can provide cover and competition for the likes of William Saliba, Ben White and Jurrien Timber.
However, speaking on the Gary Neville Podcast, the outspoken pundit claimed a defender isn’t necessary, and that it’s ‘obvious’ that Berta should be focusing on reinforcing the attack.
“I think it’s pretty obvious where they need to strengthen in midfield and in attack,” the former Manchester United right-back said.
“On today’s game, I thought actually there was a good thing in the second half. If you think, Arsenal’s back four could easily be Gabriel [Magalhaes] and Saliba, and it could easily also be Timber and [Takehiro] Tomiyasu at full-back.
“So you could argue that was almost a second-choice back four playing against a very good Newcastle team. So I think it’s obvious they don’t need to strengthen in that area.
“I think they’ve got a really good group of defenders there. I’ve not mentioned [Oleksandr] Zinchenko amongst them either. I think that part of the pitch is fine.
“They’ve got some good midfield players. Jorginho is going and I think they need to bring in someone of high quality in that area, to go alongside [Martin] Odegaard, [Declan] Rice, [Thomas] Partey and [Mikel] Merino.”
Arsenal do need to sign a defender this summer
While the priority will be signing a striker and a wide forward, Arsenal still need another defender if Jakub Kiwior departs.
Both Oleksandr Zinchenko and Kieran Tierney are expected to leave this summer, while Kiwior has several clubs in Italy courting him.
If all three walk through the exit door at London Colney, Arsenal will be left with six defenders, plus an injured Takehiro Tomiyasu, competing for four places at the back.
This simply isn’t sufficient depth if you want to compete on multiple fronts, so another acquisition will be needed.
Arsenal have been linked with Jorrel Hato, a young left-sided defender, and this sort of profile would fit in perfectly as a like-for-like replacement for Kiwior.
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