Plenty of Arsenal’s transfer business this summer is going to be judged on how well Andrea Berta can do with new signings.
The Gunners are set to make key additions to the squad with a striker, at least one winger, a midfielder and a backup goalkeeper as a minimum.
While it remains to be seen who could fill each role, Arsenal are working hard to ensure they can get those stars in.
That may be the main thing Andrea Berta will be judged for, but in the background, there should be an eye on sales.
In recent years, the Gunners have struggled to maximise their sales, something that Stan Kroenke should demand more from Berta.
Nuno Tavares transfer problem shows Stan Kroenke must demand more from Andrea Berta
When comparing Arsenal to some of their rivals, it’s clear that there is a problem when it comes to maximising profit from selling their assets.
Some teams, like Chelsea and Liverpool, seem to have a habit of making extortionate amounts of money by selling players on the fringe.
The Gunners, on the other hand, have struggled in comparison, and nothing sums that up more than the sale of Nuno Tavares.
Under Edu Gaspar, the Gunners signed the promising young left-back before realising he wouldn’t quite fit what was needed at Arsenal.
A loan was sealed last summer with a permanent option worth £8 million, which was taken up by Lazio this summer.
Now, just weeks on from the permanent deal being confirmed, Alfredo Pedulla reports that Lazio have rejected a bid from the Saudi Pro League worth in the region of £25 million for Tavares.
While it remains to be seen if more could be offered, it’s a stark contrast to the amount that Arsenal got for him.
It simply underlines what difficulties the club have had with selling, something that Stan Kroenke and the Arsenal owners must demand as a change from Berta in his first window.
Arsenal players Andrea Berta will have to sell this summer
The Tavares situation is a perfect example for Arsenal to avoid when it comes to making the maximum from their sales.
He won’t be the only one this summer who will make a move away, and Berta will have to avoid falling into the same trap as Edu did.
Oleksandr Zinchenko is likely to leave Arsenal this summer, should a deal be facilitated, after a difficult season.
While it’s clear that he isn’t currently favoured in the starting lineup, the challenge will be getting suitors to pay a top price for him, as well as his wages.
The Ukrainian international seems the most likely candidate to leave in the coming weeks, which Berta will have to facilitate in the best way possible.
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