One positive to take from Arsenal losing the Carabao Cup final at Wembley Stadium was that Andrea Berta’s task for the summer transfer window could not be clearer.
Arsenal were terrible against Manchester City, missing out on their first piece of major silverware since 2020.
After such a long wait, many assumed that the Gunners would show up ravenous to win, but that was far from the case.
So many Arsenal players were below-par in the Carabao Cup final, which, while being unacceptable on the day, actually gave sporting director Andrea Berta a pointer towards what’s needed in the summer.
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It’s clear who Arsenal need to replace after the Carabao Cup final
Berta impressed fans in his first transfer window at Arsenal, and already, there’s a feeling that next summer needs to be even bigger.
Against Man City, it became clearer than ever that Mikel Arteta’s attack is missing a player of technical excellence, something that set Pep Guardiola’s squad aside from the Gunners on the day.
For Berta, it became clearer than ever that signing a world-class forward in the summer is not a want, it’s a need.
Leandro Trossard’s performance proved how badly a left-sider is needed, but the issue is that Kai Havertz, Viktor Gyokeres and Bukayo Saka’s displays sent the same message.
Havertz and Gyokeres did not work well together, neither having the capacity to really threaten Man City, which was the same for Saka, who was bullied on the right side.
After watching the Carabao Cup final, which Arsenal players do you think need upgrading?
So, we know Berta needs to kit out Arsenal’s attack, and we also know that a new central midfielder is needed.
Declan Rice and Martin Zubimendi are exhausted, which is transferring into their work on the pitch.
It’s unsustainable to rely on the two, particularly given that Christian Norgaard doesn’t get many minutes, and Arteta is reluctant to play Myles Lewis-Skelly centrally, opening the door to a new midfield signing.
A number six profile capable of pulling off line-splitting passes is what Arsenal need, as became clear through Zubimendi’s terrible performance against City.
The trip to Wembley didn’t turn out how Berta would’ve wanted, but the sporting director would’ve walked away with some clarity on what this current squad is missing, providing food for thought ahead of the summer transfer window.
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