Whilst bolstering his attacking contingent is a priority for Mikel Arteta, there are other areas of the Arsenal squad in need of attention in the transfer market.
Whether it be in the January transfer window or in the summer, Mikel Arteta will want to raise the level of his Arsenal squad in multiple areas.
Whilst the Gunners currently have a very settled defence, the depth of this contingent has been tested by the defensive injury crisis Arsenal have suffered this season.
This has led to the emergence of Myles Lewis-Skelly at left-back, whilst it has also confirmed that certain players are no longer central figures in the manager’s plans.
Arsenal must join Liverpool in race for Milos Kerkez
Oleksandr Zinchenko has fallen down the pecking order, as has Jakub Kiwior. On top of that, despite the fact that he has returned to the first team fold this season, Kieran Tierney has no long-term future at Arsenal, with that decision having been firmly made.
On top of that, it is hard to imagine that Arteta is constructing plans with Takehiro Tomiyasu in mind, given his injury record.
Should Zinchenko, Tomiyasu, and Kiwior follow Tierney out of the Emirates Stadium, either this winter or in the summer, the Gunners will suddenly find their defensive roster significantly depleted.
As such, Arteta needs to already be considering transfer targets for this area of his squad, and should be prepared to rival Liverpool for the signature of Bournemouth left-back Milos Kerkez.
As reported by the Liverpool Echo, the Reds hold a keen interest in the Hungarian full-back, and for good reason.
The 21-year-old has impressed in the Premier League since joining the Cherries, and looks to be a player capable of taking another step up in his career.
Why Arsenal need a Kieran Tierney replacement
Tierney initially fell out of favour at Arsenal under Arteta for tactical reasons. The Scottish defender is a very conventional, orthodox left-back who excels in attacking up the flank, providing an overlap, and delivering crosses into the box.
However, Arteta has shown a preference for a more inverted type of full-back, who routinely drifts into the middle of the park to become an auxiliary midfielder of sorts.
This system has made the Gunners’ too predictable in attack at times, and the left-side of Arteta’s team has routinely failed to be as productive as the right flank.
A younger, perhaps better version of Tierney, with a more reliable fitness record, would allow Arsenal to be more adaptable and balanced as a team. Kerkez would be the ideal player to provide that option.
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