Arteta’s Transfer Targets: Summer 2024

[Rasmi]

What do you mean more wasted funds? We’ve hardly wasted any money, if he’s a top quality CB for our system why is it wasted?

@Rasmi you know for a fact that 3 of those play full back in the system we utilise?

I said they are natural CBs. They can do a job as fullback. But a natural fullback is something we don’t and you lose something without them.

 

[db10_therza]

I agree but I think Rice is sort of a problem tbh. He’s borderline WC at what you say, if not already WC, but he still lacks a lot in terms of overall play because of his lack of agility and his risk minimizing. We’ve played our best football this season with him at 8.

So overall I agree with you - but on this point when Rice has been at 6 we’ve had Havertz at 8 - we don’t know how it would look with a proper midfielder in there but I’m willing to bet large sums of money it will look awesome.

In general I’m a fan of playing players in their preferred positions. Rice has been pretty unequivocal that he wants to be 6. When he’s asked to play 8 I just feel like the amount of ground he has to cover is ridiculous. He’s in the second and sometimes even first line of our press and is still expected to cover and sweep in front of the defence. He’s got a good engine but even Mo Farah would struggle with that assignment.

It’s all just really sub optimal in my mind.

 

[db10_therza]

Very well articulated point and I can’t really disagree with you.

On the positive side we’ve seen links stating we do want a CM and will be signing one.

I like that we don’t have any strong links to anyone in particular. I’d like us to sign someone who is a 10/10 for CM.

What do you think we need? In my opinion we need a Thomas Partey type of player. Or even an athletic version of Xhaka.

My dream midfield signing is Barella.

Basically what I think we need is our own version of what Gundogan was for City. In general he was their b2b, comfortable dropping deep to help build up or join in the attack. He could deputise as a lone 10 and take on the creative burden when KDB was injured. Heck he even played as 6 and a false 9 at times. Popped with clutch goals at key moments. One of the most underrated midfielders of his generation for me.

Barella is a similar profile - tenacious, energetic, creative and an enormous presence in terms of passion and aura (if not stature lol). He can drop deep to help in first phase and then join the attack. Provides creative cover if Ødegaard is injured (can play him as a lone 10).

He would cost £150m and would be worth every penny.

 

[Sebastes]

Personally I don’t think Rice at 6 is an issue. The issue is when he is at 6, it’s Havertz at LCM. So straight away, 2/3 CMs aren’t incisive enough.

It’s easy to solve, sign a LCM who is good on the ball, one who can dictate from deep, maybe drop into 6 when building and then switch to 8 when attacking.

That way, you have 2 ball playing CMs and Rice can do what he does best.

Yeah this is what I was trying to say when talking about FDJ. You put it much better though.

 

[Sebastes]

So overall I agree with you - but on this point when Rice has been at 6 we’ve had Havertz at 8 - we don’t know how it would look with a proper midfielder in there but I’m willing to bet large sums of money it will look awesome.

In general I’m a fan of playing players in their preferred positions. Rice has been pretty unequivocal that he wants to be 6. When he’s asked to play 8 I just feel like the amount of ground he has to cover is ridiculous. He’s in the second and sometimes even first line of our press and is still expected to cover and sweep in front of the defence. He’s got a good engine but even Mo Farah would struggle with that assignment.

It’s all just really sub optimal in my mind.

Yeah that’s fair enough

 

[GDeep™]

View attachment 23642

Another defender?

 

[LookingForEric]

I said they are natural CBs. They can do a job as fullback. But a natural fullback is something we don’t and you lose something without them.

But you know our system doesn’t require natural full backs? So what’s the complaint?

Timber played for years at CB but in a back three, so naturally he gets forward more. He’s also played 60 games at full back. Hence why we signed him.

Ben White also played most of his time in a back 3 when playing CB, and once again has become a fantastic right back.

Tomiyasu has played more games at full back in his career than at CB.

We have 3 natural CB’s in the club, Saliba, Gabriel and Kiwior.

 

[LookingForEric]

To add to the above @Rasmi we often play with a back 3 when attacking. So it’s always made sense to sign players who are comfortable in a back 3. (White, Tomi, Timber)

 

[Heavy Duty Rom]

Yeah this is what I was trying to say when talking about FDJ. You put it much better though.

De Jong would be a dream, sadly I think he’ll remain that. Can’t see him leaving Barcelona, same with Barella, I can’t see him leaving.

Annoyingly, Barcelona have two players who would be perfect for us in FDJ and Pedri.

Bruno G does seem like our best option, but I think it’ll be more likely we’ll end up with Zubimendi.

 

[OnlyOne]

My dream midfield signing is Barella.

Basically what I think we need is our own version of what Gundogan was for City. In general he was their b2b, comfortable dropping deep to help build up or join in the attack. He could deputise as a lone 10 and take on the creative burden when KDB was injured. Heck he even played as 6 and a false 9 at times. Popped with clutch goals at key moments. One of the most underrated midfielders of his generation for me.

Barella is a similar profile - tenacious, energetic, creative and an enormous presence in terms of passion and aura (if not stature lol). He can drop deep to help in first phase and then join the attack. Provides creative cover if Ødegaard is injured (can play him as a lone 10).

He would cost £150m and would be worth every penny.

2026 contract ending, time to sell

 

[Heavy Duty Rom]

2026 contract ending, time to sell

0 goals 1 assist in the CL.
2G 3A in Serie A.

Surprised he even makes it past your security.

 

[OnlyOne]

0 goals 1 assist in the CL.
2G 3A in Serie A.

Surprised he even makes it past your security.

Oh no he hasn’t. Small Italian midfielder doesn’t work in the PL.

Just letting DB know if he wants to start a rumour he can.

 

[OnlyOne]

I’d drop £80M on Valverde and see what RM say, need a guy who can dribble like KDB.

 

[Rasmi]

Get teun koopmeiners. Give us more creativity, goals and shooting in midfield

 

[OnlyOne]

Get teun koopmeiners. Give us more creativity, goals and shooting in midfield

Good player but suits the league he’s in.

 

[LookingForEric]

I’d drop £80M on Valverde and see what RM say, need a guy who can dribble like KDB.

I’d prefer someone who can dribble like Kane

 

[Rasmi]

Good player but suits the league he’s in.

What does that mean? Good player is good player? He has the size, strength and stamina for the PL and has one of the best left foots in Europe. He probably takes over taking the set pieces as well

 

[lomekian]

The problem is Rice for all his qualities is neither good enough to play as lone 6 like Partey as he does not play as a pivot. His ball progression is not good enough. When he plays as a 6 he plays outside the opposition pressing structure as his does not have the close control and spatial awareness of Partey. Thus whenever he plays as lone 6 we suffer.
He is not as expansive as we would want our LCM. So when he plays as LCM aswell we suffer. He is a runner, ball carrier with great defensive nous.

So in our current setup he works in neither position. He desperately needs help currently from inverted FBs for buildup. But they have their own issues and I am generally against this. Even then any inverted FBs are workarounds. None of them are good enough to affect buildup on their own.

The only way Rice works for me is if we abandon the 4-3-3. Get a specialist DLP and a flying attacking LB and move to 4-2-3-1. Although its a big change. To some extent we are already seeing this when Jorginho plays and Kiwior doesn't overlap. But currently the back4+Rice+Jorginho offer little in final third. We need a FB like Davies/Frimpong to make it balanced again.

Assymetric is the way to go. Ideally you want another 6/8 alongside Rice, but a real ball progressing one, so they can adapt to each other and the game - gives us a lot more flexibility and makes us harder to shut down tactically. If TImber can fully recover, he could be signficant as he has the profile to go outside or invert from either FB position. Having him and White on opposite sides allows us to rock and roll side to side rather than just single side inverting which can create balance problems.

Obviously we need another quick wide player who can beat his man, preferably one that can play either side. Nico Williams seems a good fit, but with that RL, teams will be all over him.

Then another striking option who is strong, quick and has an eye for goal, but is controlled enough to link. Not sure Gyokeres is the standard, but he's not far off the template.

There should be enough in the kitty from existing funds and selling the true deadwood.

After that any signings are dependent on departures. In an ideal world there is a decent amount of turnover, but bar the big 3 needs, we need to sell to buy

 

[Heavy Duty Rom]

I’d drop £80M on Valverde and see what RM say, need a guy who can dribble like KDB.

He’s nothing like him on the ball though. We need ball players. Anyway, players like Valverde and Rodrygo aren’t leaving Madrid.

 

[OnlyOne]

He’s nothing like him on the ball though. We need ball players. Anyway, players like Valverde and Rodrygo aren’t leaving Madrid.

No ones like KDB on the ball.

I was just trying to fit in with the X-Factor talk, something Federico has in abundance.