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Arsenal’s New-Look Line-Up With 6 Key Signings Including Fabregas

By mac14 on May 23, 2014

The transfer rumours are in full swing and Arsenal are being linked with a whole host of names across the world, and with Arsene Wenger understood to have £100m available to spend this summer, it’s promising to be an exciting few months.

With all the speculation going on it’s nearly impossible to know who Arsene’s true targets are and he always keeps his cards close to his chest anyway, but I’m going to come up with a realistic list of targets and show how we could line-up next season.

The big talk at the minute in the newspapers is the possible return of Cesc Fabregas. He’s not loved at Barcelona and we have a buy-back clause reportedly worth just £25m. Wenger won’t be able to resist if Cesc is up for the move, and I don’t think we should turn down a world class player if we can get him for just £25m.

I’ve seen people worry about where he’d play, but Arsene would find a way to fit him in and I could see Ozil moving out to the left. The German drifts out wide often in games anyway, and our team never plays in a rigid formation so the players can interchange throughout the course of the game.

Defensive midfield is an area we certainly need to strengthen and I’d go for Morgan Schneiderlin from Southampton. He’s likely to be cheaper than other targets like Lars Bender and he has Premier League experience. Reports claim we’re lining-up a £12m bid but we may need to pay nearer £15m to land the Frenchman.

Another striker is also required this summer and although many are hoping to see a marquee name come in, I just don’t see happening it I’m afraid. Realistically, who are we going to get? Costa’s off to Chelsea, and Benzema won’t leave Madrid unless they buy Suarez. Which they won’t this summer. Mandzukic isn’t the answer as we need to add pace to the attack, and if we do sign Cesc, then we won’t have the £40m+ required to land a big name like Cavani, etc.

So I think a shrewd buy would be Loic Remy. Reports claim we’re in talks, he’s got an £8m buy-out clause and has proved he can score goals in the Premiership. He also has pace and brings something very different to what Giroud offers, and can play out wide if needed. He ticks all the boxes if we can’t land a super-striker.

We also need to bring in another attacking wide player and Antoine Greizmann is on our radar. There is talk we’re going to use our buy-back clause for Carlos Vela to reduce the fee for Greizmann to just £15m, which would be a superb buy. He has bags of pace, can play on either wing and even up top if needed and scores goals.

With Bacary Sagna off to Man City, Serge Aurier is hotly tipped to be his replacement. It would be a great buy if we could get him for under £10m, with the papers suggesting we could even pick him up for just £7m, and he can even fill in at centre-back if needed.

A new back-up goalkeeper is needed to replace Lukasz Fabianski. Many names have been linked but David Marshall from Cardiff would be a good buy. We’ve been linked with a £6m swoop and if he’s happy to be second choice, it would be a decent purchase.

So here are the six signings I’d like to see us make this summer:

Remy £8m
Aurier £7m
Schneiderlin £15m
Fabregas £25m
Griezmann £15m
Marshall £6m

That’s a total of £76m, which is the maximum I think we’ll end up spending this summer. We all know Arsene isn’t going to be pressured into spending the whole £100m, so if he uses £76m of it we should all be happy!

It would leave money left over to replace Thomas Vermaelen if he leaves, or perhaps if the boss is feeling adventurous he could find an upgrade on Remy. Someone in the £25m-£30m bracket. Jackson Martinez could be a good shout but for the difference in price, Remy is probably a safer bet.

So here is how my team would line-up with the new recruits:

Subs from: Marshall, Vermaelen (replacement if he leaves), Monreal, Jenkinson, Arteta, Flamini, Wilshere, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Cazorla, Griezmann, Podolski, Rosicky, Gnabry, Giroud, Sanogo.

I think that’s a well balanced squad and all the signings are realistic and within budget. We’ve added pace in Remy and Greizmann, a bit of power and a proper defensive midfielder in Schneiderlin and our marquee signing would be Cesc Fabregas.

I would certainly be one delighted Gooner if Arsene was to add those six players this summer, and we’d have a great shout of winning the title next season.

What do you think? What players would you realistically like to see Arsene sign? Would you take Fabregas back?

58 Comments

Terry C

May 23, 2014 at 12:26 pm

I think if Arsen goes and buys these 6 players the club will be hell of a lot closer to challenging for the Premier league and other titles too!

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arsenal-steve

May 23, 2014 at 12:28 pm

Sounds a great team but how can Santi Cazorla be left out the team. Ramsey and Cazorla are out best players. Maybe you know more than me and he is going back to Spain? If he stays how can he be left out?

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- Kwasi Akuffo Asa-Awuku
  
  May 23, 2014 at 12:44 pm
  
  If we’re looking on the with great pace I think that player is Aubameyang
  
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- mac14
  
  May 23, 2014 at 1:07 pm
  
  Hi Steve, I certainly hope Cazorla won’t be heading back to Spain, as you say he was one of our best players last season. But if Cesc comes back, dropping Santi is the only way I see us fitting him into the team.
  
  Ozil is going to be much more consistent next season, and he won’t be left out. Cesc and Rambo will certainly start, while a fit Walcott with his pace and movement will be vital for this team of assist-makers, so unfortunately that leaves Santi as the odd man out.
  
  But lets face it. Our players are never all fit anyway, and there will be plenty of rotation.
  
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Ben

May 23, 2014 at 12:34 pm

Griezmann can’t play as a CF, and Aurier has only played CB for Toulouse as an emergency. We’ll definitely need to add another specialist CB (2 if Vermaelen leaves).

Schneiderlin isn’t good enough. For 15m, we could get a better DM with Champions League experience.

I’m not against signing Loic Remy, but would be underwhelming if he’s spearheading the attack. If we truly have ambitions of competing for the Premier League title, we need a striker more at the level of Alexis Sanchez or Karim Benzema.

Certainly hope we re-sign Fabregas. I’d have no worries about fitting him into the team. As said, we could move Ozil to a wide position to accommodate him, and if we can get away playing Arteta in a holding role against lesser teams, Fabregas could play alongside Ramsey too. He’s a more intelligent footballer than Arteta and more combative. Against the top sides, we need to improve in defensive midfield, but Fabregas/Ramsey/Wilshere or Diaby would work against most opponents.

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- ricardo
  
  May 23, 2014 at 6:26 pm
  
  i agree with you, i think Arteta will be leaving anyways so if we are to sign Fabregas then there is a position for him to play already..with the system we ave already(4-2-3-1) if we are going to change the formation then i believe it will be a (4-3-3) formation, to have Fabregas, Ozil(Santi) Ramsey and Theo, Giroud and Greizeman upfront….
  
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Arsenal Richie

May 23, 2014 at 12:37 pm

I think if our sqaud is like this, Arsenal will not only gun for the EPL tittle, but also the UEFA champions league contender

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Uckevin

May 23, 2014 at 12:51 pm

Nice one but we need new centerback incase of injury

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DM

May 23, 2014 at 1:02 pm

You realise you’ve spent £15m on Griezmann and then not given him a place in the XI or on the bench..?

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- mac14
  
  May 23, 2014 at 1:22 pm
  
  @DM, thanks for pointing that out! I’ve added him to the bench!
  
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A Z Akorede

May 23, 2014 at 1:22 pm

Gud enough 2 c bt we need CB 2 shapen d backline incase of injury

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Gazy

May 23, 2014 at 1:23 pm

good line up for the next season but CF let choice another experienced like Benzema sanchez or Dzeko.rest they are enough with well coming cesc retuning.

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REMY

May 23, 2014 at 1:24 pm

I sincerely do not think Wenger can sign more than three players these summer.

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George

May 23, 2014 at 1:26 pm

With the exception of Cesc that first 11 is no better than what we already have. I think that arteta will be allowed to leave if we get Cesc. Sanchez is better than Griezmann. Remy is ok but there are better. Aurier is a must as we cannot rely on jenkinson. 2 cb and a DCM are a must. In summary: arteta, bent foot bendtner, fabianski will leave. TV and pod may do so. Players required Aurier, 2 x cb, Cesc, DCM and a striker

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George

May 23, 2014 at 1:28 pm

Oh and a keeper !!

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zen20h

May 23, 2014 at 1:40 pm

I think Pogba/matinez/khedira, Fabgregas, Sanchez/Baloteli/falcao, coleman/micha richards, and anoda CB will do us fine nxt season..

szcneny
coleman/Richards/Aurier Metserser Koscenlny

pogba/matinez/khedira

Ramsey Fabregass

Walcot Sanchez/Baloteli/falcao/Giroud ozil

what a squad that would be in fact we will win everything available as trophy

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Evans Ombati

May 23, 2014 at 2:05 pm

There’s what we want, what we need and what we are going to get. The most important thing is what we are going to get. Boss can’t buy all those, I don’t see him bringing in a midfielder esp because we have plea and diaby is back. The best we can hope for is a replacement for Sana, Vermaelen and a striker. No big name striker, maybe bringing back our boy from olympiacos or vela. what I’m sure is no midfielder is coming in.
Injuries cost us our season not the personnel, we manage our players well, we’ll be surprised. Giroud’s return is ok for a striker in his second season.

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Temitope john

May 23, 2014 at 2:08 pm

Thats a good idea, but can Arsene do this business? Now that God has open the door of trouphy for us, please beg wenger to get them on time so that we can come back to become a contendant in both England and in Europe. One love to all Arsenal fans all over the world. I am Temitope from Nigeria.

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Evans Ombati

May 23, 2014 at 2:09 pm

We wouldn’t want an overhaul, see tottenham. we need just about two changes to the starting lineup.

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Bothwell

May 23, 2014 at 2:29 pm

Now is the time to buy. we need a tough DM,

to provide cover for our defenders.

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bc

May 23, 2014 at 2:35 pm

Please someone explain why fabregas could Not take artetas place in the starting x1?

I think he has the quality to become a pirlo. Fill your team with world class players and your best players

Also why weaken our team with schneirderlin and aurier? Let’s do something different. No need for full backs and DM’s let’s go 3-1-4-2

……….Szczesney
Koscielny mertesacker vermaelen
……….fabregas
Wilshire Ramsey ozil cazorla
…….Walcott..cavani

That for me is am awesome line up. Yes it means spending most of our budget on 2 players, but there are quite a few cheapies and freebies that we could get to be back up. Valdes, stekelenberg, vorm, lescott, cole, aurier, kouyate, richards and barry would all be good options for defensive roles. Whilst menez, milner, vela, remy are also.further attacking options that would be free or cheap.

But let’s keep as many of our best 20 players as we can. That is the 9 above and jenkinson, gibbs, monreal, arteta, Flamini, diaby, rosicky, campbell, podolski, giroud and chamberlain. Add fabregas, cavani and vela, then we have 3 spaces left in the 25 man squad, for a keeper and 2 defensive players. If that isn’t enough then we upgrade on jenkinson, monreal, gibbs, arteta, diaby who are the weaker players of those that are left.

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olaseyinde samuel

May 23, 2014 at 3:22 pm

If these squard should be like this…then we have no problem again,,,but always think about the good santiago cazorla had done…leaving him behind on the bench won’t make any sense,,,but all the same,,,it would be good if the squard is like this…the only problem is that if arsene wenger can listen to our comments…

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ademola hammed

May 23, 2014 at 4:12 pm

i disagree with remy inclusion,there are better players (world class strikers)out there that fit the bill also,what do we do with dazzling carzola,we bench him?

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Goonerbeall

May 23, 2014 at 4:32 pm

Nice team you put up there but sad to see Cazorla on the bench although he may sometimes start while others start thereby avoiding being over-played and accompanying injuries. Is that defence obdurate? Midfield is very creative and upfront sharp but is it enough to go toe to toes with top dogs?

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trick

May 23, 2014 at 4:40 pm

And you think Remy is better than Giroud? Can Remy bench Giiroud in France national team? that is all you have to check before knowing who is better.

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Goonerbeall

May 23, 2014 at 4:41 pm

I hear some of you wondering if players above are good enough while others claim Schnederlin or Loic Remy are not good enough. There is also surprise that Cazorla is on bench or leaving the club. Have’nt we been moaning about injuries? Now we forget that its due to players that are overplayed due to small squad. Now we get players and we want them continuously overplayed. What do we want exactly?

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Arsenal1Again

May 23, 2014 at 5:35 pm

Well for starters I could have saved you the trouble of writing this pointless post.

The wages for any signing comes from the transfer fund too. So a player on bought for 40 million and has a wage of 200,000 per week … this is 40 million + 42 million for a 3 year contract.

This one player will be 82 million from the 100 million war chest. Leaves 18 million for your other players and their wahes. LMAO.

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Akhine de gov

May 23, 2014 at 5:50 pm

What is all the hullabaloo about Santi Cazorla? Have you forgotten that what made him had playing time was owing to Aron Ramsey injury. Now, tell me how he is going to get playing time with the inclusion of Cesc. If Cesc is truly coming, Santi we have to go elsewhere. Additionally, our main problem is lack of depth……..but I don’t see Wenger buying more than three players due to the fear of weekly wages. And there we go again. That is why Wenger has to go. Otherwise, it’s gonna be the same story. Facts!

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- ricardo
  
  May 23, 2014 at 6:30 pm
  
  i disagree with you, Ramsey ab Fabregas as our DM’s santi, ozil and Greizman on the mid, cause Theo’s injury will need a bit of rehabilitation , then upfront Giroud..thats if the formation remains the same
  
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  - Sammie
    
    May 24, 2014 at 12:26 am
    
    I disagree, how can Ramsey and fabregas be DMs? These are offensive player and lazy tacklers especially when playing top class teams. I will prefer 2 of Martinez/song/schneiderlin and sell arteta.
    
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etimigba nathaniel pere

May 23, 2014 at 6:26 pm

wenger said there aint gonner b any early signings this summer, all that line up is falasy the only players dat should b an attacker(baloteli/mandzukic/remy) defenxiv midfielder(schneiderlin/martinez) sagna replacement (aurier/jekkinson can take care of that). Remember what happend to barcelona last season too many players to choose frm led to monopoly of starters, people dat nid to leave are arteta, flamini, diaby, monreal,sanogo(on loan), giroud suppose leave sef sha. But the truth about the matter is that people gat to leave and others gat to com in… Wenger sef should leave after next season sef.

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denso

May 23, 2014 at 8:06 pm

we need fabregas and balotoli

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Brinso

May 23, 2014 at 9:09 pm

Sell Arteta, buy back Fabregas, buy Loic Remy to replace Bendtner, Sell Podolski ( i know, sorry) buy Baloteli, buy Aurier to replace Sagna, buy another Goalie to replace Flappy, promote Martinez as 3rd choice goalie, send back Viviano. If Verminator goes, then another defender will be needed. Curtis Davies or Ashley Williams could replace him. Miguel is still lightweight but I would send him to Bolton or Blackburn on loan till January to toughen him up. Coquelin needs loan here somewhere like westbrom, as well as Miyaichi, chuks Aneke, Afobe and Akpom. Finally I would rid of following: djourou, park, and Kim kallstrom.

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Innocent

May 23, 2014 at 9:44 pm

Song and fabregas understand each other very well.

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Twivil

May 23, 2014 at 11:42 pm

If fit- Diaby will be a shoe-in next season and I hope he is. He is good enough to play in any front 6 position if required and his pace and power will be a massive boost. Caz is a last 20 mins player but not a starter against good teams. At the start of games- pace, power and closing down are paramount. Caz has none of these skills.

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TyDixon

May 24, 2014 at 3:05 am

Remove Remy and put Benzema

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