‘Trying’—Mikel Arteta Reveals Arsenal’s Transfer Plan After Vinicius Jr Snub

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has confirmed the club are “trying” to recruit more elite players following a failure to land Vinícius Júnior from Real Madrid.

The Brazilian’s decision to sign a new contract continued with has been a difficult summer for Arsenal, who also missed out on Morgan Rogers to Chelsea and are believed to trail Liverpool in pursuit of Paris Saint-Germain’s Bradley Barcola.

Signing Bruno Guimarães from Newcastle United provided a welcome boost to the Gunners, but Arteta still wants more.

“That’s what we’re trying to do,” Arteta said after Sunday’s defeat to Borussia Dortmund when asked whether fans can expect more new signings.

“It has to be the right player in the market to make us much better. We are very much looking forward to that.”

Which Players Could Arsenal Sign?

Arsenal are chasing Ezri Konsa. | Catherine Ivill - AMA/Getty Images

Arsenal find themselves in a tricky situation heading into the final few weeks of the summer transfer window.

While Arteta may want reinforcements, the reality is Arsenal are not particularly close to adding to the current squad, having so openly pursued Rogers and Vinícius Jr. up to this point. A new left winger remains a priority, even if the departure of Leandro Trossard to Beşiktaş was offset by Christos Tzolis joining from Club Brugge. An upgrade on Gabriel Martinelli would take Arsenal to another level.

Barcola remains available but is expected to be incredibly expensive, but the alternatives on the market at this stage in the window are slim. AC Milan’s Rafael Leão and Athletic Club’s Nico Williams are among those that could still be available.

A new center back is also on the agenda for Arteta, who recently admitted it will be a while before star defender William Saliba returns from a back injury. At right back, Jurriën Timber continues to battle a groin problem and will miss the start of the season.

Ezri Konsa of Aston Villa is thought to be high on the wish list for Arsenal. The Guardian state an opening offer has already been rejected, with Villa holding out for $81 million (£60 million).

Interest has also been shown in unsettled Tottenham Hotspur center back Cristian Romero, although the rivalry between the two clubs is likely to end the speculation before it really gets going.

Arsenal have until Sept. 1 to complete their business. While three weeks may feel like plenty of time, the reality is these high-profile deals can take far longer to negotiate and can even become more complicated towards the end of the window, when selling teams often find themselves more reluctant to do business without a replacement coming in.

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