Arsenal F.C. has made several significant signings in 2022, bringing in Gabriel Jesus from Manchester City F.C. for a reported fee of around £45 million and Oleksandr Zinchenko, also from Man City, for £32 million. Other incoming players included Fabio Vieira from Porto for £31.5 million, Matt Turner from New England Revolution for £5.73 million, and Marquinhos from Sao Paolo for £3.15 million.
All these signings have made Arsenal touted to be the side to watch this year for goals, goals, and more goals. Fans are eager to pick up tickets to as many games as possible – click here for more information. However, those fans may have to contend with a leaky defence.
While the transfer window remains open, the question being asked by many is, do Arsenal need to buy a central defensive midfielder before the end of the transfer window?
Can bringing in a central defensive midfielder help shore up the squad?
Arsenal F.C. has focussed more heavily on bringing in defenders, strikers, and wingers in the current transfer window, and some have said that this has left a problem in the defensive midfield position. Can bringing in a central defensive midfielder help alleviate this problem and create an even stronger starting 11? The North London club has had an exciting transfer window so far, but could it get any better?
How did they fare in their first Premier League game of the season?
The new-look Arsenal team played with confidence in their opening game of the 2022/23 season when they played away against Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park. Arteta played a 4-2-3-1 formation, and they won 2-0. They took the early lead in the twentieth minute thanks to a Gabriel Martinelli goal and then went up 2-0 thanks to an own goal by Crystal Palace Defender Marc Guehi.
While Arsenal looked in control most of the game, there did seem to be a glaring hole in the central midfield position just in front of the defence. With only a few weeks to go before the transfer window slams shut, the priority for Mikel Arteta’s side will likely be to shore up this one key area with another strategic new signing, but who can he bring in?
Who was in the starting lineup?
Aaron Ramsdale was in goal. New arrival Oleksandr Zinchenko was at left-back, and Ben White on the opposite side, with Gabriel Magalhães and William Saliba in between these two. In front of the back four were Granit Xhaka on the left and Thomas Partey on the right, which left that huge gap in between. In front of these two midfielders was the goal scorer Martinelli on the left, Bukayo Saka on the right, and Martin Odegaard in the middle, with new arrival Gabriel Jesus up front.
There was a double substitution in the 83rd minute when Kieran Tierney came on for Zinchenko, and Edward Nketiah came on for Jesus, while the final sub, Albert Sambi Lokonga, came on for Odegaard in stoppage time.
Who else is Arsenal likely to sign before the transfer window closes?
While it’s hard to say exactly who else Arsenal will sign before it’s too late, some of the names that have been linked to the club are Everton’s Dominic Calvert-Lewin (striker) and Real Sociedad’s Alexander Isak (who also plays up front). Wolves’ Ruben Neves (a midfielder who can play in the central defensive midfield position) and Yéremy Pino, a midfielder from Villareal, have also both been linked to the club and could be a perfect fit.
