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After the highs of the 2022/23 Premier League season, which saw Arsenal challenge for the title, most football fans, or at least Arsenal fans, expected the Gunners to take their game to the next level this season. However, things have not gone that way so far for Mikel Arteta's men.
Arsenal are already out of the League Cup and FA Cup, losing to West Ham United and Liverpool respectively, and although they are still in the title race and the UEFA Champions League, certain matches and results have been a cause for concern. Arsenal have struggled to score goals this season, finding it difficult to play against a low block, and at times they have become too predictable.
Additionally, injuries, poor defending, squad depth, fatigue, bad decision-making, and not being lethal in front of goal have greatly impacted Arsenal this season. Some of these issues can be resolved on the training pitch, but Arsenal need a few more quality signings if they are to be considered on par with Manchester City.
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A signing or two in the January transfer window will help Arsenal's title charge for the rest of the season, but they also need to think long-term. Arsenal will need to spend the kind of money they spent on Declan Rice and Kai Havertz once again if they are to get back to the top of the mountain.
That being said, here are five players Arsenal should target in the long term:
#1. Ivan Toney
Ivan Toney has been in the news lately primarily for getting suspended for betting, but the striker is also regarded as the hottest property in English football. Toney took just 19th minutes to get onto the scoresheet, helping Brentford to a 3-2 win over Wolverhampton Wanders, with his transfer saga set to stretch well into the summer.
A host of clubs including Chelsea and Arsenal have shown much interest in signing the 27-year-old, and he embodies everything a team needs from a goalscorer. Having worked his way through the lower leagues in England, Toney is now a proven Premier League goalscorer, averaging one goal every other game.
He is a massive aerial threat thanks to his strength and intelligence, and his style of play will help with a low block. His link-up play and creativity are vastly underrated too, and Brentford knows this and slapped a £100 million price tag on him.
If reports are to be believed, Toney will leave Brentford in the summer, and if a bidding war ensues, his price will only go up. This may put Arsenal off, but if last summer was anything to go by, then it proves that Arsenal are not afraid to spend big on one player.
#2. Jorrel Hato
Jorrel Hato's name has been going around a lot this month with Arsenal reportedly interested in signing him. Although the 17-year-old Dutch sensation looks set to renew his contract with Ajax, rumors are circulating that the Gunners will be eager to get the deal done in the summer.
Hato has been a shining light in what has been a rather disappointing season for Ajax so far and has all the abilities required of a modern-day defender. He made 15 appearances for Ajax that season and has gone on to become one of their most important players this season.
Hato is a strong, quick defender, and with a height of 6ft, he is quite dominant in the air. To add to that his passing, tackling, and blocking are among his strengths. He can play as a left-sided center-back in a three-man defense system and his versatility would be perfect for Arteta, who often changes the way his side sets up.
Given his attributes as a player, moving to Arsenal would be perfect for him as well as the Gunners. Arteta is the kind of manager who prefers versatile players and Hato exemplifies that. Having played alongside Timber last season may help him settle in at Arsenal quickly.
#3. Goncalo Inacio
Goncalo Inacio is another defender who was linked with a move to Arsenal this month, but a transfer seems unlikely due to his transfer fee. Reports suggest that Inacio's club is willing to let him leave this month but only if clubs can match his £52 million release clause, however, even if a move this month is not viable, Arsenal should target him this summer.
It is fair to say that apart from William Saliba and Gabriel, Arsenal's list of backup defenders is not on the same level, and it showed last season following Saliba's injury. Signing Inacio might be the solution to this problem, and his performances for Sporting this season so far are a testament to just how good he is and can be in the future.
Inacio would be the perfect addition to Arsenal's back line, and the competition to play every game will only make everyone improve. The 22-year-old is exactly what Arteta wants from his defenders. He is not flustered with the ball at his feet and loves to carry the ball forward, and despite lacking height, he more than makes up for it with his exemplary reading of the game.
#4. Pedro Neto
Pedro Neto has been on Arsenal's radar for a long time now, and the Portuguese's name has popped up once again. Since moving to Wolves in 2019, Neto has only been able to show glimpses of what he is truly capable of with constant injuries disrupting his progress. However, his form this season has gone completely unnoticed.
Despite only recently returning from yet another injury, Neto was sublime at the start of the season, notching up eight assists before getting injured at the start of November. He returned to action at the end of December and notched up two more assists, this time in the FA Cup.
Neto can play on either side of the wing, and he would provide much-needed cover, especially on the right for Bukayo Saka. Despite his injuries, Neto has proved himself in the top flight over the last five years and will be eager to prove himself at a bigger club.
With Emile Smith Rowe just getting back from injury and Reiss Nelson nowhere in Arteta's plan, signing Neto in the summer would certainly be an upgrade. Arsenal’s strength under Arteta lies in the wide positions, and adding another gifted player to the area would only reinforce what his team does best.
#5. Martin Zubimendi
Real Sociedad's Martin Zubimendi was linked with a move to Arsenal at the start of the season, with the Gunners willing to pay his release clause as well. However, the Spaniard wanted to play in the UEFA Champions League with his boyhood club and decided against the move. Now, if reports are to be believed, the 24-year-old is close to joining Arsenal in a pre-agreement deal ahead of next season.
With Thomas Partey's injuries and inconsistency, Arsenal wanted to replace him in the summer itself, and now with Partey likely to leave this summer, Zubimendi would be the perfect replacement.
Zubimendi plays at the heart of the midfield, and his composure, control, guiding the direction of play, and dictating the game's tempo are his key attributes. Zubimendi is the catalyst between the defense and the midfield, and he often positions himself in pockets of space to receive the pass between two players.
Reports suggest Barcelona and Bayern Munich are also interested in signing him, but Arteta has convinced him to make the move to North London. After spending huge on Declan Rice over the summer, Arsenal still seem to be missing something in midfield, and Zubimendi could be the answer and could be the player Partey was supposed to be.
