Arsenal's 3-2 loss to Crystal Palace yesterday only goes to prove that Unai Emery still has a lot of work to do at the Emirates in terms of getting the team to play the way he wants but more importantly, the Spaniard needs to sign a few players. Emery was always going to need at least 3-4 transfer windows before he finally got a team he was happy with and this summer is another opportunity for him to strengthen the squad.
Emery has stated that he is targeting at least 3 new signings this summer with a center back, a replacement for Aaron Ramsey and a winger a priority. With Arsenal's defense always a problem it's no surprise to see a center back on the list, but this season Arsenal have lacked options in the wings as well.
With only Alex Iwobi and Henrikh Mkhitaryan the only two out and out wingers in the Arsenal squad at the moment, Emery has been forced to play the likes of Mesut Ozil, Danny Welbeck, and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang on the wings. This has really affected the squad in a negative way as these players aren't performing at their best because they are being played out of position.
So while signing a defender is important this summer, signing a winger or maybe 2 is equally needed. Here is a look at 3 wingers who would be perfect for Arsenal:
#3. Wilfried Zaha
After Wilfried Zaha's move to Manchester United ay back in 2013 failed miserably, the Ivorian moved back to Crystal Palace and its fair to say that in the last 3 years he has been performing decently. He moved back to Palace in the 2014/15 season but he didn't hit his stride until the 2016/17 season.
In the last 3 years, Zaha has made a total of 94 appearances for Palace and has scored 25 goals and assisted 24 goals. There have been rumors that Zaha is eager to leave Palace with the winger determined to play for a bigger club most likely one that is playing in the Champions League.
Arsenal have been linked with a possible move for Zaha this summer and while Palace might demand a bit more than €40 million for him, he could be worth it. And if Arsenal does win the Europa League and qualify for the Champions League they could afford him.
Also, Zaha is kind of an extravagant personality and with his style of life and personality, he could gel perfectly well with the likes of Aubameyang and Lacazette and could transform Arsenal into the fiercest strikeforce in the Premier League.
#2. Thorgan Hazard
Ever since Thorgan Hazard moved to Borussia Monchengladbach in 2014, the Belgium international has been building up his career to eventually move to be bigger and better club as he looks to follow in his brother's footsteps. After five years at Monchengladbach, Thorgan has finally decided to move on at the end of this season with clubs like Borussia Dortmund, Liverpool and Arsenal all showing an interest in him.
Thorgan Hazard has really impressed in his five years at Monchengladbach and it wouldn't be a surprise to see a host of top clubs after him this summer. The winger has made a total of 178 appearances for Monchengladbach so far and has scored 45 goals and assisted 43 and his dribbling, passing and set piece taking abilities are just a few of his weapons he possesses.
He too will be a bit pricy for Arsenal but should Emery manage to qualify Arsenal for the Champions League, they could be able to afford him. He is currently valued at around €45 million but with only one year left on his current contract and with the right negotiations, Arsenal could land him for a bit of a lower fee.
Also with Arsenal having held one transfer dealing with Monchengladbach before when the bought Granit Xhaka, the could have an advantage if they are serious about signing Thorgan Hazard.
#1. David Neres
Just like the other two players on this list, signing David Neres would only be possible if Arsenal were to qualify for the Champions League next season. The Brazilian is currently valued at around €35 million but with a host of clubs after him, Ajax could demand a lot more for him so if Emery is keen to sign him then qualifying for the Champions League and winning the Europa League will be the only way to attract him to the club.
Since being promoted to the Ajax first team in the 2016/17 season, Neres has managed to score a total of 29 goals and has assisted 32 in just 96 appearances. Last season he helped Ajax reach the final of the Europa League and he has been instrumental in helping them reach the semi-finals of the Champions League as they defeated Real Madrid and Juventus to get there.
It's a long shot for Arsenal to sign Neres and there is a high probability that he might even choose Arsenal should they make an approach for him, but if Arsenal have the money they should go all out for him. With Emery starting a new revolution at Arsenal following 22 years of Arsene Wenger, Neres might just be tempted to join this new look Arsenal team as they look to reach for the stars once again.
A special mention goes out to Reiss Nelson with the Arsenal loanee really impressing at Hoffenheim this season. In 25 appearances he has scored 7 goals and assisted 1 and apart from signing a new winger, integrating Nelson into the Arsenal first team next season should be a priority. This loan spell is exactly what he needed and now that he proved himself, Emery should put some faith in him and give him a chance next season.