MLS can and should play midfield at times
Perhaps we’ll see an attacking mid added too. Wirtz ideally. Failing that, bringing in a striker would allow Havertz to play in midfield when required.
So summer’s priorities in order of most to least important are:-
1) striker
2) Zubimendi
3) left winger
4) attacking mid
5) cover for Saliba
6) cover/competition for Raya
lorddulaarsenal Completely agree. They should just hire us. I'm sure we'd do a better job lol.
If we can get high quality in the first 4 would be delighted. 5 and 6 can be free transfers/loans do not care about them.
If Wirtz is available and open to moving to us, we should be all over it. I would still want striker depth with someone like Sesko but we could get away with our wing options (or at least just add a cheaper stopgap) IMO if we added a talismanic creator/attacker in Wirtz. He's actually my ideal player for the Odegaard role with Odegaard moving deeper to specialize in buildup. Has all of the output that Odegaard doesn't while also being a great presser. I just don't think he is going to be available and if he is, I think he will head to Bayern unfortunately (even with Musiala). Having him and Saka on the same team would be a cheat code - just look what he's done for Schick and Boniface. Arteta talked about having killers with that X factor after the Bayern loss last year and I don't think you can find many better than Wirtz at this point in time.
lorddulaarsenal I believe Son extended his contract recently.
samthegooner If Wirtz is available and open to moving to us,
I reckon the price tag would be huge, like over £100m. We'd also face big competition from Bayern Munich, Man City and Real Madrid for his signature. Would be an absolute dream signing, unfortunately a pipe dream 
Musiala has a year to go on his contract this summer, he is someone who might be more realistic and affordable.
lorddulaarsenal So summer’s priorities in order of most to least important are:-
1) striker
2) Zubimendi
3) left winger
4) attacking mid
5) cover for Saliba
6) cover/competition for Raya
Fairly spot on I reckon. Although you could switch attacking mid for a different profile if the right player came along. And in reality it'll probably just be that Norwegian kid.
If Newcastle makes Champs League, which I think is going to happen especially since top 5 look like they will make it this year, then I don't see a scenario where he leaves them for anyone. Frankly, I almost rather that happen instead of having to deal with a transfer saga that takes up precious time and tons of resources this summer when we could get our business done early and potentially bring in two quality players for the cost of Isak.
If we are to guess at Isak's price, it's probably going to be close to 130m pounds, a PL record fee. Now my question to everyone here is - would you rather Isak at 130m pounds or a combo of Sesko (let's say 75m) and Semenyo/Nico Williams (50-60m)? I'd probably be happy with either option but I think I prefer the second option. You'd bring in a high potential CF whose production has been ahead of basically all his peers at the same age other than Haaland and a quality winger to compete with Martinelli for the starting LW spot and push our attack to another level while also improving the floor of our depth.
I'd go with Isak, 1 great player always beats two good players, especially if you already have a bunch of good players.
In other words Martinelli-Isak-Saka is better than Williams-Sesko-Saka.
Isak, easily. Our other options complement him well. Isak, Saka, Havertz, Martinelli, Trossard is a big improvement.
Sesko would be in danger of ending up in a selection no-man's-land. Isak would play (and get injured, but that's another story).
City are about to get sanctioned and quite likely go into transition, Liverpool are maybe losing Salah and Trent, the rest of our squad is peaking and starting to get tapped up. There's well above average major trophy and player retention upside built into a couple of "capstone" signings.
daredevil do you like Isak now?
Burnwinter Isak would play (and get injured, but that's another story).
Yeah, I worry about that bit. You know that as soon as we sign him, he'd pull an ACL and then we're back to square one.
if we get no inkling that isak is interested in coming, then get sesko and Williams. i get that theyre still developing their efficiency, but I reckon the pair will inject a certain pace and dynamism we sorely need
Linked to Thuram recently - he’d be a good option
Fuck the summer window. We need to look at free transfers asap. Ben Yedder please.
I want nothing to do with Ben Yedder. Vile human being who has been charged with rape and sexual assault in two different incidents over the last two years. Having to watch Partey on the field the last two years has been tough enough but bringing in someone where there already is a history of this is a bridge too far for me and no amount of success is worth that.
samthegooner ok wasn’t aware of that.
A lot of suggestions that Artera will use Merino as the number 9. Nathan Butler if he was any good surely would have been able to score on his loan moves? Question marks that he is 22 and has barely 10 mins to his name for us.
Sicario2 - Tier 1 don't let AFTV bait you! Doubt Chido would have much impact if he got first XI minutes for us.
