20 Players Arsene Wenger Must Consider with Reported £100M Transfer Windfall
Arsene Wenger has been promised a remarkable £100 million transfer kitty for the summer, per the Telegraph, as Stan Kroenke encourages the Frenchman to spend.
Fans will be wary of the fact that this has happened several times in the last half decade and Wenger rarely uses much—if any—of the money provided.
Still, that won't stop us from drawing up a dream transfer list, so we've taken a look at 20 players the Gunners must at least consider as they plan out their activities.
All statistics are courtesy of WhoScored.com.
Mario Mandzukic, ST, Bayern Munich
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Let's kick things off with the dream signing, shall we?
Mario Mandzukic has every chance of being available for transfer this summer given Bayern Munich's impending recruitment of Robert Lewandowski, and the Croatian would solve every issue in Arsenal's forward line.
He's powerful, never stops running, occupies centre-backs and links brilliantly with his midfielders. His goal production is right up there, too, and he currently leads the Bundesliga in scoring with 17.
Serge Aurier, RB, Toulouse
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Serge Aurier comes into the picture if Arsenal fail to retain Bacary Sagna on a long-term deal, and the Mirror have suggested the Ivory Coast man is on the club's radar.
The right-back/right midfielder is a powerful, direct outlet who plays hard and fast. He's uncompromising in the challenge, walks the disciplinary tightrope a little (nine yellow cards) but chips in with goals and assists too.
He's not as defensively refined as Sagna, but he's only 21 years of age.
Juan Guillermo Cuadrado, RW, Fiorentina
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According to Tuttosport, via SoccerNews.com, Juan Guillermo Cuadrado is being heavily courted by Juventus.
He's the sort of player who can electrify a side from his right-wing position, and you can expect to see him dribbling head-on at bewildered full-backs fairly often this summer in Brazil.
He's a hard worker as well as a flamboyant talent, and he'd add goals to Arsenal's side from the flanks. Without Theo Walcott, they have struggled for natural width at times.
Julian Draxler, AMC, Schalke
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January was not the right time to buy Julian Draxler, and with Schalke looking to charge £36 million, per the Telegraph, the transfer would have been a failure.
If Arsenal want the German to play as a central striker, he needs time (months) to adapt to the role. He's played on the left and as a No. 10 for the Royal Blues but very rarely up front on his own.
There's no way of getting Draxler cheap, but the Gunners should be happy to stump up the cash providing the timing is right.
This summer, it will be.
Daniel Baier, DM, Augsburg
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Daniel Baier has been a magnificent anchoring presence in Augsburg's midfield this season and stands as a major factor in their surprise assault on the Bundesliga's top half.
He's intelligent when dropping into space and righting formations to bring balance to the side, and tackles firmly, fairly and opportunistically when required.
Baier represents an under-the-radar, value option in a market short of established names.
Mario Balotelli, ST, Milan
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Milan have hinted that Mario Balotelli will leave the San Siro this summer, with ESPN linking him to Chelsea and a Jose Mourinho reunion.
Arsenal should at least have a look at the Italian hitman, as for £20-25 million, you will not find a better player in today's market.
Arsene Wenger must weigh up whether he's worth the trouble. If you can nurture his complex attitude, he can lead you to silverware.
Morgan Schneiderlin, DM, Southampton
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If Arsenal look closer to home for a Premier League-proven player, Morgan Schneiderlin is the standout defensive midfielder who is readily attainable in the country.
The Frenchman has been linked, via Metro, to the Gunners already this year, with the south-coast star admitting he'd love to play for a "great club" like Arsenal.
His range, size and ability to anchor on his own in a 4-3-3 are huge plus points.
Toni Kroos, CM/AMC, Bayern Munich
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If Manchester United are going all-in (financially) for Toni Kroos, then so should Arsenal.
What's more, they'd be able to offer him Champions League football—barring an almighty end-of-season collapse—and a German connection in the form of Mesut Ozil.
The Gunners don't need a central midfielder at all, but you can't pass up the chance to sign a player like this if he's available.
Romelu Lukaku, ST, Everton (Chelsea)
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Chelsea have some concerns over Romelu Lukaku's attitude and may cut him loose this summer, per the Mirror.
Everton will be right in the mix for him after enjoying his talents this season, but if he's on the market for £20-25 million, he's a can't-miss striker for Arsenal.
Whether the Blues would sell to the Gunners, however, is another question entirely.
Ivan Rakitic, CM/AMC, Sevilla
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Much like Toni Kroos, Ivan Rakitic would be a luxury signing given the depth in Arsenal's midfield. Still, they ran out of options this season due to the injury-prone nature of their players, and they could do so again in future.
Rakitic is a workhorse with the technical talent to back it up; he plays it simple when possible and has a cannon of a right boot but can up the tempo and drive through the centre when needed, too.
Grzegorz Krychowiak, DM, Reims
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Grzegorz Krychowiak could well end up the cheapest option on this list, as Reims aren't going to put up a very effective fight if Arsenal come calling.
The Pole played against England at Wembley during the World Cup qualifiers, but given the fervour over whether or not the Three Lions would qualify, his performance got lost.
He's a quality, dependable holding midfielder with an eye for a goal. He does everything well and stands mobile enough to cover all areas of the pitch.
Diego Costa, ST, Atletico Madrid
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Diego Costa is the golden prize this summer, and the Guardian have suggested Chelsea are at the head of the queue for the Brazilian-turned-Spaniard.
His form for Atletico Madrid has been stunning, and Diego Simeone knows he needs to balance the club's books with a sale. Costa will cost upward of £36 million, but he'll make four times the immediate impact someone like Julian Draxler will.
Arijan Ademi, DM, Dinamo Zagreb
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Arijan Ademi, a 22-year-old holding midfielder who plies his trade at Dinamo Zagreb, is a natural fit for the anchor role and looks to be progressing very quickly.
He's an outside bet to fill the hole in Croatia's World Cup XI—they lack a true defensive midfielder, and Gregory Sertic won't get his FIFA papers sorted in time for the finals—and wouldn't cost too much to attain.
He's no Alen Halilovic-level talent, but he's a very smooth player.
Christian Benteke, ST, Aston Villa
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If Romelu Lukaku is a miss, why not try the other big, bustling Belgian striker in the Premier League?
Christian Benteke hasn't hit the heights of last season, but anyone who watches him on a regular basis knows he's just as good—if not better, in some respects—than when he single-handedly saved Aston Villa from relegation last season.
He's the complete forward everyone wants, with unrivalled strength, good pace and a natural finish.
Alexandre Lacazette, ST, Lyon
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Alexandre Lacazette has flourished over the last two seasons, and he's second only to Zlatan Ibrahimovic in goals scored (14) in Ligue 1 this year.
He's a mobile, nifty, clever striker who drifts around and looks for space to exploit. His top-level pace is absurd, and he can finish from the tightest of angles.
He's not the flashiest name on the market, but he'd be £10-15 million well spent.
Carlos Vela, ST/Wing, Real Sociedad
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Arsenal inserted a buy-back clause into Carlos Vela's sale to Real Sociedad and can have him back for under £5 million this summer.
The Mexican has blossomed in San Sebastian this season and taken on a whole new level of responsibility for his team. He and Antoine Griezmann are spearheading la Real's charge for fourth place in La Liga, and he's got 12 goals and 10 assists this term.
Mirko Vucinic, ST, Juventus
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The Mirror reported in January that Arsenal were after Mirko Vucinic, but the transfer never took place despite Juventus' willingness to sell.
The Montenegrin forward will definitely find a new home this summer, though, and the Gunners could do a lot worse than take him on for a cheap fee.
They'd need to add another striker as well, but Vucinic's linkup play is incredibly underrated. Last season, when Andrea Pirlo was marked out of games, Vucinic became Juve's key player on the pitch.
Aymeric Laporte, CB, Athletic Club
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Arsenal have looked woefully thin on the ground at centre-back when Laurent Koscielny ducks out through injury, and their insurance policies—Thomas Vermaelen and Bacary Sagna—could both be off in the summer.
That opens a glaring need at centre-back, and if Arsene Wenger wants a coup, there's one for the taking in Aymeric Laporte.
Athletic Club don't sell cheap to anyone, but the more we see of the French defender, the clearer it becomes that he is a rare prospect.
Zakaria Bakkali, Wing/ST, PSV Eindhoven
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Zakaria Bakkali appears to be the next in a long line of ridiculously talented Belgian youngsters, and if Arsenal enter the market for him, they won't be alone.
B/R's Allan Jiang asked earlier in the season whether he's been overhyped and we still can't truly tell; after exploding on to the scene, his playing time for PSV Eindhoven has been limited to protect his career.
Jackson Martinez, ST, FC Porto
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Any deal for Jackson Martinez is only going to get more expensive if he starts for Colombia at the World Cup. Unless Radamel Falcao makes a heroic recovery from his ACL injury to lead the line for los Cafeteros, that's exactly what will happen in Brazil.
Martinez, of FC Porto, is your prototypical target man capable of holding the ball, winning headers and distributing well. He's more athletic than many give him credit for, and in the current market, £20 million wouldn't be a bad price.
The again, this is Pinto Costa we're dealing with.
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