Ranking the Top 5 Players Arsenal Should Target in the Summer Transfer Window

The January transfer window has closed, and Arsenal know they must navigate their way to the end of the season with their current squad.

However, the end of the window will not cease transfer speculation around Arsenal. Work will begin almost immediately on identifying and pursuing targets for the summer, with the club's key decision-makers determined to ensure the Gunners remain competitive in 2017/18.

Of course, planning is particularly difficult at the moment. With so much speculation over the future of Arsenal's manager, Arsene Wenger, and two of their star players in Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil, it's difficult to foresee exactly what work will have to be undertaken come the summer.

In this piece, we identify five ideal targets for Arsenal during the next window—and rank them according to how much of a priority they should be.

5. Jordan Pickford

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Prior to the January transfer window, James Olley of the Evening Standard reported that Arsenal were eyeing up a potential bid for Sunderland goalkeeper Jordan Pickford:

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Standard Sport understands the Gunners have made contact to enquire about the possibility of signing the 22-year-old next month but immediately loaning him back to Sunderland for the rest of the season. 

No fee has yet been agreed and the Black Cats have a degree of security in negotiations given Pickford signed a new deal in January and is contracted until the club until 2020.

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Ultimately, injury put paid to any prospect of Pickford moving last month. The stopper has not played since straining a knee ligament on Boxing Day.

However, it sounds as if Arsenal's interest is long-term. If Pickford continues to impress, the Gunners could well return come the summer.

The goalkeeping situation at Arsenal is interesting. Petr Cech is the established No. 1, with David Ospina operating as his deputy. However, the Colombian is unlikely to be content to sit on the bench much longer, and Wenger also has to consider the future of Wojciech Szczesny, who is on loan at AS Roma. 

Conceivably both Ospina and Szczesny could end up leaving the club, meaning Pickford could be a smart acquisition as Cech's long-term successor. It's even possible he could remain on loan at Sunderland for a season or two to gain experience—although that will surely depend on whether the Black Cats remain in the Premier League.

4. Djibril Sidibe

Arsenal came close to signing Djibril Sidibe in the summer of 2016 but lost out to AS Monaco. Twelve months on, they might well go back for a full-back who is going from strength to strength. 

Back in October, Sidibe admitted to Le Parisien (h/t Sky Sports' Mark Ashenden):

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I was on the brink [of signing for Monaco] and [Arsenal] gave me a headache by making a bid at the last moment.

After reflecting on it, I was not certain my playing time would be guaranteed.

I would have played maybe 25 games this season, including the cups. They also wanted to use me on the left whereas I want to establish myself on the right.

I chose to stay in Ligue 1 and then leave for the Premier League next year because it is a competition that greatly appeals to me. 

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It seems Sidibe is making no secret of his desire to eventually move to England.  

If anything, Arsenal need him even more now than they did last summer. Wenger was interested in Sidibe as a left-back, but this season he has cemented a position on right side of the Monaco defence.

His ability to operate in either full-back position would be particularly valuable at the Emirates Stadium, as Wenger is short of cover in both areas.

Neither Mathieu Debuchy nor Carl Jenkinson seem capable of providing cover and competition for Hector Bellerin, while Nacho Monreal and Kieran Gibbs have both had fairly indifferent campaigns.

Sidibe would provide an immediate upgrade—although he's likely to be significantly more expensive than he would've been 12 months ago.

3. Ricardo Rodriguez

Last summer, Arsenal recruited a Switzerland international from the Bundesliga in the shape of Granit Xhaka. They could well return to Germany in 2017 to sign another: Wolfsburg left-back Ricardo Rodriguez.

Calciomercato.com (h/t Metro's Louis Sealey) has said Arsenal are set to join Juventus and Inter Milan in launching bids to sign the attacking full-back when the window reopens.

Arsenal will most likely need a left-back this summer. Monreal is not getting any younger, while Gibbs must surely be tiring of his role as a perennial understudy. Rodriguez is a dynamic full-back and gifted crosser of the ball who would add another dimension to the Gunners' game.

Last summer's acquisition of Shkodran Mustafi showed that Arsenal are now prepared to spend big to improve their back four. Rodriguez would be another big step in the right direction.

2. Marco Reus

With Alexis and Ozil both set to be out of contract come 2018, Arsenal will face a major decision on their two marquee stars this summer. If they do not agree contract extensions, the Gunners will be forced to choose between allowing them to run down their deals or selling them while they can still recoup some cash.

If it comes to that, Arsenal will surely sell. We've seen them do it before with the likes of Cesc Fabregas and Robin van Persie—ultimately, the Gunners cannot allow the two most expensive players in their history to leave for free.

Should Alexis and Ozil go, there will be huge pressure on Arsenal to recruit new stars to replace them. Marco Reus is certainly the sort of name that could appease the fans. 

Shortly before the end of the window, German outlet Bild (h/t ESPN's Stephan Uersfeld) reported the Gunners were plotting a €60 million (£51.7 million) bid for the electric forward.

However, when questioned by Bild, Dortmund sporting director Michael Zorc said: "I won't waste my time with half-baked stuff. It's not known to me that Marco wants to leave us."

That's as may be, but Reus would surely be tempted by a move to a Premier League high-flyer. If the 27-year-old does decide on a change of scenery this summer, Arsenal will be at the head of the queue.

1. Antoine Griezmann

Antoine Griezmann would be an astonishing capture for Arsenal. If Alexis and Ozil leave, he is the sort of star who could go a long way towards replacing them. Alternatively, his arrival could be just the fillip required to convince that duo to commit their futures to the club.

The Mail on Sunday (h/t Football365) have reported that Arsenal will launch an £85 million bid for Griezmann this summer, triggering the release clause in his contract.

It would be an incredible coup if Arsenal could secure the French forward. The evidence of this season has been that the Gunners are at their best with a mobile striker as their spearhead, and Griezmann's speed and movement make him ideal.

The deal would shatter the club's transfer record and would be a major statement of intent. If Arsenal should prioritise one player this summer, it's surely Atletico Madrid's brilliant goalscorer.