Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta is planning to bring in a series of reinforcements to the club this summer but former Gunners striker Alan Smith thinks otherwise.
Smith feels not only will the Gunners struggle to bring him big names this summer but at the same time, Arteta will find it really hard to hold onto some of his best players.
“Top players want to be at Champions League clubs,” he told Sky Sports.
“At the moment, Arsenal aren’t in that category and this is where Mikel Arteta has a huge job on his hands to change the perception of Arsenal and more importantly to make them a better side to lift them back into the top four.
“It won’t be easy as to do that you need quite a lot of money and probably more than Arsenal have got, but Arteta is a manager of authority who has won his squad over. I think he had a part to play in them taking a wage cut so they do listen to him and respect him.
“He will improve the players, but Aubameyang will be looking at his situation and wondering if he has the time and the patience to hang about.
“If they do lose him, he’d be a huge loss and he’s a player who guarantees around 25 goals at season.
“I do feel they’re more organised at the top. I feel with Raul Sanllehi [head of football] and Edu [technical director], they have got their act together in terms of planning ahead but I’m not sure the club has the cash or the kudos to attract the top players.”
Aubameyang already has one step out of the doors at Arsenal and it’s only a matter of time before the Gabon international joins a new club this summer.
Mikel Arteta will have to try his level best to stop this from happening but right now the North London club are the underdogs in this whole bargain.
Also, as things stand, Arsenal are all set to play in the Europa League next season meaning they will find it really hard to convince players like Adrien Rabiot and Thomas Partey to commit their futures to the club.
From what we believe, Arteta will have to rely on the bargain signings next season and pray to God that a few of these turn out to be gems.
