Five free agent bargains Arsenal can sign as transfer situation becomes much clearer

Arsenal and Mikel Arteta are well aware that they must handle their business in the upcoming summer transfer window correctly.

A poor window last summer set the Gunners back an entire season, having failed to sign a striker to build on their already solid defensive foundations. The result has been falling well short of winning the Premier League this season, while their hands were tied in January in the hope of splurging big money come the end of the current season.

Arteta will have the added boost of soon being able to work with a new sporting director to land his ideal transfer targets, following Edu Gaspar’s departure earlier this season. Andrea Berta has emerged as the leading candidate amid Arsenal’s hunt for a new sporting director, having agreed to terminate his contract with Atletico Madrid in January.

His impressive 12-year resume with the La Liga club is evidence of his knack for finding sweet deals in the transfer window, and what better than a steal in the free agency market to announce yourself to the north London faithful. Mirror Football now takes a look at five free agents that Arteta and Arsenal’s next sporting director could bring in.

Ilkay Gundogan

Ilkay Gundogan has failed to reach the heights he hit in his first Manchester City spell this season. The veteran joined Barcelona on a free transfer following City’s historic Treble-winning season in 2022/23, before being brought back on a one-year deal last summer.

Gundogan has played more minutes than anyone would have anticipated this season due to injuries to others. The 34-year-old’s displays are unlikely to warrant an extension at the Etihad Stadium, and ESPN have reported that he sees himself playing for one more big European club before moving to Saudi Arabia to end his illustrious career.

That could well be Arsenal, with Gunners boss Arteta already knowing the player from his time as City’s assistant coach. While age isn’t on the Germany international’s side, Arteta has not been shy to reunite with his ex-City colleagues in the past, notably Oleksandr Zinchenko, Gabriel Jesus and Raheem Sterling.

Many Gunners fans were disappointed when Gundogan rejoined City last season, having dreamed that he’d help the north Londoners get the edge on their rivals. It is entirely possible that, on a free transfer, Gundogan could still thrive under Arteta and help knit together Arsenal’s sometimes turgid approach in the final third.

Leroy Sane

Another former City star, Leroy Sane was lighting up the Premier League with guidance from Arteta prior to his ACL injury and subsequent move to Bayern Munich in 2020. Sane’s Bayern contract, as it stands, will expire at the end of the season.

The silky winger has had a difficult time since joining the Bundesliga giants, struggling to stamp down a regular starting spot and reach his previous heights. Yet, he is exactly what the Gunners have missed all season.

In terms of his ability to take players on and carve open defences with his pace, Sane is still a huge threat – as Arsenal found out the hard way in last season’s Champions League quarter-final tie. And aged 29, he still has several more seasons to play at the top level.

Arteta and the new sporting director would need to act fast, however, with Sky Sports Germany reporting this week that there have been positive talks between the German international and his current club over a possible contract extension beyond 2025. The report added that the chances of an extension have increased since just two months ago, when Liverpool were reportedly interested.

Joshua Kimmich

Sane’s Bayern team-mate Joshua Kimmich is another world class player that Arsenal bosses should be keeping tabs on. The versatile 30-year-old’s contract with the Bavarians expires at the end of the season and there are suggestions that he is not likely to put pen to paper again.

That would permit the Gunners – reported by Sky Sports Germany to be interested – to pull off a steal for the former Champions League winner, who has been capped 97 times for Germany. Kimmich would predominantly be deployed as a deep-lying playmaker alongside Declan Rice, with current options Thomas Partey and Jorginho both expected to depart the Emirates Stadium this summer.

He also adds depth in the right back position, which is crucial given Ben White and Jurrien Timber’s respective long-term injury problems with the Gunners. The 30-year-old is, however, also on PSG’s radar according to Bild, who claim the Ligue 1 champions have offered him a contract.

Jonathan David

At this juncture, Arsenal’s need for a striker has become a tired topic, but remains an important one. The Gunners’ decimated forward line in the latter half of this season has only highlighted what we already knew – Arsenal need a quality forward.

Despite all the clamour around glamorous options such as Alexander Isak and Benjamin Sesko over the past year, the solution to their attacking woes could come in the form of a free agent. And Jonathan David is the best striker on the market when it comes to free agents this summer

The Canadian hotshot has scored 105 goals for Lille since joining the French side in 2020. Even more promising is that David, while attracting much attention from clubs all around Europe, has been linked with the Gunners already.

The 25-year-old did not move in January as he had a gentleman’s agreement in place to help Lille qualify for the Champions League. But the player in the past has voiced his preference for a Premier League move, saying: “I think obviously the Premier League is regarded as one of the best leagues in the world. And for me it’s not the Premier League or bust. I’m open to anything and every league has its challenges.”

Jonathan Tah

For all of Arsenal’s defensive depth, they are still notably short of cover in the centre-back position for Gabriel and William Saliba. Jakub Kiwior has failed to convince when given opportunities and Timber’s skills are often required at his preferred right-back spot.

Enter Jonathan Tah, Bayer Leverkusen’s towering defensive colossus who helped the German side win an undefeated domestic double last season. Tah’s contract will expire in the summer and it appears unlikely he will remain with Leverkusen.

While he is on the older side at 29, his experience and leadership would prove vital if Saliba and Gabriel got injured next season, and he is certainly good enough to rotate with the pair if Arteta has all of his options available. Tah has played all but one game for Leverkusen this term, with Arsenal also standing to benefit from his durability.

And should the unthinkable scenario occur whereby Saliba opts to join long-time admirers Real Madrid, Germany international Tah would be a solid short-term replacement, becoming Arsenal’s next BFG.

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