It’s now or never for Arsene Wenger. The 66-year-old is set to enter his 20th season as Arsenal manager with monumental expectations after finishing 10 points behind Leicester City in the race for the title last season.
Most clubs would find solace with a second place Premier League finish, the spot Arsenal placed in the final standings. Wenger’s club is an exception, though. He retains one of the league’s most talented teams from top to bottom, after all.
Summer 2016 is a vital period for the Frenchman, and Wenger must survey the transfer market for talent.
Group E in the EUROs has plenty of it. The grouping comprised of Italy, Belgium, Sweden and Ireland is surely one of the most stacked in the field.
These are the FIVE Group E stars Wenger must target this off-season…
Axel Witsel
Witsel is just one of many midfielders stacked in Belgium’s line-up, but the 24-year-old stands out for his defensive mindset and ability to hold the ball. Arsenal could use a calming presence like Witsel to support their attack. Such a possibility isn’t out of the question after Witsel stated he wants to play in the Premier League or Serie A next season.
Leonardo Bonucci
The resolute centre back helped Juventus to another Serie A title last season. Bonucci has long been a staple for the Italian national team backline and shows no signs of slowing down. Arsenal need reinforcements in the middle defensively with 31-year-old Per Mertesacker’s decline imminent.
Pontus Wernbloom
Wernbloom’s relentless attitude and well-rounded skill-set would fill a void in Arsenal’s midfield. They have all of the attacking talent necessary, but the north Londoners are missing a hard man in the middle. The Swede would provide a type of grit that Arsenal needs.
Lorenzo Insigne
Insigne impresses with a magical touch and above-average speed on the frontline. He orchestrates goals effortlessly, which would only add to an already potent Arsenal attack. Wenger needs a quality winger to accompany Olivier Giroud in the attack.
Alessandro Florenzi
One common word associated with Florenzi is versatility. The Roma midfielder is another player who embodies Antonio Conte’s hard-working, grind-it-out mentality. He would complement Mesut Ozil and Arsenal’s multitude of attacking midfielders very well.