Arsenal: 3 ways no European football changes transfer strategy

Arsenal are on the verge of failing to qualify for any sort of European football since before Arsene Wenger arrived at the club. It would be the final nail in a coffin that perfectly and painfully epitomises what has been a sobering and saddening campaign.</p> <p>To avoid this, the Gunners must beat Chelsea in next weekend’s FA Cup Final. Should they fail, it will change everything for Mikel Arteta and his rebuild.</p> <p>Here are three changes the club should make to its transfer strategy should Europe evade them.</p> <div id="attachment_103550" class="wp-caption aligncenter"> <img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-large wp-image-103550" src=https://paininthearsenal.com/2020/07/24/arsenal-3-ways-no-european-football-changes-transfer-strategy/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_389,w_590/https%3A%2F%2Fpaininthearsenal.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2017%2F07%2F1256370001-850x560.jpeg" alt="Arsenal, Reiss Nelson" width="590" height="389"><div class="fs-center-img"> <p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:590px;">Arsenal, Reiss Nelson (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)</p> </div> </div> <h4>3. Young players can be loaned out</h4> <p>The most obvious consequence of failing to qualify for Europe will be the lack of games. In a normal season, Arsenal play 38 matches in the Premier League, another roughly 10 or so across the two domestic cups, and then a further six group-stage European games plus as many as nine knockout games.</p> <p>In the 2018/19 season, when they made the Europa League final, they played 58 games. This includes them departing the FA Cup in the fourth round and the EFL Cup in the quarter-finals. Realistically, they will top the 60-match mark on a regular basis.</p> <p>One of the benefits of playing in the Europa League is that the club can give young players first-team opportunities, especially in the group stages. With no European football, however, the need for rotation and the opportunity to provide young players with minutes are reduced.</p> <p>This changes things dramatically, and most pertinently, it should motivate Arsenal to offload their young players on loan. The likes of Reiss Nelson, Eddie Nketiah, Joe Willock and plenty of others will not get regular playing time in north London. So it is time to provide them with that elsewhere.</p> <div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background: #c01f2f" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2020/07/24/arsenal-3-ways-no-european-football-changes-transfer-strategy/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> 2. More sales possible </a> </div><!—pageview_candidate—><hr id="pagebreak"><div id="attachment_103938" class="wp-caption aligncenter"> <img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-large wp-image-103938" src=https://paininthearsenal.com/2020/07/24/arsenal-3-ways-no-european-football-changes-transfer-strategy/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_389,w_590/https%3A%2F%2Fpaininthearsenal.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2020%2F07%2F1227682175-850x560.jpeg" alt="" width="590" height="389"><div class="fs-center-img"> <p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:590px;">Arsenal’s Gabonese striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (L) celebrates scoring the opening goal with Arsenal’s French striker Alexandre Lacazette (R) during the English FA Cup semi-final football match between Arsenal and Manchester City at Wembley Stadium in London, on July 18, 2020. (Photo by JUSTIN TALLIS / POOL / AFP) / NOT FOR MARKETING OR ADVERTISING USE / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE (Photo by JUSTIN TALLIS/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)</p> </div> </div> <h4>2. More sales possible</h4> <p>Another consequence of the lesser frequency and number of games is the reduced need for a squad. The midweek-weekend schedule throughout the majority of the season is extremely taxing and requires managers to rotate through their squad as they deal with the physical challenges of an entire campaign. However, with Europe no longer in play, that schedule is lightened extensively.</p> <div class="recent-posts "> <h4>More from <b>Pain in the Arsenal</b></h4> <ul> <li> <a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2020/07/24/arsenal-3-ways-no-european-football-changes-transfer-strategy/"https://paininthearsenal.com/2023/11/10/arsenal-interest-miguel-gutierrez-girona/"> Fabrizio Romano confirms Arsenal interest in Girona star </a> </li><li> <a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2020/07/24/arsenal-3-ways-no-european-football-changes-transfer-strategy/"https://paininthearsenal.com/2023/11/10/when-will-martin-odegaard-return-from-his-injury/"> When will Martin Odegaard return from his injury? </a> </li><li> <a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2020/07/24/arsenal-3-ways-no-european-football-changes-transfer-strategy/"https://paininthearsenal.com/2023/11/10/2-midfielders-arsenal-could-sign-in-january-transfer-window/"> 2 midfielders Arsenal could sign in January transfer window </a> </li><li> <a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2020/07/24/arsenal-3-ways-no-european-football-changes-transfer-strategy/"https://paininthearsenal.com/2023/11/10/thomas-partey-unlikely-to-play-for-arsenal-again-in-2023/"> Thomas Partey unlikely to play for Arsenal again in 2023 </a> </li><li> <a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2020/07/24/arsenal-3-ways-no-european-football-changes-transfer-strategy/"https://paininthearsenal.com/2023/11/10/predicted-arsenal-lineup-vs-burnley-saka-fit-to-start/"> Predicted Arsenal lineup vs Burnley: Saka fit to start? </a> </li></ul> </div> <p>This means that having a deep squad is not so important. Of course, that does not mean that you can roll through the season with the same 11 players and not worry about injuries or suspensions, but it does mean that having 25 high-level players is not quite as pertinent. This will allow Arsenal to sell.</p> <p>Where the likes of Ainsley Maitland-Niles, Rob Holding and Lucas Torreira might have been set to play key back-up roles, now, the club might see fit to offload them and reinvest that money in just one player. The same can be said for Sead Kolasinac, Shkodran Mustafi and Sokratis, and Emiliano Martinez or Bernd Leno, whichever does not win the starting job. Do you really need to keep both Alexandre Lacazette and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang?</p> <p>Arsenal were already set to offload several first-team players this summer. Their squad is too big and they need to rid of plenty of the deadwood that is hamstringing their spending. But without Europe, they will have the opportunity to be even more ruthless with the decisions they make.</p> <div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background: #c01f2f" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2020/07/24/arsenal-3-ways-no-european-football-changes-transfer-strategy/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> 1. It is about the starting XI </a> </div><!—pageview_candidate—><hr id="pagebreak"><div id="attachment_103004" class="wp-caption aligncenter"> <img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-large wp-image-103004" src=https://paininthearsenal.com/2020/07/24/arsenal-3-ways-no-european-football-changes-transfer-strategy/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_389,w_590/https%3A%2F%2Fpaininthearsenal.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2017%2F07%2F1193144121-850x560.jpeg" alt="Arsenal, Ainsley Maitland-Niles" width="590" height="389"><div class="fs-center-img"> <p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:590px;">Arsenal, Ainsley Maitland-Niles (Photo by Sebastian Frej/MB Media/Getty Images)</p> </div> </div> <h4>1. It is about the starting XI</h4> <p>Ultimately, this comes down to a very simple concept: quality, not quantity. Arsenal have the opportunity to swap their depth for starting level players, something that needs to be done whether they have European football or not.</p> <p>Beyond next season, that depth will again need to be replenished, of course, but for next season, the focus of the team turns towards building the best starting XI possible, not necessarily the most well-rounded squad.</p> <p>As a result, if they can trade in £25 million for Ainsley Maitland-Niles, Rob Holding and Lucas Torreira and sign one £75 million player who will improve not just the squad but the starting XI, they absolutely should. Those are the types of moves they must now make.</p> <div class="fs-shortcode" data-type="StoryLink" data-theme="dark" data-text="Arsenal Vs Aston Villa: 5 things we learned" data-url="https://paininthearsenal.com/2020/07/21/arsenal-vs-aston-villa-5-things-learned-midtable-performance-midtable-team/" data-call-to-action="Next"> <div class="story-link-next"> <a class="story-link-next-btn" style="background: #c01f2f" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="story-link-next-shortcode" href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2020/07/24/arsenal-3-ways-no-european-football-changes-transfer-strategy/"https://paininthearsenal.com/2020/07/21/arsenal-vs-aston-villa-5-things-learned-midtable-performance-midtable-team/"> <span class="call_to_action">Next:</span> Arsenal Vs Aston Villa: 5 things we learned </a> </div> </div> <p>The financial impact of having no European football will force Arsenal to be smarter in the transfer market. But by having fewer games to concern themselves with, it may allow them to focus on the starting XI, something that is desperately needed.</p><!—pageview_candidate—>">