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Arsenal's transfer approach is set to be scrutinised again as the Gunners look set to miss out on their two primary left-back targets - less than a year after Gary Neville slammed the Londoners for having an "unclear" approach in the transfer market.
Both Aaron Hickey and Lisandro Martinez have been earmarked as potential signings for the Gunners, but with Hickey now set to join Brentford and Manchester United in advanced talks with Ajax over a deal for Martinez, Arsenal will have to turn their focus to alternative targets in the coming weeks.
Mikel Arteta's side headed into the summer needed a new left-back to compete with Kieran Tierney, who has been plagued by injuries since moving to the Emirates back in the summer of 2019. But their failure to land their two top targets is another blow in the market for Arsenal, who saw Neville bluntly question their transfer approach last year.
Speaking to Sky Sports back in September, Neville said: “I’m not quite sure what the strategy is of Arsenal in the transfer market. It seems a little bit all over the place. Maybe there is a strategy, but it’s not been explained very well and it’s not very clear.”
Mikel Arteta is trying hard to bolster Arsenal's squad (Image: GETTY)
Although Arsenal have invested heavily in some top young talent since Arteta was handed the reins at the Emirates Stadium, the club have been criticised on more than one occasion for a ponderous approach to concluding deals.
Arsenal's top transfer priority this summer was signing a new No.9, but sourcing an adequate deputy for Tierney should have been high on Arteta's to-do list.
Tierney has proven himself to be one of the Premier League's finest full-backs during his time in north London, but his injury history means that Arsenal simply have to have a high-calibre deputy ready to step in. Unfortunately for Nuno Tavares, it is already clear that the Portuguese youngster is not of the quality required to deputise for Tierney after his poor debut season.
The Gunners are set to miss out on long-term target Aaron Hickey (Image: GETTY)
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Despite desperately needing to source a capable left-back, the Gunners have dallied over a deal for Hickey, who is now poised to join Brentford. Meanwhile, Martinez would seemingly prefer to reunite with Erik ten Hag at Manchester United, leaving the Gunners empty-handed with the new Premier League campaign looming.
Perhaps the most frustrating aspect of Arsenal's transfer business over the past 18 months is that there has been some genuinely outstanding work. The club's extensive £140million overhaul took them to the cusp of a return to the Champions League, while the £45million capture of Gabriel Jesus - which is expected to be confirmed imminently - is a major coup.
But their failure to bolster their squad in other areas swiftly means that Arteta could end up having to sign his third-choice full-back target; something that highlights just how unbalanced Arsenal's transfer strategy appears to be.
