First came Alexis Sanchez, and then Mathieu Debuchy – Arsenal fans were already in dreamland with those two incredibly astute moves from Arsene Wenger. Now, just about filling up the final few holes, they said – a goalkeeper to compete with Wojciech Szczesny, check. Another defender to provide more cover, check. In came David Ospina and Calum Chambers to plug those holes, and Wenger, having spent nearly £60 million already, shows no signs of stopping.
So just who is likely to be Arsenal fifth, maybe even sixth and even seventh summers signings?
Below is a look at the players that could join the Arsenal revolution before the summer transfer window bids goodbye for another year.
Defensive midfielder: Options – Sami Khedira, William Carvalho, Morgan Schneiderlin and Lars Bender.
Of those four, Khedira has been the one that Arsenal have been linked with the most, with the 27-year-old looking nailed-on to join the growing German contingent not too long ago. But then, Khedira is also the least defensively-minded midfielder of the above mentioned quartet; not that it should stop Wenger from signing, because a partnership of Khedira and Aaron Ramsey, two box-to-box supremos, could set the English Premier League alight next season.
However, so far, wages and maybe getting an agreement with Real Madrid have stalled the move.
While Khedira is reportedly Wenger's number one target for the midfield position, the manager has also looked at Schneiderlin, Carvalho and Bender. The latter has been told he will not be sold by Leverkusen, while the former has also been handed a no-sale sign as well, with Schneiderlin making his feelings about that situation known clearly on Twitter.
6 years of an amazing journey #saintsfc DESTROYED in 1 hour !!!
— Morgan Schneiderlin (@SchneiderlinMo4) July 29, 2014
Schneiderlin, though, seems set to make a move to White Hart Lane, rather than the Emirates, with Tottenham favourites to land the midfielder.
Then finally we come to Carvalho – the midfielder, who is highly regarded across Europe. The release clause of £37 million has put off most suitors, with Arsenal's initial bid of £24 million reportedly rebuffed by Sporting Lisbon.
While news of a possible move have died down, Arsenal are reportedly still looking at manufacturing a transfer with Sporting reportedly ready to reduce their demands if the North London side pay all of the transfer fee up front.
Central defender: While new signing Chambers is seen as a possible centre-back of the future, Arsenal will need to bring in a defender if Thomas Vermaelen leaves. The Gunners possibly need one even of the skipper stays, with their fourth-choice centre-back of last season – Bacary Sagna – leaving for Manchester City.
Fabian Schar of FC Basel, Joel Veltman of Ajax and Martin Hinteregger of Red Bull Salzburg have all caught Wenger's eye and any of the three would be a great young addition to Arsenal's squad.
Schar has more experience than the other two, with the 22-year-old looking quite calm and composed for Switzerland when he did get an opportunity at the World Cup. Schar and Chambers, who is also seen as a possible midfielder of the future, could form a great defensive partnership of the future.
The same could be said of Veltman and Hinteregger, though, with both players highly rated in their respective nations. Ajax defender Veltman coming in as a replacement for Vermaelen, five years after the latter moved from the Amsterdam club, would be ironic and fitting, while Austrian Hinteregger has been tipped to have a bright future, and Wenger has been reportedly keeping a close eye on the 21-year-old.
Striker/forward: Do Arsenal really need another central striker/fantasy forward signing like a Marco Reus? That is the ultimate question isn't it. Having bought Alexis Sanchez, Wenger now has an extra option going forward. Sanchez, after all can play across the forwardline, and if you add Joel Campbell to the mix, then the Gunners are pretty well stocked in that department.
But, should Wenger go for a player like Mario Balotelli, Jackson Martinez, Edinson Cavani or Radamel Falcao if they became available? The answer would have to be an emphatic yes; especially if it were one of the latter two.
While Olivier Giroud is seriously under-appreciated when it comes to just what he brings to this Arsenal side, Wenger will certainly have a squad capable of winning the Premier League title and even threatening in the Champions League, if he can somehow pull a rabbit out of the hat and bring one premier striker.
It has been quite a satisfying transfer window for Arsenal so far, and we haven't even hit August yet. A couple more, and that title might just be coming to the Emirates come May.
