Arsenal’s three transfer alternatives after missing out on Raphinha

FT Desk

• Updated: 29 Jun 2022 03:37 CDT
• 3 min read

Raphinha looks set to join Chelsea from Leeds, the winger snubbing Arsenal in the process. Who might the Gunners now turn their attention to?

Arsenal were understood to have three key transfer targets this summer in Raphinha, Gabriel Jesus and Lisandro Martinez.

But while deals for Jesus and Martinez appear to be close, they have been pipped at the post by Chelsea for Raphinha, with the Brazilian now set for South London instead of North.

Bukayo Saka was arguably Arsenal's best player last season, but with Mikel Arteta wanting two top wingers for his preferred 4-2-3-1 system, another wide man is a necessity. Who else might he go for?

Noa Lang

While Raphinha will cost £60/€65 million, Lang will only command a fraction of that sum, playing as he does in Belgium's top-flight with Club Brugge. That's not to say he doesn't have the requisite level to succeed at the Emirates, with the Gunners tracking the 23-year-old for some time.

Lang swapped Ajax for Brugge in October 2020 and has since racked up 26 goals and as many assists in 85 games in all competitions - which included a Man of the Match performance against Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League last term.

Now also a full international with the Netherlands, Lang is rated at €20m by FootballTransfers' sophisticated in-house algorithm.

Ousmane Dembele

Dembele is currently engaged in a contract stand-off with Barcelona, with the Catalans wanting to reduce their initial offer to the France international winger. If he doesn't accept, Dembele will be a free agent this summer.

That is something that could attract Arsenal, as is Dembele's mercurial footwork which helped him contribute 13 assists to Barca's cause last season. Raphinha's move to Chelsea also makes a mooted Blues move for Dembele unlikely, leaving the Gunners with less competition in contract negotiations.

Dembele has been an uneasy fit at Camp Nou since joining from Borussia Dortmund in 2017, but Arsenal have a rich history of world-class French players - ones who honed their craft there - and a deal could suit player and club.

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Serge Gnabry

Gnabry has already been an Arsenal player, spending five years at the club before winding up at Bayern Munich via nomadic spells with West Brom, Werder Bremen and Hoffenheim.

Now a top player who boasts 20 goals in just 34 appearances with Germany, Gnabry is out of contract with Bayern at the end of next season, and has thus far been reluctant to extend his deal.

Bayern's recent acquisition of Sadio Mane from Liverpool could compromise Gnabry's minutes in the final third in the coming season, and Arsenal - who only just missed out on Raphinha - could hope to get a player ranked at €42m comfortably inside their budget.