Charlie Nicholas identifies four signings Arsenal need this summer
Sky Sports pundit Charlie Nicholas highlights areas where Arsenal need to strengthen this summer
Charlie Nicholas believes Arsenal need up to four new signings to improve their defence in the summer transfer window.
The Gunners missed out on a top-four finish this season after Arsenal finished in fifth spot following a disastrous run to end Unai Emery’s first Premier League campaign.
The north London side conceded 51 times in 38 games in the Premier League – only Manchester United had a worst defensive record in the top nine.
Arsenal goalkeeper Petr Cech is set to retire this summer to leave Emery with Bernd Leno and David Ospina as his two goalkeepers.
The latter spent the season on loan at Napoli and could leave the Gunners in the summer.
Arsenal struggled in the absence of Rob Holding in the second half of the season and Hector Bellerin has been blighted by persistent injury problems.
The Gunners will also have to replace Aaron Ramsey after the Wales international agreed a move to Juventus.
Sky Sports pundit Nicholas believes Arsenal need to sign four players across their defence ahead of the new Premier League season.
“We need a whole new backline,” Nicholas told Sky Sports.
“I am disappointed that Petr Cech is retiring. I would have encouraged them to give him another year. Bernd Leno has got mistakes in him and would have benefited from Cech giving him a helping hand.
“We are looking for four defenders, so on top of the crazy situation of letting Aaron Ramsey go for nothing, it is not great. They need two centre-backs and two full-backs.
“Hector Bellerin will come back and play right-back, as Ainsley Maitland-Niles could be pushed on potentially. Sokratis Papastathopoulos and Sead Kolasinac are good to have as squad players.
“Nacho Monreal and Laurent Koscielny are getting on a bit now. Shkodran Mustafi must be released in my opinion. Konstantinos Mavropanos and Rob Holding are still to come back when they are fit.”
Arsenal will take on Chelsea FC in the Europa League final in Baku later this month as Emery looks to win a major trophy in his debut season at The Emirates.
The Gunners failed to qualify for the Champions League for the third successive season by virtue of their Premier League position.
