Over the weekend Juventus made it public that “eight first-team players” had been told to “find new clubs” by manager Thiago Motta.
Former Arsenal goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny was on the list, as was Federico Chiesa. Also named were Weston McKennie, Arthur Melo, Mattia De Sciglio, Daniele Rugani, Filip Kostic and Hans Nicolussi Caviglia.
This news has led to fans from every Premier League club to speculate who they should sign (with some fans having ideas above their station on who their team might be able to attract!).
Wojciech Szczesny
We were linked with our former first choice goalkeeper towards the end of last season.
It is clear and obvious that we need a new keeper if Aaron Ramsdale leaves. Although I would not be surprised to see England’s number 2 remaining as Arsenal number 2 for another season.
Szczesny would give Mikel Arteta an experienced back up for Ramsdale. The Pole is still a high quality keeper and was Juventus’ first choice last summer.
Whether he wants to be 2nd choice for the tail-end of his career puts a question mark over the deal.
Now 34-years-old, he still has plenty to give. It is whether he would prefer being 2nd choice in the luxurious settings of London Colney, or be first choice training in a portacabin with cold showers at somewhere like West Ham.
Federico Chiesa
Probably the biggest name on the list, at 26-years-old Federico Chiesa should be entering his peak. Instead he finds himself cast aside from the club that has spent over £50m on him as a 21-year-old.
I have never been a huge fan of Chiesa. For me he is a player who clearly had plenty of technical ability, but has never got the figures to back up the hype.
The son of legend Enrico Chiesa, he has never scored more than 10 league goals in a season. He also has a horrendous injury record.
Chiesa tore his cruciate ligament back in 2022 and has never really recovered. Since then he has continued to pick up minor muscle injuries. He gets fit for 5 or 6 games, then misses 2 or 3. and it has been that way for the last two seasons.
He reminds me a lot of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain in the sense that he had a lot of hype as a youngster, never really reached the heights expected, has had a career hampered by injuries but is still hyped up by fans.
We should stay well clear of Chiesa.
Weston McKennie
Leeds United signed the American on-loan in 2023. I was surprised to see that he was still only 25-years-old.
2 or 3 years, Weston McKennie would have looked a great fit for Mikel Arteta’s team – A versatile box-to-box midfielder who can also play deeper and at fullback, we would have been a perfect squad player back in 2022. But 2024 Arsenal demands better players.
I would not be surprised to see him join a Premier League club. He is more suited to someone like Fulham than Arsenal.
Arthur Melo
One of the worst loan signings in Premier League history, Arthur Melo joined Liverpool in 2022 and failed to play a single league game – and just 13 minutes in total.
The Scousers got all giddy when they secured the Brazilian, and some Arsenal fans made noise about how we should have dumped Granit Xhaka for him. But the writing was already on the cards with his injury record.
Arthur Melo had struggled for consistent game time for Barcelona and Juventus, so it was not a surprise to me when he broke down after playing his first game for Liverpool.
Now 27, Arthur Melo screams out “heading to the Saudi Pro League”.
Mattia De Sciglio
Another on this list who has had a chequered injury record, the now 31-year-old right back will be a solid acquisition for someone as a squad fullback. That someone is just not Arsenal.
We are well set at both right back and left back. We do not need another one! I can see him ending up at Manchester United who could do with his versatility and cover on both flanks.
Daniele Rugani
Still only 30-years-old, we were heavily linked with Daniele Rugani back in 2019. Despite reportedly having “agreed terms” with us, the Italian remained at Juventus.
Rugani was once considered one of the most promising young Italian players of his generation, but he has never really kicked on to show any sort of consistency at a high level. Just 7 caps for Italy sums his career up.
Having signed Riccardo Calafiori, we are not in the market for another defender. Rugani looks Ajax bound,
Filip Kostic
The Serbian is a solid left winger / wing back in the Ivan Perisic role. You know you are getting someone that works hard and puts lots of balls into the box, but will not be a superstar.
Now 31, he would not improve Arsenal’s squad in any shape or form so this one would be a non-starter.
A knee injury cut short his Euro’s, so an injury question mark hangs over him. Due to this I can see a loan deal – with the likes of Crystal Palace and various Turkish clubs already linked.
Hans Nicolussi Caviglia
A victim of Juventus’ (and other top Italian clubs) hoarding and loaning out of young talent, Hans Nicolussi Caviglia finds himself having played just 13 games for his boyhood club at 24-years-old.
Once a promising young midfielder, Nicolussi Caviglia has had 4 unspectacular loan deals all within Italy. Expect him to stay in the country of his birth. Probably on loan again.
A lot of fans will be calling on Arteta to make a move for Federico Chiesa to act as cover for Bukayo Saka. But his injury record is a huge red flag.
Wojciech Szczesny is the one man on the list that I can see us signing. He would certainly fit in as our 2nd choice keeper and is a personality the club knows well (although this could be a bad thing as well!!).
It will all come down to whether Ramsdale is content remaining as 2nd choice, and whether Szczesny is happy becoming second choice.
My gut is unless anyone on the 8 man Juventus exodus list was already on our transfer target list, we will not be dropping our targets to recruit any of them.
Enjoy your Tuesday.
Keenos
She Wore A Yellow Ribbon 