Arsenal supporters frequently hear criticism of how Mikel Arteta has transformed football since ending their 22-year wait for a Premier League title. Yet his progressive approach may well shed light on his next move in the transfer market.
The Spaniard has cultivated a culture at the Emirates Stadium built on unity and wholehearted commitment, regardless of whether his players are on the pitch for 90 minutes or just a matter of seconds.
His expectations are unambiguous, and those who fall short of the required standard are swiftly moved out of his trusted inner circle. Arteta frequently speaks of ‘finishers’ and ‘impacters’, players brought off the bench either to help secure a result or to turn the tide of a match.
Their role is to get the job done however long they are given on the pitch, and in Arteta’s view, that responsibility carries every bit as much weight as earning a starting berth. Following Arsenal’s 1-0 aggregate victory over Sporting Lisbon in the Champions League quarter-finals, Arteta was keen to acknowledge the contribution of his bench players.
“It’s been the story of the season, how important the finishers have been for us, to achieve what we want,” he said. “And today, all of them – Gabi [Martinelli] came on and made a huge impact; Kai [Havertz] the same; Max [Dowman] the same. So we really need that, and we’re really happy with that.”
Arsenal are determined to sustain their winning form next season by retaining their title, and Arteta recognises that standing still is not an option, particularly when rival clubs will be bolstering their own squads. That will involve clearing out surplus players and introducing new faces into the mix.
A new right-back looks set to be a probable area of reinforcement for the north London outfit, with uncertainty surrounding Ben White’s future amid attention from other Premier League sides. Newcastle’s Tino Livramento had been mentioned earlier this summer before the England international was forced to withdraw from the World Cup squad through injury.
With those fitness issues persisting, Arteta has been obliged to explore alternative options for an affordable replacement for White, and in Oscar Mingueza, he may have identified his target. According to Spanish publication AS, Arsenal have been made aware of a potential move for the Celta Vigo defender, whose contract is set to run out at the end of the month.
View 2 ImagesOscar Mingueza is a reported target for Arsenal(Image: Angel Martinez, Getty Images)
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The 27-year-old is expected to depart the LaLiga side after four years at the club, and there is considerable interest from across Europe. Aston Villa, Juventus and Newcastle are all monitoring the Spain international, who emerged from the renowned La Masia academy at Barcelona before departing at the age of 22.
Arsenal have demonstrated the keenest interest and are reportedly ‘leading the pack’ for Mingueza, who is eager to make the switch to England having spent his entire career in his homeland. The Gunners’ pursuit is ‘primarily driven’ by manager Arteta, who is said to be a firm admirer of Mingueza’s qualities.
With a market value of £15million, according to Transfermarkt, Arsenal would be pulling off quite the coup by securing his services without paying a transfer fee. Mingueza is a dependable performer and his ability to remain fit would prove invaluable, given the number of defensive injuries Arteta has had to contend with in recent seasons.
The right-back has missed only eight league matches over the past three seasons – just one of which was through injury. That kind of durability and dedication is precisely what Arteta demands from his players.
The former Barcelona man has earned four caps for Spain and featured in Luis de la Fuente’s squad that fell to Portugal in last year’s Nations League final. Despite delivering consistently solid displays for his club, Mingueza was overlooked for this year’s World Cup 26-man squad.
That does mean, however, that he will arrive fresh and ready to integrate during pre-season the moment his contract expires on 30th June. The benefit of having a new signing bed in throughout the summer months simply cannot be overstated.
Naturally, Mingueza may well find himself in a back-up capacity to Jurrien Timber should he opt to join Arsenal. However, the Dutchman has had to carefully manage his fitness and restrict his playing time as a consequence, meaning there are genuine opportunities to start or influence matches as impact substitutes for the likes of Mingueza and Cristhian Mosquera.
If Arteta can offload White for a sizeable fee and bring in a ready-made replacement for nothing, it would free him up to channel those funds into other urgent areas of the transfer market. A left-winger is reportedly at the top of his wishlist, with interest linked to Morgan Rogers and Bradley Barcola.
In that respect, securing Mingueza could prove to be the shrewd move Arteta and sporting director Andrea Berta make this summer. Boasting an outstanding injury record and solid potential resale value, snapping up Mingueza looks like a straightforward decision for the newly-crowned champions as they look to make Arsenal an even more fearsome force.
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