Arsenal have done clever business in the transfer market

Alexis Sanchez is an exciting addition to the Arsenal squad for the coming season

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has often been criticised in recent transfer windows for not splashing the cash, or not bringing in the right players to strengthen his team.

I believe that this summer he has been very clever in the transfer market.

Signing

For me the Gunners have completed one of the most exciting signings of the summer in Chilean forward Alexis Sanchez.

The £30million signing from Barcelona is the sort of player that gets fans on the edge of their seats.

Sanchez has enjoyed mixed fortunes in Spanish top-flight, but 19 goals and 10 assists mostly from his right wing position last season is a very productive return. Sanchez also brings versatility. He can play on either wing, behind the striker or as a central striker himself.

For all his qualities he was always going to have live in the shadow of Argentinian superstar Lionel Messi at the Nou Camp. The arrival of Brazilian wonder kid Neymar last summer also meant that the Chilean was up against it to establish himself as a star in the Barca team.

The move to the Emirates could really bring the best out of the former-Udinese star. He will be playing in a team that very suits his style and the move seems ideal for both parties.

French full-back Mathieu Debuchy has arrived as a replacement for Manchester City-bound Bacary Sagna. The two are teammates at international level, but Debuchy was first choice for Les Blues at this summer’s World Cup.

He is a steady performer in the English top-flight, having played for Newcastle for a season and a half. Debuchy is a solid replacement for his compatriot and is unlikely to let anybody down in his right-back position.

Colombia number one David Ospina is likely to start the season as back-up to first choice keeper Wojciech Szczesny. However, as he showed during the World Cup he is a very reliable player to have in-between the sticks.

Ospina had earned himself a good reputation playing for Nice in Ligue One and at just £3million could prove to be a steal by Arsenal boss Wenger. The Gunners needed another senior keeper after losing Lukasz Fabianski to Swansea this summer and Ospina looks to be a good choice.

The other signing seemed like an unnecessary one to me. That signing was young right-back Calum Chambers arriving from Southampton for a fee in the region of £12million, potentially rising to £16million.

However, Gunners boss Wenger has revealed he believes that Chambers could be developed into a centre-back and central midfielder. In the two recent pre-season games Chambers has played at the heart of the defence.

In both games he produced decent performances and hardly put a foot wrong. The youngster could prove to be an excellent buy for the future, especially with doubts over the future of Thomas Vermaelen.

Missing

The only position that remains a concern would be the defensive midfield position. The Gunners have been linked with moves for the likes of Morgan Schneiderlin and Sami Khedira. However, Wenger has hinted that he may keep faith in his current crop.

As mentioned earlier it seems that Wenger is looking to develop Chambers into a defensive midfielder in the future. However, he is obviously not ready to fill the role just yet, as he has not played in the role.

In the meantime the Gunners need to find a short-term solution to a problem that plagued their campaign last season. Against the top teams it was the position was their weak line, as all three of their top four rivals hammered the Gunners.

Wenger has stated that their maybe one or two signings before the window closes, so maybe one of those signings will be a defensive midfielder.

Contenders

Although some of their direct rivals have strengthened their squads this summer, Arsenal still have to be seen as contenders for the Premier League title at odds of 6/1. The Gunners have made some good signings and as last season’s early form proved they can put together a good run of results.

The lack of new defensive midfielder could be the key to their title challenge though, but hopefully Wenger can find a solution and the Gunners can mount a serious title challenge next season.

Have you been impressed by Arsenal’s summer transfer activity?