Five players Arsenal can sign for free this week to save Mikel Arteta millions
With the new Premier League season drawing increasingly near, Arsenal have reportedly been provided with a transfer budget of 250 million pounds as the Gunners aim to retain their title and progress further in the Champions League. However, not every signing needs to arrive with a substantial fee attached. A number of prominent players officially entered free agency following the expiry of their contracts, presenting Arsenal with the chance to bolster the squad without parting with a transfer fee.
Central midfield continues to rank among Arsenal's primary targets this summer with approaches already lodged for Bournemouth's Alex Scott, Newcastle United's Bruno Guimaraes and Lille's Ayyoub Bouaddi. Yet for a considerably more economical alternative, the Gunners could instead revisit a familiar target. Leon Goretzka has consistently been associated with a switch to the Emirates Stadium in recent seasons. The 31-year-old German left Bayern Munich at the conclusion of this season and has acknowledged he would embrace the opportunity to experience football beyond Germany for the first time in his professional career. "Maybe it's my last chance to go abroad," he said. "I really want to play truly competitive football again. We'll see what opportunities come up. I'm completely relaxed about it. I'll just let it all happen."
Another long-standing Arsenal target available without a fee is Serbian forward Dusan Vlahovic. The 26-year-old eventually moved to Juventus in a transfer valued at 66.6 million pounds and proceeded to net 68 goals across all competitions for the Italian heavyweights before departing at the conclusion of his contract. Arsenal may regard Vlahovic as a perfect understudy to Viktor Gyokeres.
The prospect of acquiring six-time Premier League champion John Stones without a transfer fee may prove too enticing to pass up. The 32-year-old bid an emotional farewell to Manchester City at the end of last season and could offer experienced cover to Gabriel and William Saliba.
Julian Brandt, the 30-year-old versatile German playmaker, is available having drawn the curtain on an eight-year stint at Borussia Dortmund. He could add valuable depth across attacking positions whether operating in the No.10 role or out wide. Finally, Jadon Sancho remains available despite his struggles since joining Manchester United, with loan spells at Dortmund, Chelsea and Aston Villa.