It’s no surprise that Arsenal looked so disjointed and lacking in any real fluidity during their 0-0 draw with Everton on Tuesday night. Jack Wilshere was again (wrongly) given the spoils of the limelight, operating in the centre of an attacking midfield three, while the clearly better Santi Cazorla was left to make the best of the wide positions. Olivier Giroud’s poor finishing aside, the team really were crying out for the presence of Tomas Rosicky.

And it’s no real surprise. This time last year, Rosicky was one of the players rolling their sleeves up and dragging Arsenal over the line to third place. Robin van Persie will take much of the praise for his contributions, but it was the obvious renaissance of Rosicky that really caught the eye.

Arsene Wenger, however, has managed to keep the veteran midfielder away from much playing time this season. It’s unclear whether the player has suffered through injuries for most of the campaign or whether Wenger just doesn’t fancy him as a regular in the starting XI. But there can be no escaping just how much of a lift in spirit and performance this team has when Rosicky features.

You need to pair your best with the very best, and at this time Cazorla is the best player at Arsenal. He needs technically astute performers alongside him, those who are able to match him in quickness of thought and who clearly share the same attacking mind-set. Above all, names like Cazorla enjoy playing with Rosicky.

The win at West Brom gave the impression that the Czech midfielder was never away. He came into the side and scored twice to give Arsenal all three points. Not only that, but when he plays centrally in the absence of Wilshere, you don’t get a sense that Arsenal are suffering by deploying Cazorla on the left flank. There’s a rhythm to their game which comes naturally with experience, and while Wilshere will be the face of this team in the future, there isn’t really much of a loss at the moment in leaving him out of the side. It’s the way it should always have been: veteran names, experienced players and only a smattering of youth.

Rosicky’s contract is up at the end of next season, and this won’t be the first summer where suggestions of a move away come up. The player has been on the fringes of the side for too long, suffering either from poor form or horrible luck on the injury front. But once again, it seems like the clocks going forward have signalled the awaking of the player, forcing his name to the front in terms of those who can have the greatest say on the outcome of a season.

But Arsenal are not only restricted to a few good months from the midfielder. Horror results earlier in the season, specifically against Bradford in the League Cup saw Rosicky to be one of the brighter players on the pitch, while he was comfortably the best performer away to Olympiacos in the Champions League, before being hooked at half time.

There is a case to be made against the player that in seven years at the club has hasn’t reached triple figures for starts in the league. But it has to be noted that he spent the best part of two years on the treatment table, while this time last year saw him in the best form he’s been in since the 2007/08 season.

There shouldn’t be a stigma attached to players over 30 at Arsenal – and much of that can be attributed to the way Wenger deals with his ageing players. Whatever happens this summer with new arrivals, there should always be a positive transition between the old and the new; something which was evidently lost in the earlier years at the Emirates.

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For Arsenal fans alone, it would be nice to have another player who is held in high regard to retire with the club. Yet sentimental reasons aside, Rosicky can still be an invaluable asset both on the pitch and in the dressing room.

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Arsenal’s method for building hasn’t always been particularly spectacular. The youth policy approach is often a necessary route for those who wish to ignore the big summers of heavy spending for one reason or another, most likely through lack of ability.

Clubs on the continent have done this to great effect at stages over the past decade, with Spanish clubs having little choice other than to invest in their youth systems in the face of Real Madrid and Barcelona’s overwhelming superiority and the financial crash. Germany, on the other hand, did so as a collective means to create a better product on the international stage. Joachim Lowe is now reaping the benefits but German clubs are so well stocked on young, high-end talent that they can afford to look to their youth system before the transfer market.

Yet Arsenal have produced very little in the way of genuine excitement or potential superstar names – and that’s not to say the club haven’t produced good players.

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The jury is still out on whether Cesc Fabregas can be deemed Arsenal’s own product considering where he is now in his career, or whether he was always likely to reach this stage due to his earlier education with Barcelona.

But then there’s Jack Wilshere, an undeniable product of Arsenal’s academy who has an incredibly high ceiling as a footballer. As a teenager he looked right at home playing alongside the best team in the world in the Champions League, effortlessly duelling with Barcelona’s Xavi and Iniesta when the two teams met in 2011.

After that, there is cause for some concern and at least a little criticism.

Arsenal rarely push the boat out on bringing in a youngster who is a sure-bet to be a star player in the future. For the club, it’s been a matter of playing it safe with youngsters who may make it to the first team but won’t have that star appeal that’s so regularly associated with those from Spain or Germany. If the players don’t make it at Arsenal, the club will at least make a profit on their initial investment by selling them on.

Ryo Miyaichi, Joel Campbell, Denilson, Carlos Vela (to an extent, though perhaps one of the exceptions), Kyle Bartley, Samuel Galindo, Fran Merida, Francis Coquelin, Ignasi Miquel, and countless others have come through the Arsenal ranks one way or another but have made little impact in the first team. Even Kieran Gibbs may not have as high a ceiling as Ashley Cole did, despite being a regular in the squad.

What does that get chalked down to? The scouting is one area of critique, where the club often miss talents or lack the ruthlessness of others on the continent. South America isn’t off limits, as Denilson, Galindo, Campbell, and Vela have been signed, yet players who go on to have success at other European clubs are passed over, and that includes Porto.

The point about, say, Denilson is that he wasn’t the best in his age group. The minimal fee of £3 million more or less guaranteed you a player good enough to be a squad option but never one to make waves in any of the major leagues in Europe. It doesn’t always come down to simply a matter of price, but there is a lot of evidence that Arsenal go for the second or third tier down in terms of talent when shopping for players for the future.

A couple of names worth mentioning are Jon Toral and Hector Bellerin who arrived from Barcelona’s youth system but were far from the biggest talents in their group. It represents an idea of stockpiling players in the hope that at least one will make it big. Serge Gnabry and Thomas Eisfeld are two other examples, and despite the notably high level of excitement and intrigue around those two names, it’s not something that hasn’t been generated for other names in the past. The two German youngsters may make it big at Arsenal, but they, like the others, are gambles rather than guarantees.

The academy is by no means weak, but it hardly contains one or two Mario Goetzes, Iscos or Neymars – the young stars who will unquestionably make a difference in the future. Is that too much of a stretch? Barcelona, Bayern, Real Sociedad, Athletic Bilbao, Ajax, Schalke, and many others produce star players in handfuls.

Arsenal made a point to say that they still want to rely on youth for the majority of their squad, looking to the academy first as their primary means of boosting the first-team. And that’s fine, but the investment in the youth system and the return isn’t on par to what we’re seeing abroad.

A case to be made for Aaron Ramsey, Theo Walcott and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is that all three could, and probably do, represent exceptions. All three were signed for big money and arrived with the prospect of being key players for the future. Walcott has already achieved that status, though not without plenty of frustration along the way. Yet for their age group, they’re not on the level in terms of talent or ability as Goetze or Isco, though Oxlade-Chamberlain has the best chance of reaching a similar peak.

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Borussia Dortmund, however, went in search outside their own academy to bring in youngsters like Robert Lewandowski, who, following his apprenticeship under Lucas Barrios, guided the club to a league and cup double, as well as to the Champions League final. Isn’t it worth asking how Arsenal missed him, despite having scouts in the region that found both Lukas Fabianski and Wojciech Szczesny? The same can be said for Kyriakos Papadopoulos or the talents in France with the highest ceilings for the future.

It’s not a negative way of building, and it can certainly offer its own brand of glamour and excitement. But a youth policy that sits as the biggest foundation for any football club needs to be far better than hit and hope. Arsenal rarely seem to be going for the fence with their youngsters, overall reducing the risk of losing money if the talent fails to reach his potential but also losing out on a tremendous asset by showing a reluctance in going big.

Is there a flaw to Arsenal’s approach to gathering young talents?

Join the debate below

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goalkeeper Tim Krul has distanced himself from rumours that he could leave the club in January.

The Dutch stopper has emerged as a top target for big spending French outfit Monaco of late, with the Mediterranean side desperate to land a top quality number one.

Krul has developed into one of the best stoppers in the Premier League over the course of the past few seasons, helping the Magpies to re-establish themselves in the top tier after returning from a brief hiatus in the Championship.

However, the club’s recent struggles have led to rumours that he may be keen to move on while his stock is high.

But, Krul says that talk of a St James’ Park exit are nonsense:

“I have got a four years contract at Newcastle, I’m really happy,” he is quoted by The Metro.

“I love playing for this club, so I just focus on myself and getting a good season this season and then hopefully going to the World Cup.

“It is my second home, I have been here eight years now, it’s a second home and second family. Playing in front of 52,000 Geordies is a fantastic feeling and I don’t think many clubs can beat that.”

Monaco were believed to be plotting a £9m move for Krul, but they may now opt to pursue other targets.

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Newcastle fans, does this come as a relief?

Have your say below!

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It’s easy to forget how good Giuseppe Rossi was. It’s easy to forget Giuseppe Rossi altogether.

Last January Fiorentina took a calculated risk. Rossi had fallen off the map due to his two knee injuries and a year lost in the game, and, of course, Villarreal’s relegation. He was far, far too good to be playing in Spain’s second division – he’d previously come close to joining Barcelona – and Fiorentina stepped in when suitors were in short supply.

Fiorentina more or less knew they would be losing Stevan Jovetic in the summer. It was unlikely they knew just how great a striker they would be handed in Mario Gomez, so Rossi at £8million, provided he could regain his form, would prove to be a very good investment.

12 months on and not only is Jovetic firmly out of the club’s mind, Rossi has fired Fiorentina to fourth in Serie A, while also leading the scoring charts himself with 14 goals. It’s not that he’s back to his best, it that he’s very much improved and shouldering the responsibility of a club who have ambitions of Europe and domestic success. This is all while Gomez has been out with injury since September.

Arsenal are no doubt in pursuit of a striker who can catapult them onto the next level. Arsene Wenger’s side may be title contenders this season, but without a prolific goal scorer to head the attack, doubts will remain about the Gunners’ credentials.

The club have already failed to land high-profile strikers in the recent past, with Gonzalo Higuain heading to Napoli, Luis Suarez staying at Liverpool and signing a contract extension, and Jovetic, also on the radar, moving to domestic rivals Manchester City.

Rossi is understandably out of mind, but there’s plenty to justify him being a name strongly in the discussion in the future. It’s far from realistic to assume a January move will take place; it’s unlikely Arsenal will get the “marquee” forward many fans crave. But the summer should represent a good opportunity to land a striker who can be the difference-maker in a title race.

Arsenal this season have been accused of failing to hit top gear against the big sides, lacking the mentality to match up against their title rivals. If there is any doubt about what Rossi is capable of now that he’s firmly back in the game, he scored a second-half hat-trick at home against Juventus, leading Fiorentina to a historic 4-2 victory.

Rossi has been a joy to watch this season – he netted once more this past weekend with a late strike against Sassuolo to give Fiorentina a 1-0 win – but he’s also exceptionally gifted. The Italian international plays the part of a natural centre-forward, but he’s most comfortable out wide. It will suit Vincenzo Montella upon Gomez’s return, able to retain his 4-3-3 formation with both forwards in the line up. It shouldn’t, however, discourage Arsenal supporters with the idea that Rossi isn’t the forward the club needs: he’s scored his 14 league goals playing as the lone striker in the absence of Gomez.

Rossi is also familiar with Santi Cazorla following their time together at Villarreal. Cazorla’s talent as a creative hub is well known, but it’s worth pointing out that in tandem, Rossi and Cazorla were the architects of much of Villarreal’s good play. Coupled with that, the tactics employed by Montella at Fiorentina – heavily possession-based – have shown just how versatile Rossi is, paving the way for him to seamlessly slot into a team like Arsenal.

There is a gamble with Rossi because of his injury history and that this is his first full season back. But it’s no different from the injury troubles faced by Robin van Persie and the perseverance of Wenger to see out those difficult seasons in the Dutchman’s career.

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For now, Rossi is under the radar, the way Wenger likes to approach his transfer business. But there’s no doubting the Italian is the player the club should be looking to next year.

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Manchester United are certainly champions on the pitch, dominating the Premier League era. There have been plenty of world class names that have graced the famous Old Trafford pitch for 90 minutes on a Saturday afternoon to be rewarded with silverware at the end of the season.

Is this where the winning mentality stops? Not quite. When all of us grew up wishing to be professional footballers we wanted all the glitz and glamour that came with it. There are those who like to keep a low profile and carry on about their business away from the media limelight – but you won’t be finding any of that here.

There will be plenty in the United changing rooms past and present who will have a lot more to show for themselves then a collection of medals or engravings on a trophy when their careers come to pass. Sir Alex Ferguson once complained how the modern footballer has often been far more difficult to handle. This may gave you an insight into why when they have so much to distract them off the field of play too.

Eric Cantona may have retired early to try and find his way on the red carpet in Cannes, but this list will show plenty who have something they can parade in Leicester Square for movie premieres that doesn’t involve acting skills.

To see the illustrious list of Man United beauties click on Gemma Atkinson

Kolo Toure gifted West Brom a hard earned 1-1 draw at home to Liverpool as former Everton striker Victor Anichebe cancelled out Daniel Sturridge’s first-half opener.

The left-back passed the ball straight to Anichebe on the edge of his own area to hand the forward an easy finish past the helpless Mignolet.

Sturridge’s opener was his 50th Premier League goal, but West Brom ended up with a crucial point as they battle relegation. Here’s how Twitter reacted to all the talking points…

24 minutes – Daniel Sturridge gives Liverpool the lead with a simple tap-in from a Luis Suarez cross…

59 minutes – Luis Suarez gets the better of Lugano but sees his effort saved by Baggies keeper Ben Foster…

67 minutes – Kolo Toure gifts West Brom an equaliser when his pass across the Liverpool box is straight at Victor Anichebe, who smashes home…

Over the past decade, Premier League boardrooms have witnessed an influx of wealthy businessmen and individuals from all over the world, each seeking to invest in the global brand that our domestic top-flight has become.

To those that arguably have more money than sense, the ownership or control of a Premier League club seems to have become the ultimate fashion accessory and it is a development that has spread on to the continent. The recent takeovers at Paris Saint-Germain and AS Monaco suggest it is a trend that shows no signs of abating any time soon.

Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani  in Paris and Sheikh Mansour at Manchester City have proven that splashing a significant amount of cash can buy success in the short term. On the other hand, Suleyman Kerimov’s withdrawal of funding at Anzhi Makhachkala and the malaise that the club currently finds itself in emphasises the eminent dangers of the ‘Sugar Daddy’ model of ownership.

With this recent trend, the question of whether a successful businessmen can successfully make the transition into football is an intriguing proposition.

Indeed, the potential for a crossover from the business world to football is perhaps more prevalent than ever. With Michel Platini and UEFA’s Financial Fair Play directive intended to curb the explosive power of ‘Sugar Daddies,’ the call for football clubs to operate within their means is stronger than ever.

Whether the authoritative bodies will actually be able to impose these economic restrictions upon free-spending clubs such as Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain remains to be seen. The dubious Etihad sponsorship deal of the City of Manchester Stadium epitomises the hollow nature of UEFA’s threats thus far.

Ultimately, however, an examination of the Premier League suggests that entrepreneurs have been unable to enjoy the same level of success in the football world. The business logic and principles which stood as the basis of their achievements simply do not translate across.

Roman Abramovich proves to be the exception rather than the rule in the findings of this investigation. Since purchasing Chelsea in 2003, the Russian oligarch’s juggling of managers and lavish acquisitions has brought a multitude of trophies to Stamford Bridge. The success of his methods has flown in the face of the maxim that stability is fundamental to achievement in football.

But then Abramovich is hardly representative of a typical businessmen. Forbes estimates his net worth as of March 2014 to stand at $9.1billion, making him far wealthier than almost all others that invest in the Premier League. With this incredible net worth, Abramovich is able to splash incredible sums of cash and buy success in the manner that only individuals such as the aforementioned Sheikhs can match.

In the business world, the transfer dealings that Tottenham Hotspur chairman Daniel Levy conducted this summer would have been commended. Having overseen the sale of Gareth Bale for a world record fee, Levy then reinvested of the entirety of that transfer fee in to the acquisition of numerous other high-value players.

However, in footballing terms, Levy’s business-like actions have been exposed. The signing of so many players in such a short space of time has proven difficult to mould in to a successful side. A lot of change in quick succession has led to the club’s footballing performances to suffer as a result. Andre Villas-Boas was sacked for failing in the eyes of his chairman and Spurs are currently struggling to reach their season objective of earning Champions League qualification. The replacement of one asset with many made logical business sense, but has thus far failed to result in footballing success.

The manner in which Sports Direct owner Mike Ashley has turned Newcastle United in to a financially profitable club is nothing short of remarkable. In the Freddy Shepherd years, extravagant transfer fees and wages were no obstacle in the pursuit of silverware and the club’s debts spiralled out of control. In business terms, Ashley came in and steadied a sinking ship.

Despite this, the Newcastle owner is a much derided figure on Tyneside. Many of his decisions demonstrate a clear lack of an understanding of the sport. The sales of players such as Andy Carroll and Yohan Cabaye may have made perfect business sense but reflects a lack of ambition that has angered the fanbase. The decision to briefly rename the stadium as the Sports Direct Arena was intended to attract extra revenue into the club, but only alienated Ashley further from the fans.

Following his acquisition of Aston Villa in 2006, Randy Lerner was initially quite generous in the backing of his managers. With Martin O’Neill and Gerard Houllier at the helm, big fees were paid to attract the likes of Darren Bent and Ashley Young to a club that were regularly competing for a spot in European competition.

Fast forward to 2014 and how times have changed. With the club struggling to financially support itself, Lerner is now unwilling to continue injecting vast sums of his own money. Paul Lambert has been brought in with the clear directive of managing a team of cheap finds from the lower leagues as well as products of Villa’s own academy.

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As a result, the club have slipped down the Premier League and  seem to find themselves as perennial relegation candidates. The American owner clearly can no longer abide footing such financial losses in order for the club to challenge for the success that the Villa fanbase crave.

The reality of the matter is that sensible and successful business practices will never directly equate to success in football. A financially sustainable club is a business achievement but it will never be considered a success in the football world unless it is accompanied by trophies or a progression up the league standings.

And to achieve that in the modern game, more often than not it requires a level of spending that will never ever sit comfortably with successful businessmen.

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Liverpool are yet to confirm their capture of Loic Remy this summer from QPR, but Arsenal’s discontinued interest in the striker spells positive signs for Lukas Podolski for the season ahead.

Podolski’s future during the second half of last season was uncertain. The German forward was out of the side after returning from injury, with Arsene Wenger regularly overlooking the 29-year-old, even as an option from the bench. A move back to Germany was mooted, with Schalke said to be interested.

But off the back of a World Cup win, where, admittedly, Podolski was again a peripheral figure, and now a sharp upturn in positive feeling around Arsenal, Wenger may just be preparing to hang on to the forward, who has developed a notable cult following among supporters.

Podolski is good for the dressing room too, where his mood never seems to waver, even amid struggles for regular football. And make no mistake, the Polish-born German international isn’t just a lovable mascot, he’s the most clinical finisher at the club, even after the signing of Alexis Sanchez from Barcelona. He may not tick the boxes Wenger deems necessary to play as a lone striker at the Emirates, but Podolski nevertheless holds plenty of qualities worth hanging on to.

And had the club opted to move ahead with Remy’s signing, with the Frenchman heavily linked with a move to north London, it would surely have spelt the end of Podolski’s time with the club. Wenger is known for his preference of a streamlined squad, and both forwards would, more than likely, fill the same role in the squad.

WANT MORE? >> Arsenal transfer news | Latest transfer news

Arsenal’s halted interest in Remy also leaves an opening for Costa Rican forward Joel Campbell to stick around for the upcoming season. Podolski and Remy could have been switched, but the depth issue would have remained the same. Instead, Campbell is available to add further quality to a side in need of strengthening, not just in bodies but in quick, capable and versatile forwards.

Campbell’s exploits with his national side at the World Cup may have played an important part in Wenger’s rethinking and ultimate reluctance to move on Remy’s reported wage demands. Campbell is evidently good enough to stand up to high quality opposition and can be of great use over the next 12 months.

But snubbing a move for Remy also makes financial sense, regardless of the club’s healthy financial state at this time. He wouldn’t have offered anything greater than what Arsenal currently have on the books. His pace and finishing ability is on hand in either Campbell or Podolski, while funds can be focused on rebuilding in other areas of the team, namely the centre of midfield and defence.

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It would be ambitious to say Arsenal don’t need another striker. The addition of Alexis and the returning Theo Walcott will do much for what was an uninspiring and oft-misfiring forward line last season, but another major star wouldn’t go amiss, something Remy evidently isn’t.

With Wenger being far from the type to spend heavily on two players who can occupy the same position, his faith looks to be placed in players who could have found themselves elsewhere this season. For Podolski at the very least, Remy’s move to Liverpool will be a welcome sign for those who still wish to see the German international play his football in north London.

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Arsenal were far from down to the bare bones in their 2-1 win over Crystal Palace on Saturday, but they did make hard work of the three points. Per Mertesacker, Mesut Ozil and Lukas Podolski’s absence was coupled with the uncharacteristic sluggishness and profligacy of Santi Cazorla. Both lasting effects of this summer’s World Cup in Brazil.

It does raise concern for the coming weeks. Laurent Koscielny was not fully fit following his Achilles injury suffered in the Community Shield against Manchester City, but he saw minutes nevertheless in the opening weekend. Partnering him, because there was no other option, was Calum Chambers. The former Southampton starlet’s assured performance should not take away from the negligence of going into the start of the campaign with only one senior centre-back available.

In attack, Olivier Giroud started on the bench, also due to a lack of fitness, with Yaya Sanogo lining up through the middle and flanked by Alexis Sanchez and Cazorla. He’ll work for the team and he’ll give his all, but Sanogo, as if we need further reminding, is still not good enough for this Arsenal team. It may be a lack of attacking intelligence; does Sanogo know when to make the runs of an established centre-forward? Maybe, maybe not. But the real worry is his lack of ability to properly complement those around him.

There’s a danger of it all unravelling early. This summer has been the best for the club in many years, arguably the best in Arsene Wenger’s tenure as manager. Thus far, the buys have been either exciting or positive, and the departures haven’t forced sleepless nights. It’s the kind of transfer activity a club of Arsenal’s resources should be conducting regularly.

But the team isn’t ready, and forced selections can lead to injury. It wasn’t lost on anyone that Arsenal have only played three pre-season games ahead of the Community Shield, and that trip to New York featured less than half of the first-team regulars.

This week the team travel to Turkey to face Besiktas in their first leg effort to be included in this season’s Champions League proper. On Saturday, a tough away trip to Everton awaits.

What struck most about the win over Palace was just how poor the passing was throughout the entire team, as if none had quite woken up to the fact that the league season had begun. Had it been midway through the campaign, you’d be able to easily forget the performance. Sort of. It would be one of those that you check off as that of the mentality of (potential) champions, winning even when playing poorly.

Arsenal need reinforcements – and that’s not the reflex of years of frustration. The team are undermanned in defence, and one more central midfielder is also needed. For those who try to build it up as a necessity, though I feel it’s more of a luxury due to the numbers in the squad, another centre-forward should also be on the end-of-window shopping list.

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But ahead of all that, Arsenal need to find their fitness and rhythm, and quick. None of the top teams who played on the weekend were totally convincing, and there have been plenty of comments that the Premier League season has come too soon. But even with three points in the bag, Arsenal are still some way off where they need to be for this season.

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A recent Arsenal rumour gathering momentum seems to be a £24m move for Sevilla’s Grzegorz Krychowiak…

Aside from being a commentators nightmare, the Polish holder isn’t exactly a signing to get pulses racing, with the enforcer having only swapped French minnows Reims for the Spanish side over the summer in a deal worth around £3m. Hardly an established star.

Although he’s by no means a poor player – in fact he’s been excellent this term – there are better value options out there for the Gunners, and here are FIVE…

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CLICK ON ARSENE WENGER TO REVEAL THE FIVE

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Sami Khedira

Okay, this one’s been dragging along for so long now that it’s beginning to look highly unlikely. But, there’s little doubting that Khedira could be the exact player Arsenal have been missing for some time… and he is available at a bargain rate in January.

The 27-year-old has bags of energy, loads of experience and is a true box-to-box player, which are three characteristics missing from the Gunners’ engine room right now. With his contract due to expire at the end of the season a cut-price January sale is on the cards, even though the German has hinted that he could stay at Real Madrid to see out his deal.

Cheick Tiote

From actively pursuing a move away from Newcastle a matter of months ago, Tiote has been very quiet of late. The Ivorian suggested that he’s ready to leave the North East after just over four years in the black and white shirt, with European football now his aim. Although not the most fashionable of players, Tiote is a genuine midfield destroyer, with his willingness to do the thankless tasks vital to his team-mates.

Having Tiote in his midfield would mean that Arsene Wenger would need to sacrifice some of his creativity, but the Newcastle hard-man may be enough to provide the shield the Gunners have been missing. Around £12m could be enough for the player, but his fee could be reduced if he continues to chase a move.

William Carvalho

Cost effective doesn’t necessarily mean cheap, and due to that we’ve put William Carvalho among the names on this list. The Sporting CP man is valued at just above £20m and is currently thought of as one of the very best young holding midfielders around.

Given the ‘new Patrick Vieira’ moniker already, Carvalho certainly has the billing to be a great option for the Gunners, while his stature and pure physicality make him a fearsome opponent. Unlike many others in the same mould though, he has great attacking abilities and has shown in the past that he’s adept at getting forward to support his attackers.

Fabian Delph

It’s been a whirlwind few months for Delph, who has moved from being a solid Premier League midfielder to a full England international and a wanted man. The Aston Villa ace is believed to be looking at a January move as his contract enters its final six months, despite the Midlanders being desperate to tie him down.

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At 24, soon to be 25, Delph has plenty of scope to improve over the coming years and could become part of an English core – alongside Wilshere, Welbeck and Chambers – at the Emirates Stadium.

Calum Chambers

Now this one is a little left field, but there’s no reason it couldn’t work. Chambers has already shown himself to be adaptable – he’s played at centre-back this term on a few occasions – so converting to a holding midfield role could make some sense, right?

Technically adept and blessed with defensive awareness, Chambers could easily be used as an enforcer, with Philipp Lahm of Bayern Munich and Germany an example that Wenger may look to use as inspiration. Plus, it wouldn’t cost a penny to do so…