David Ornstein Reveals Which Positions Arsenal Are Looking to Strengthen This Summer

BBC Sport journalist David Ornstein has revealed Arsenal are ready for a 'heavy' summer of rebuilding with a replacement for head of recruitment Sven Mislintat top of the list of priorities.

Mislintat left the club in January after growing frustrated with a lack of financial firepower in the market, and with the Gunners eager to make signings during the summer, a new face will need to fill the role in order for such acquisitions to take place.

Ornstein has close ties with ​Arsenal and, speaking on Premier League Today, claimed Unai Emery is keen to strengthen up to five areas of his side in a major squad overhaul - while also stating rumours surrounding a move for Marcus Thuram are wide of the mark.

“I don’t know about Thuram,” Ornstein said, as quoted by the ​Express. "They’ve got a bit of a problem on their hands in that they don’t have a technical director, who is meant to be overseeing a number of areas including recruitment. Their head of recruitment Sven Mislintat left in January, which was a bit of a shock to some, a disappointment to many."


A new goalkeeper, two full-backs, a midfielder and a winger are the areas Emery is keen to strengthen after the ​Premier League season finishes, with Ornstein stating the club are actively looking to address those roles in the squad.

Aaron Ramsey

“I think they’re looking, well they’re definitely looking for a box-to-box midfielder to replace Aaron Ramsey, who’s going to Juventus," he added.

"They’re still in the hunt for a winger, which is why today again links have come out with Yannick Carrasco. They may be looking for a full-back to cover Hector Bellerin with his injury, and of course Stephan Lichtsteiner was only signed on a one-year contract. 


"So there’s going to be a heavy period of recruitment ahead potentially at Arsenal. But until they get that technical director in place, many of those rumours [won’t happen].”


Source : 90min