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Potential Arsenal lineup post deals for Fabio Vieira, and Gabriel Jesus

Gabriel Jesus

After a slow start, Arsenal have accelerated their movements in the summer transfer market. The Gunners have finalized a deal for Porto midfielder Fabio Vieira out of nowhere. The club swiftly completed a transfer for the 22-year-old for £30 million. Vieira has agreed on a 5-year deal with the Gunners and is their second signing of the summer. However, Arsenal first landed Brazilian talent Marquinhos from Sau Paulo for just £3 million. Further on, Arsenal are also ready to launch an improved bid for Manchester City striker Gabriel Jesus. We take a look at how a new-look Arsenal could line up for the 2022/23 season.

The Gunners have facilitated a number of exits in a clear-out. Alexandre Lacazette and Matteo Guendouzi have left for Lyon and Marseille respectively. Moreover, the club also released Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Calum Chambers in January after terminating their contracts. Further on, more departures are likely to happen in the coming days with Lucas Torreira, Hector Bellerin, Bernd Leno, Maitland Niles, and Pablo Mari all facing an uncertain future for the club. Mikel Arteta has demanded replacements of the outgoers and mainly a striker. Gabriel Jesus is therefore poised to join the Gunners after City have signed Erling Haaland and Julian Alvarez.

How Arsenal could line up with Vieira, Jesus

Arsenal will have a lot of depth in their squad post-Vieira’s arrival. Mikel Arteta has always yearned for the same and would be delighted to have plenty of options. Further on, Arteta himself is planning to change the system from 4-2-3-1 to 4-3-3. Vieira has a solid versatility of playing as a left-winger, number-8, and a second striker as well. Arsenal could now line up Vieira alongside the Norwegian Martin Odegaard.

Thomas Partey would then be deployed as a lone number-6 role behind Odegaard and Vieira. However, Partey’s fitness issues could result in another headache for Arteta. Though he has Granit Xhaka to cover for Partey, the Swiss midfielder’s inconsistency is a major concern. As a result, Arsenal are also trying to negotiate a deal for Leicester City midfielder Youri Tielemans.

Further on, Emile Smith Rowe and Albert Sambi Lokonga will have to assume the bench role after Vieira’s signing. Gabriel Martinelli has put in lightening performances on that left-wing and making it difficult for Arteta to drop him from his Arsenal lineup. Emile Smith Rowe could now experience a further fall in his game-time given Vieira and Martinelli will start.

Gabriel Jesus will lead the attack as the number-9, with the undroppable Bukayo Saka on the right-wing and Martinelli on the left. The defense will see the pairing of Ben White and Gabriel Magalhaes as usual, however, William Saliba who will return from his Marseille loan would also fight for a starting spot. A fit Takehiro Tomiyasu would start at right-back, and the same applies to Kieran Tierney for the left-back position. As a result, Arteta could field the following Arsenal starting lineup for the next season.

Aaron Ramsdale; Tomiyasu, White, Gabriel, Tierney; Odegaard, Partey, Vieira; Saka, Jesus, Martinelli

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