5 players Arsenal should sign this summer
By Ty Finch
4. Bernard
Ever since Arsenal swapped Alexis Sanchez for Henrikh Mkhitaryan midway through last season, the Gunners haven’t found a suitable replacement on the left side of the attack. Arsene Wenger briefly toyed with the idea of either Alexandre Lacazette or Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang as an out-of-position winger, but neither came to fruition. While Mkhitaryan is a capable left-sided attacker, he is better suited paired with Mesut Ozil.
Enter Bernard, the Brazilian midfielder for Shakhtar Donetsk. Bernard is primarily a left-sided attacking midfielder, but is more than capable of playing through the middle or on the right.
The diminutive midfielder broke out this past season with 10 goals and four assists in 29 total appearances for the Ukrainian side. He had three goals in the Champions League, including the opener against Manchester City in a 2-1 win on the last day of the group stage. Bernard would have had even better output had it not been for a nagging shoulder injury he sustained later in the season.
Bernard is also out of a contract this summer, which means he could be had on a free transfer if he doesn’t sign a new one before then. He mentioned that he has had offers from clubs around Europe, and is not against moving this summer.
Considering Arsenal’s low estimated spending budget, getting a player of Bernard’s caliber for free would be an outstanding move, and something Wenger would be proud of. At only 25 years old, he could be a long-term starter for the new version of Arsenal.