The intriguing Arsenal and Juventus swap transfer Gunners fans would hate - but it might work out a treat

The month of August begins today, which means the 2024/25 English Premier League season starts in just 16 days. Arsenal will be looking to finally get their hands on the title, having come close in back-to-back seasons.

In the English Premier League, Manchester City have been standing between them and the trophy, but the same can’t be said about Europe, where inexperience and a lack of ruthlessness caused them ultimately to fall to an average Bayern Munich side last season.

As things stand now, winning the UEFA Champions League looks more feasible for Arsenal than the English Premier League, where they compete against the 38-game marathon monster that is Manchester City - they just look unbeatable when Pep Guardiola is still their manager, with their infamous charges down the home stretch proving impossible to combat.

To better their team for both competitions, they need an experienced forward to sharpen their attack. There is little chance they can pull the likes of Vinicius Jr. and Rodrygo from Spanish and European champions Real Madrid.

Other options are Nico Williams, Rafael Leao, and Federico Chiesa. Getting the Juventus player would be easier than the others with his agent now openly offering him around to other clubs. Juventus and Chiesa have fallen out and are seeking buyers. Arsenal can get him without spending excessively and could even make some extra money in a swap deal with Gabriel Martinelli.

Here me out on this one - a swap deal benefits both clubs. Juventus gets a young player for the team that new manager Thiago Motta wants to build, and Arsenal gets an experienced attacker to enhance their attack.

Arsenal already have a well-engineered team and only needs additional fuel. Juventus, with a new coach, needs young players to start their rebuild. Two seasons ago, that is where Arsenal were, in a rebuilding phase, and the likes of Martinelli were pivotal. In that sense, he’ll have a lot of experience to offer Juventus.

One extra thing Arsenal can get from the deal is a winger who can take some of the weight off Saka’s shoulders. Chiesa can play as a right winger and deliver, Martinelli can tend to struggle there. When the fixtures get congested, Arteta would have someone to count on for the right wing. All he will need to do is rest Saka, move Chiesa to the right, and play Leandro Trossard or Gabriel Jesus on the left.

Another string to his bow, Chiesa can also play as a wingback. When Mikel Arteta wants to play with three at the back, he will have a wing-back to combine attack and defence in wide areas. Thiago Motta, on the Juventus bench, would have in his ranks a mobile striker in Martinelli who is different in profile from the traditional big number 9s like Arkadiusz Milik and Dušan Vlahović, ideal for games when he decides to play two up top.

Losing Martinelli may well not be music to the ears of Gunners fans, but a left-field swap deal that brings Chiesa to the Emirates Stadium could actually be less of a wild shout than it first appears.