There are three priority areas for new Arsenal sporting director Andrea Berta to get cracking with, believes talkSPORT’s Darren Bent.
The Italian was confirmed in the role on Sunday, four months on from Edu’s departure.
Berta (left) has been given three tasks he must immediately address at Arsenal[/caption]
Berta previously worked in the role at Atletico Madrid, where he spent 12 years before stepping down in January.
He has also held the same position at Parma and Genoa in his native Italy.
The 53-year-old has now been urged to complete three tasks immediately after arriving at the Emirates Stadium.
Bent gave his wishlist on Drive as he pinpointed the pressing issues facing the Gunners.
The former England striker began by explaining: “The biggest one, which every person on planet Earth knows, they need to buy a striker.
“They have to buy a striker, because (Kai) Havertz has done well, but for consistency throughout a Premier League season, you need a centre forward who’s gonna chip in with goals, 15 to 20 every single season.”
Current centre-forwards Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus have just 12 Premier League goals between them this season.
The pair are also both sidelined with season-ending injuries, which has prompted Mikel Arteta to deploy Mikel Merino as a makeshift striker in recent matches.
Bent continued: “You need the centre forward that’s gonna sniff out the chances, because Arsenal dominate possession. There’s gonna be teams that just defend really deep, really compact. There’s not a lot of space.
“So you need a centre forward that’s gonna sniff out a chance, where the ball might drop and they’ve just anticipated that. Who’s got that killer instinct, which Kai Havertz hasn’t got? He’d probably admit it himself.
talkSPORTBent has urged Berta to sign a striker this summer[/caption]
GettyHavertz lacks the ‘killer instinct’ the Gunners need up front, believes Bent[/caption]
“(Alexander) Isak, the ball drops, bang he’s there. Creates his own chances. Even the goal in the Carabao Cup final, it’s not a chance. Jacob Murphy heads it back across and he just anticipates where the ball is going to drop and that’s what Arsenal need.
“Arsenal haven’t got that. Havertz hasn’t got that. Eddie Nketiah had that instinct, but not to the level that Arsenal need, unfortunately. So for me, centre-forward is crucial.”
Arsenal are amongst the clubs who have been linked with a move for Newcastle’s Alexander Isak this summer along with Swedish striker Viktor Gyokeres.
As for the next point on Bent’s agenda, he wants Berta to finalise a new long-term deal for Bukayo Saka.
The winger’s current contract, which he penned in 2023, expires in two years time.
Bent revealed: “I think you’ve got to look at the (Bukayo) Saka contract situation because everyone knows how special he is to Arsenal.
“I think he’s only got two years left on his contract. My only thing with that is if Arsenal aren’t competing and winning big trophies. He is good enough to play for anyone.”
Saka has a combined 23 goals and assists this season despite missing the last three months with a hamstring injury.
As a result, Bent fears he is already good enough to play for the likes of Real Madrid and wants the Gunners to take steps to prevent their academy graduate’s departure.
The talkSPORT co-host added: “I look at Real Madrid and I think there’s no way you can look at Rodrygo and say he’s better than Saka. I like Rodrygo, but Saka could hold his own with him.
“You’re seeing the importance of Saka to Arsenal right now. Saka’s going to be looking at that. He might be like ‘no, Arsenal’s my life, I don’t care where anyone else comes, that’s where I’m staying.’
“But he’s good enough to play for anyone and that’s a worry for Arsenal, which is why I’ve said before with the likes of (William) Saliba, Saka, you have to match their ambition.”
Having extended his deal around the same time as Saka, William Saliba’s contract also expires in 2027.
Finally, Bent is hoping for more transfer business alongside the signing of a new striker this summer.
He ended his wishlist by calling on Berta to sign another midfielder ahead of next season.
The ex-Aston Villa man admitted: “The third one is another midfielder, a holding midfielder.
“I love Thomas Partey, I think this season his form has been brilliant but you have to look long term. There’s talk about (Martin) Zubimendi, I have reservations. I know he’s a good player.
“I thought he was brilliant in the second half of the Euros final when he came on for Rodri but the Premier League is a different animal.
“You have to be able to run, be strong, get your foot in. But that’s an area I’d look at as well.”
Arsenal are understood to have agreed a deal in January for Spain international Martin Zubimendi to join from Real Sociedad this summer.
His arrival would soften the blow of potentially losing both Thomas Partey and Jorginho when their contracts expire at the end of the season.
Their impending departures would leave Arteta without a holding player to deploy behind the likes of Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard in his midfield trio.
But recent comments by Arteta firmly suggest Arsenal will be well stocked come the beginning of next season.
He said ahead of Arsenal’s Premier League clash with Fulham on Tuesday night: “It’s going to be a big one (summer) and we are very excited about it.
“When you are going to go again, we want to increase the depth of the squad and the quality and the skills that we need to go to the next step.
“Every summer is big because it is an opportunity and especially because of the number of players we have in the squad right now that is necessary.
“But it’s a big summer for many things because first of all we have to maintain the good foundations that we have and then obviously how can we improve and evolve the team.”
