Arsenal want a new left winger, but the shortlist is already looking awkward. Bournemouth are reportedly asking for well in excess of £100m for Eli Junior Kroupi, who scored 13 Premier League goals in his debut campaign. Kenan Yıldız is also on the list, but Juventus are said to be uninterested in a sale.

Why Arsenal's targets are already a problem

That leaves Mikel Arteta and Andrea Berta with a market that is narrowing before the window properly gets going. Arsenal finished top of the Premier League with 82 points and a +43 goal difference, so this is not a rescue job. It is a targeted upgrade on an already strong side.

The interest in Kroupi and Yildiz makes sense on paper. Kroupi has the production, Yildiz the upside, but both come with a catch. One is being priced at a level that would force a huge commitment, the other is being treated as off limits.

Arsenal have the league title and an 8-win Champions League run to lean on, which is why the club can be selective. But the list of realistic left-wing options is shrinking, and that is likely to push the next move toward a tougher question: spend heavily on potential, or switch to a more proven name.

John Terry has already argued that Arsenal still need a top striker to go with their title push, saying: "I actually feel you guys are missing out on a top striker that's going to get you 25, possibly 30 goals a season." That is a different part of the pitch, but it points in the same direction. Arsenal are being asked to improve an elite squad, and the price of every upgrade is rising.

What the club's next move has to solve

If Arsenal continue down the left-wing route, they will have to decide whether Kroupi's fee is too far above comfort to justify, and whether Yildiz is simply not a live option at all. Those are the two main names being pushed right now, and neither looks straightforward.

There is no sign here of a quick fix. Arsenal's challenge is to find an attacker who actually moves the level without distorting the rest of the summer, and the market is making that harder by the day.

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