Arsenal's transfer crunch: Three would-be free agents the Gunners can sign amid their limited summer budget
Arsenal's first season without Arsene Wenger did not have the effect most fans had anticipated. The Frenchman departed the Emirates after longstanding discontentment among the Gunners faithful who believed it was time for a change within the club.
Under new boss Unai Emery, the club was expected to secure Champions League football at the very least. However, the Gunners found themselves outside the top four in the Premier League despite having encountered several opportunities to get the better of their rivals in the race for the top four spots.
The club lost to the likes of Brighton and Crystal Palace at a time when their arch-rivals Tottenham Hotspur were spectacularly losing points. Consequently, they ended their season at fifth place, a point behind Mauricio Pochettino's men.
The North London outfit had another chance to make their way back into Europe's elite competition in the form of the Europa League. The Gunners went head-to-head against Chelsea in the finals at Baku but once again stuttered their way out of the game, making way for the Blues to comfortably secure the European Cup.
With Champions League football out of their reach, Emery is now left with a meager £45 million to strengthen key areas of the squad this summer. The departure of Aaron Ramsey also makes the search for his replacement a top priority.
However, the limited transfer budget means the former Sevilla boss may be forced to look to the free-agent market in the hopes of finding some reinforcements.
In this article, we take a look at three would-be free agents who Arsenal could sign this summer.
#3 Dani Alves
Dani Alves recently announced his decision to depart Paris Saint-Germain after a two-year-stint at the club. The Brazil international's contract is set to expire next month, sending a number of big clubs on alert.
At 36, the right-back is not the most enduring prospect but with the injury of Hector Bellerin and the lack of choices in the position, the veteran defender is far from being the worst signing for the club.
The former Barcelona star could provide the Gunners back-line with a commanding presence and much-needed experience for others to learn from.