Eddie Howe does not think Arsenal will succeed in signing his players

Eddie Howe insists he is planning for next season with Alexander Isak and Bruno Guimaraes in mind, despite Arsenal’s interest in both players.

The Gunners view Isak as an ideal striker to address their issues in that position, and they are competing with Manchester City for the signature of Guimaraes.

The Brazilian midfielder has a release clause that either club can trigger to acquire him, and Arsenal could do so when this season ends.

However, Howe is adamant that he does not want either of them to leave, and he has warned the club’s owners that they cannot afford to lose both players if they want to progress.

He said, as quoted by the Daily Mail:

‘I’m planning for them (Isak and Guimaraes) to be here. All my planning is with them in the squad. We’re looking to build a squad and a really successful team and, to do that, we don’t want to sell our best players. That is hugely important for us, it will knock us back some considerable distance because we would have to start again.

‘There is no weakness in the club to say we are going to sell anyone. But, of course, financial fair play is there and we’ll have to comply like everyone else. That’s why I’ve said this summer is going to be a very difficult thing to predict. But there is no desire from anyone at the football club to sell our best players.’

Just Arsenal Opinion

No manager wants to lose his best players, so we can understand Howe’s point of view, but we are a bigger club and there is a good chance that we will succeed in signing at least one of them.