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Transfers A-C: Who needs what?

In the first of a four-part series, Daniel Storey looks at the needs, hopes and desires of Arsenal, Aston Villa, Burnley, Chelsea and Crystal Palace in this window...

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ARSENAL

WHAT THEY NEED...

Three positions initially scream out when examining Arsenal's needs. A right-back is required to replace the departed Bacary Sagna; a holding midfielder fresher, younger and quicker than Mikel Arteta would be nice; and a striker to provide support (or competition for) Olivier Giroud is also a must. Any repeated insistence from Giroud that he does not want any more forwards arriving at the club would hopefully fall on deaf ears. Even more so than last year, this feels like a pivotal transfer window for Arsene Wenger and Arsenal.

WHAT THEY'LL PROBABLY GET...

Arsenal unveil new signing Alexis Sanchez at The Arsenal training ground, St Albans (Photo by Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)

The initial business has been incredibly positive with the arrival of genuine game-changer Alexis Sanchez, while Mathieu Debuchy is likely to join him from Newcastle United. Sami Khedira looks like he may also be on his way in as another impressive signing while Lars Bender has been mentioned in hushed tones. If Arsenal can add one of those two then the squad looks more ready than most for another assault on the Premier League title.

WHAT’S BEEN SAID...

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Alexis Sanchez joins Arsenal

"We know we have to have a successful June and July, that is where you strengthen the team. It is very important that we are good now in the next two months until the end of August, that we can give to the team some more quality" – Arsene Wenger, 31st May.

More from Summer Transfer Window 2014

ASTON VILLA

WHAT THEY NEED...

Quality, rather than quantity. There is an odd sense that Paul Lambert has been forced to work on a stringent budget during his tenure at Villa Park but close to £50million has been spent in the past two seasons, and £20m on Antonio Luna, Aleksander Tonev, Leandro Bacuna, Nicklas Helenius, Jores Okore and Libor Kozak is enough mediocrity to make any Villa fan groan.

Joe Cole poses with an Aston Villa shirt after signing two-year deal

WHAT THEY'LL PROBABLY GET...

The initial signs are not good, with Philippe Senderos and Joe Cole joined by Kieran Richardson. With Randy Lerner loath to invest following his public announcement that the club is up for sale, it promises to be a summer of almost constant underwhelming news with reports that Lambert's budget is just £10m, including wages. Ouch.

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Yorke - Villa will struggle

WHAT’S BEEN SAID...

"I will identify players that I think will come in here. You have got to go and try, that is for sure. If I see one and think he will come in and do it then I will go and try and see if we can do it" - Paul Lambert, 20th May.

BURNLEY

Burnley's manager Sean Dyche celebrates after his side win promotion to the Premier League during the Sky Bet Championship match at Turf Moor, Burnley.

WHAT THEY NEED

Top-flight experience will be key in a squad clearly lacking in this regard. This was a squad that achieved great things through belief, morale and unity in the Championship, but the Premier League can soon erode such positivity. However, Hull City and Steve Bruce last season demonstrated what can be achieved with a bit of nous, rather than the scattergun approach some have chosen to utilise.

WHAT THEY'LL PROBABLY GET

Lukas Jutkiewicz: Striker has moved from Middlesbrough to Burnley

Derby's Craig Bryson and Richard Keogh were reported targets, but both have since signed new deals at Pride Park. Burnley supporters will hope that such fruitless endeavours are not a sign of things to come but they have signed striker Lukas Jutkiewicz from Middlesbrough. The hope is that a couple of loan signings can uplift the mood, rather than a panic buying splurge in late August. The arrival of Marvin Sordell, Steven Reid and Michael Kightly does not initially scream "we are staying up".

WHAT’S BEEN SAID

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Dyche on the Soccer AM sofa

"To go into Europe that is increased costs in wages, increased personnel, and all of those costs have to be paid for. So we have to look at the English market first because we know it as a staff and our recruitment people know it." Sean Dyche, 2nd June.

CHELSEA

WHAT THEY NEED

Not too much, now. The early arrivals of Diego Costa and Cesc Fabregas (coupled with the January purchases of Nemanja Matic and Kurt Zouma) have removed any potential excuses for Jose Mourinho. Teenage Croatian midfielder Mario Pasalic is one for the future. However, should both Fernando Torres and Demba Ba follow Samuel Eto'o out of Stamford Bridge, expect another striker to arrive.

Filipe Luis

WHAT THEY'LL PROBABLY GET

If Mourinho decides that he still requires another forward, it seems likely that he will get his wish, with Wilfried Bony mentioned as an option. A deal has also been agreed for Atletico Madrid left-back Filipe Luis to join the club. To repeat: Chelsea are close to having the perfect balance in their squad.

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Exciting season for Sky Sports

WHAT’S BEEN SAID

"This is a moment to rebuild again, because teams do not last for ever. Clubs yes, but not the teams. In the same club you have to build another team" - Jose Mourinho, 26th June.

CRYSTAL PALACE

WHAT THEY NEED

After the miracle performed by Tony Pulis last season, the Welshman will now get a chance to invest in the hope of consolidating Crystal Palace as a Premier League club for the next few years at least. While the midfield still looks comparatively strong, Pulis will be keen to add firepower to an attack, including Marouane Chamakh and his new contract, that scored just 33 times in the league last season. A couple of defenders would not go amiss, either.

WHAT THEY'LL PROBABLY GET

Palace are not a club that will attract the big names, but perhaps that is a blessing in disguise. If they can pluck the best on offer from the relegated clubs (Fraizer Campbell, Steven Caulker, Brede Hangeland and the like), there seems no reason why the club should break the bank in order to make avoiding relegation a probability. That would leave funds for much-needed renovation of the ground and its facilities. Of course, they could always launch a pricey bid for Gylfi Sigurdsson instead.

WHAT’S BEEN SAID

"There is lots of stuff going on behind the scenes. I have always tried to get things lined up and then you hope that things drop in place for you. There is work going on that people never see - it is busy" - Tony Pulis, 17th June.

A version of this article first appeared on football365.com

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