Although the focus has been completely on Alexis going and Mkhitaryan coming the other way, with possible follow up transfer of Aubameyang along the way, there are deeper issues lurking at the club – and ones that are regularly ignored by those who are forever hanging around airport lounges and training pitches for hints at what is going on.

Arsenal currently have two places free in their 25 man squad of over 21s – although they are regularly being tipped to sign anything up to five more senior players. So the simple maths shows that if they do want to sign more than two more men, others besides Coquelin and Walcott have to go.

Attention therefore turns to Ozil whose departure was originally being talked up in the same manner as that of Alexis Sanchez.

Certainly Ozil’s case wasn’t helped by a series of performances that for any other player would be called “excellent” by for Ozil were about 10% off what we have come to expect.

Now however, in my opinion at least, he is back to his best, putting through passes that even with a rewind and slow motion seem impossible to imagine. But is he signing a new contract?

The suggestion appears to be that everything is calm and quiet, Ozil is encouraged by the level of transfer activity and one day quite soon the club will simply announce that he has signed a new contract. And if we do need to let a player go in order to bring not two but three new players then Giroud could go out on loan for half a season in order to get the extra games that will ensure he stays in the mind of the boss of the French team, ready for the world cup.

Personally (not that I have any special insights) I think that Ozil will not just stay but sign a new long term contract. But I think we will then have another problem. And that is how to fit everyone into the team at once.

Consider for example the cases of Ramsey and Wilshere. Both have been playing excellent football. Both are reliable and solid, and above all flexible. So do we play both of them together?

If we do where does Xhaka play – if at all? Or should we see both Ramsey and Wilshere as players who can play attacking and defensive midfield, one going forward, one staying back when the game is open and flowing. Both holding back when we are protecting a one goal lead with five minutes to go, both going forward when seeking the equaliser when it is Arsenal that is 0-1 down.

This question becomes more pertinent when we consider the forwards at our disposal if, as everything seems to point to, we really do sign Aubameyang. Do we play Lacazette and Aubameyang next to each other as a pair of centre forwards? And if we do, where does that leave Ozil?

The answer to that last one is that Ozil could play just behind the two marauding front men next to Mkhitaryan. To summarise that we have

Lacazette and Aubameyang

In front of Ozil and Mkhitaryan

In front of Ramsey and Wilshere

In front of a back four.

It is quite a thought.

Watching the League Cup semi-final against Chelsea it was interesting how fluidly and how easily Arsenal were able to change shape, playing three at the back, and then four, and then seemingly three again. Could it be that a similarly fluid team structure up front could be used as well not only against Manchester City in the Carabao Cup final but most of the time?

Of course at any time there can be injuries and illnesses that take players out of the equation so we do need all these players. Besides, Jack is hopeful for an England call up and that could mean a few more injuries along the way.

So we shouldn’t be too carried away for there will be times when we have no choice to play one way or another. But it is always handy to know what the first team would be like with no one off sick. I don’t know if that team of four at the back and the 2+2+2 really could work, but it is rather pleasant to imagine that it might.