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Arsenal will look to use the summer to reinvigorate their squad after a disappointing end to the season. The Gunners narrowly missed out on UEFA Champions League football next season, as their bitter rivals Tottenham Hotspur finishing ahead of them in fourth.
Meanwhile, the north London side are preparing a £25 million offer for a Leicester City midfielder. Elsewhere, Gunners manager Mikel Arteta has revealed his plans for William Saliba.
On that note, here's a look at the key Arsenal transfer stories as on 25 May 2022:
Arsenal preparing £25 million offer for Youri Tielemans
Arsenal are preparing a £25 million offer for Youri Tielemans, according to The Hard Tackle via The Telegraph.
The Belgian midfielder will enter the final year of his contract with Leicester City this summer. Tielemans wants to leave ahead of the new season, and the Gunners are preparing to pick him up.
Arteta wants a new midfielder this summer and has identified the Belgian as his preferred target. The north London side are ready to pay £25 million for the 25-year-old. The Foxes, though, want £30 million to part ways with Tielemans.
With Newcastle United also interested in his services, the Gunners could return with an improved offer if the Foxes reject their initial proposal.
Mikel Arteta reveals William Saliba plans
Mikel Arteta wants William Saliba at the Emirates next season. The French defender enjoyed a superb loan spell with Marseille in the recently concluded 2021-22 campaign.
Speaking recently, Arteta hinted that Saliba could be fighting for a first-team place next season. He said:
"Saliba has to come back. He has the experience to be competitive with us. We sent him to Marseille for his growth. William wanted to be a regular starter, as you know, now we want him back at Arsenal."
Arteta continued:
"If he’d stayed with us this year, with a match a week, with White & Gabriel, he wouldn’t have had half the playing time he had with Marseille. He wasn’t with us because he wouldn’t have had the playing time to gain experience. That’s it, nothing else."
Kevin Campbell disagrees with Gabriel Agbonlahor over Champions League claims
Former Gunners striker Kevin Campbell believes his former team could be in the hunt for a top-four place next season. Gabriel Agbonlahor recently claimed that the Gunners would go without Champions League football for the next five to six years.
However, speaking to Football Insider, Campbell said that the Gunners will be in the mix for fourth place if they recruit well.
"It is hard every season. People can say what they like. Whether Arsenal finished in the top four or not, Spurs, Man United, Newcastle and Leicester City would kick on. There is going to be a lot of teams vying for those places. Fourth spot is not a given for anybody."
He added:
"The two teams you can rely on are Man City and Liverpool. The rest will be competing. Nobody can tell me Spurs are guaranteed top four next season just because they have (Antonio) Conte. They will be in the fight like everyone else."
Campbell continued:
"If you stand still, you are going backwards in the Premier League. Arsenal just need to recruit well and push on. The hope is the youngsters will be more consistent next season as well. That would give Arsenal a good chance. It is very small margins now.”
