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Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal could offload up to nine first-team players in the summer transfer window, a report from The Sun has claimed.
Having dramatically conceded their Champions League spot to arch-rivals Tottenham Hotspur, the Gunners are preparing to bolster their squad for next season. Courtesy of their fifth-placed finish, they are set to compete in the Europa League, meaning they need a better-equipped squad.
As per The Sun’s report, Arsenal are prepared to spend as much as £150 million in the summer transfer window to reinforce their squad. However, they wish to recuperate some of the funds (£60 million, to be precise) by cutting ties with as many as nine out-of-favor stars.
They have already struck deals with Marseille and Stuttgart for Matteo Guendouzi and Konstantinos Mavropanos, respectively, generating £12.5 million in sales. The team’s only two first-team strikers, Alexander Lacazette and Edward Nketiah, are out of contract in June and are set to leave for free.
Arteta’s side are now busy negotiating cut-price deals for Hector Bellerin, Pablo Mari, Lucas Torreira, Bernd Leno, and Ainsley Maitland-Niles.
Arteta has reportedly asked sporting director Edu to give him 22 outfield players for next season. Currently, the Gunners have only 16 senior outfield players on their books. To make up the numbers, William Saliba and Reiss Nelson could be brought back from their loan deals at Marseille and Feyenoord, respectively.
Arteta is also open to giving promising youngsters such as Charlie Patino, Miguel Azeez, and Omari Hutchinson a shot at the team next term.
Finally, the north Londoners want to make four top-quality signings in the summer transfer window. Two strikers, one central midfielder, and possibly a full-back could come this summer.
Tottenham Hotspur looking to hijack Arsenal’s move for Gabriel Jesus
With just over a year remaining on his contract with Manchester City, Jesus is expected to leave the English champions in the summer of 2022. Arsenal, who are set to be without a first-team striker next season, have been heavily linked with the Brazilian (via Fabrizio Romano).
Unfortunately, as per The Telegraph (via Football Insider), Tottenham Hotspur have also set their eyes on the Brazilian sharpshooter.
Spurs have a more experienced coach in Antonio Conte and have also qualified for the Champions League, which could persuade Jesus to snub Arsenal. Had Arteta’s men not capitulated in the final weeks of the season, the Gunners might have had a considerably easier time signing the 25-year-old.
