Arsenal are expected to be busy this summer as they gear up for another crack at the Champions League while also embarking on what they hope will be another title chase
Arsenal will play Champions League football once again next season after beating Newcastle United on Sunday. Declan Rice scored the only goal of the game at the Emirates Stadium, with the win all but confirming a second-place finish for the Gunners.
Last summer, Mikel Arteta geared up for the campaign by signing the likes of Riccardo Calafiori and Mikel Merino. Arsenal were hampered by injuries in attack, though, and some feel they need reinforcements to make sure they can avoid a repeat.
Viktor Gyokeres has been linked more heavily than others, with Benjamin Sesko another option. Gyokeres clinched the Primeira Liga title for Sporting CP this weekend, and has addressed his future.
Arsenal are preparing for what will be a first window with Andrea Berta as sporting director. The Italian, previously at Atletico Madrid, will no doubt have identified some potential targets.
We’ve also got the latest from Arsenal’s co-chair Josh Kroenke, who has shed some light on the Gunners’ plans. Here are Mirror Football‘s latest lines from around the Emirates Stadium.
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Gyokeres speaks after title win
Sporting might still have Ruben Amorim at the helm, but they still have Viktor Gyokeres banging in the goals. The Swede scored his 39th league goal of the season – more than double the tally of his closest challenger – as Sporting pipped Benfica to the title.
Attention soon turned to his future, but he was non-committal. “It’s football, I’m still here,” he told Portuguese broadcaster Sport TV via Record. “I don’t know what’s going to happen. Nobody can predict the future.”
Despite this, Arsenal remain very much in the mix for the former Brighton man. A bid in the region of £60million is likely to be enough, but a reunion with Amorim at Manchester United isn’t out of the question.
Kroenke sets out ambition
Arsenal co-chair Josh Kroenke has set the tone for a big summer with Andrea Berta in charge of transfers. Kroenke covered the topic in a letter to fans, which was shared in the programme ahead of the final home league game of the season.
“We plan to invest to get behind winning and doing better next season,” the American wrote. “We’re delighted we have our sporting director, Andrea, who will play an important role in this.
“He is part of a unified and strong team, supported by the board, who are crystal clear on exactly what we need to do and the way in which we want to do it. The right way. The Arsenal way.”
Arteta confident of board’s backing
Mikel Arteta expects to be given the support he needs in the transfer market this summer. This is despite the Spaniard admitting not too long ago that his team’s levels have dropped a little in the Premier League.
It’s now five years without a trophy since Arteta led the Gunners to FA Cup glory in his first season. Even so, he doesn’t expect things to change for the worse when it comes to bringing in reinforcements.
“They always have done within the limitations of the restrictions we have,” Arteta told BBC Radio 5 Live when asked about potential backing from the higher-ups. “They have always been really supportive.”
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