Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta and technical director Edu will be making plans for what is shaping up to be yet another busy summer of transfer activity with plenty of incomings, as well as outgoings, expected.
Currently well placed to qualify for either the Champions League or Europa League, the Gunners boss is well aware that he will need a bigger squad in order to compete domestically and in Europe next season. But the Spaniard is confident he will be given funds to make the necessary improvements.
"I am expecting so, yes. I think both competitions [the Champions League and Europa League] require a much larger squad because the amount of games you play is much bigger in both, so I don’t think [which you qualify for] makes a lot of difference or changes a lot," he told reporters. "If you can financially afford it and we don’t have to do the turnaround in the squad that we’ve had to do, if you ask me what I want it’s 22 outfield players and three goalkeepers. You have to come a long way in the aspects that you see on the pitch, it’s a lot of things that have to be put in place, and that takes time."
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With Arsenal spending more than £100million last summer on the likes of Benjamin White, Aaron Ramsdale and Martin Odegaard, it remains to be seen what the budget will be in a couple of months' time. Although, one way for Arteta to generate extra funds is by cashing in on those first-team players he deems surplus to requirements and this is where this season's loan army can prove useful.
Now there are already three deals already in place that will officially go through in the summer as football.london understands Matteo Guendouzi will join Marseille permanently as will Konstantinos Mavropanos and midfielder Lucas Torreira with Stuttgart and Fiorentina respectively.
Meanwhile, Auston Trusty - a January transfer deadline day arrival will be heading back out on loan next season after his spell at Colorado Rapids ends as the plan is for him to gain experience at a European club.
So what about the remaining seven Arsenal first-team players currently out on loan? Some may look to use the summer window as an opportunity to leave north London for pastures new. But who should be sold to raise funds, kept or loaned out again next season? football.london assesses the options below...
Goalkeepers
The arrival of Matt Turner will have an impact on Alex Runarsson's future. The Iceland international has been spending the campaign on loan at OH Leuven in Belgium after failing to impress at Arsenal and one would expect him to move on as his chances of regular first-team football are unlikely to increase if he remains in north London.
Sell: Alex Runarsson
Defenders
William Saliba is the one loanee that should be integrated into the first-team picture next season after impressing with Marseille and winning two France senior caps. Statistics show he can more than compete with Gabriel Magalhaes, in particular, to stake his claim as a regular in the Arsenal defence.
After requesting a move away in January, football.london understands the Gunners will open talks in the summer with Real Betis regarding the permanent transfer of Hector Bellerin, whilst his compatriot Pablo Mari has revealed his desire to remain with Serie A side Udinese. "I would like to stay in Italy," he told Gazetta dello Sport. "I'm very well at Udinese and I'd be happy to take the club even higher in the standings. Of course, I still have a two-year contract with Arsenal."
If Arteta is planning to hand Saliba a chance next season and also sign a new right-back in the summer, it would be best for all parties involved if Bellerin and Mari are sold as their chances of first-team football will be limited.
Sell: Hector Bellerin, Pablo Mari
Keep: William Saliba
Midfielders
After finding midfield opportunities limited - even with Granit Xhaka injured for three months - Ainsley Maitland-Niles departed for Roma in January but has quickly found himself out of favour under Jose Mourinho with reports from Italy claiming there's no chance of a permanent transfer.
As a result, the 24-year-old will be heading back to the Emirates Stadium at the end of the season, but he's done very little to usurp Xhaka, Thomas Partey and Albert Sambi Lokonga in the pecking order. In addition, football.london understands the Gunners are looking to recruit in the central position this summer, and with that in mind, all signs are pointing towards a Maitland-Niles departure.
Sell: Ainsley Maitland-Niles
Forwards
With Arteta and Edu targeting two new forwards this summer, if this plan is successful then it would be extremely beneficial for Folarin Balogun to go back out on loan next season to aid his development. Whilst his spell with Middlesbrough is going from strength to strength, ideally the striker gets a chance to test himself at a higher level - whether that be in the Premier League or in one of Europe's top five leagues.
Reiss Nelson is an interesting case, He has begun to find his feet at Feyenoord in recent weeks and has been touted as a potential replacement for Nicolas Pepe should he depart this summer, but with one-year remaining on his contract at the end of the season, it's the perfect time for Arsenal to cash in.
Keep: Folarin Balogun
Sell: Reiss Nelson
