Former Arsenal defender Lauren says his old side need to put transfer planning on the back burner and focus fully on their Premier League title charge.
The Gunners wanted to sign Brighton & Hove Albion midfielder Moises Caicedo in the January transfer window and have recently been linked with a move for Barcelona winger Ansu Fati in the summer. Arsenal are level on 51 points with Manchester City, who went to the top of the Premier League table on goal difference after a 3-1 win at the Emirates Stadium on Wednesday.
With Mikel Arteta's side almost certain to return to the Champions League next season further reinforcements will be needed. England and Borussia Dortmund star Jude Bellingham has also been linked with Arsenal while West Ham United ace Declan Rice is expected to leave the London Stadium club this summer.
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Lauren has revealed how a meal with fellow Invincible Edu, Arsenal's sporting director, has convinced him that Arteta will be backed in the transfer market this summer. "I had dinner together with Edu over summer and it’s clear that he will have the backing of the board," Lauren told Betway.
On a possible move for one of Bellingham, Rice or Caicedo, Lauren said: "They are all top players, we've seen Bellingham’s performances at Borussia Dortmund and the World Cup - he’s an amazing player. I've been watching Fati since he was in the Sevilla academy, here in the south of Spain, and he’s absolutely brilliant, he has a lot of talent.
"But again, it’s not the main priority now. The main priority is to try to beat Manchester City and try to win the Premier League.
"Wait until the summer and then we can think about those players. Of course, we would all love to see the world’s best players at Arsenal, but it’s not the right moment to think about that."
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