The upcoming summer transfer window could determine the magnitude of Arsenal's success over the coming years. The Gunners may find themselves beaten to the Premier League title this season by Manchester City, but the progress made in the last 12 months should not be overlooked and with a successful summer transfer window, a prolonged stay at the top could be on the horizon.
The two main areas Mikel Arteta and Edu wish to strengthen is defence and midfield, with the latter as the priority. Declan Rice is the main target in the middle of the pitch, while Crystal Palace star Marc Guehi and Bayer Leverkusen stalwart Edmond Tapsoba are both options to recruit at the back, football.london understands.
The advancements towards the top of the Premier League this season look set to be reflected in the transfer market, with Arsenal full of belief they can now sign elite-level players on the up. The exact shift regarding how the transfer world has changed for the Gunners was best reflected by Ian Wright's story of what happened when he visited London Colney earlier this week.
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He told Alan Shearer as part of an Athletic article: "I went to the training ground the other day and I was with Edu and Mikel, and what’s happening now at the club is we’re not having to go out and cajole other people to come and join Arsenal.
“They can see what we’re doing. Edu is saying his phone is ringing off the hook and they’re very confident about the calibre of player they’re going to sign. If you’re going to challenge this City team, you’re going to have to come correct.”
Leicester's Youri Tielemans was long-linked with a switch to Arsenal at the end of his contract this summer, but the goalposts have now moved. Tielemans, in his own right, is a fantastic player, but he is not quite at the elite level of Rice or Brighton's Moises Caicedo who are both targets for the club in the next trading period.
According to The Independent, not only are Arsenal targeting the big names but representatives of players in the highest bracket are actually coming to them. This sudden, but superb, change has resulted in executives stating what a contrast it is to even two years ago. The return to the Champions League next season is said to have greatly helped, but the football being played at Emirates Stadium has also made Arsenal one of the most exciting teams in Europe.
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