Arsenal are ready to splash the cash at the end of the season and sign six new players for the second summer running, according to reports.
The Gunners shelled out over £150million in the summer transfer window to overhaul their squad, but the major changes are not over yet under Mikel Arteta.
Takehiro Tomiyasu, Aaron Ramsdale, Ben White, Nuno Tavares, Albert Sambi Lokonga and Martin Odegaard were all signed on permanent deals at the start of the season.
The arrivals have clearly made a difference with Arsenal up to fourth in the Premier League thanks to a run of eight wins from their last 10 league matches.
A return to the Champions League following a damaging five-year absence is now a real possibility and The Evening Standard reports that the recent positive form has prompted serious plans for the summer.
Arteta and sporting director Edu are understood to be interested in signing six new players: two strikers, a midfielder, a winger, a left-sided centre-back and a right-back.
The clear priority is up front, where the departure of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has left Alexandre Lacazette and Eddie Nketiah as the only senior strikers at the club.
To make matters worse, both Lacazette and Nketiah are out of contract on July 1 and are being courted by Lyon and Crystal Palace respectively.
This situation is nothing new and Arsenal are therefore considering bringing in two new strikers in the summer following their failed attempts to sign Dusan Vlahovic in January.
Real Sociedad’s Alexander Isak, Everton’s Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Lille’s Jonathan David and Benfica’s Darwin Nunez are all on the radar, while Chelsea striker Armando Broja has also caught the eye while on loan with Southampton.
West Ham are interested in both Nunez and Broja and Arsenal are aware they will face stiff competition across the board if they are to land a top-class striker.
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Arsenal are currently in fourth place, a point ahead of Manchester United, with the added advantage of having three games in hand and no other competitions to focus on.
If they do qualify for the Champions League for the first time since the 2016/17 season then it would allow greater expenditure in the transfer window.
Central midfield is another area of interest for Arsenal and Premier League trio Douglas Luiz, Ruben Neves and Youri Tielemans are all being considered, while Palmeiras’ Danilo and Carney Chukwuemeka of Aston Villa have both been scouted.
Right-back is of a lower priority, with Tomiyasu and Cedric Soares on the books, but Middlesbrough’s Djed Spence is on the club’s radar.
A winger could also be needed if Nicolas Pepe moves on just three years on from arriving in a club record £72m move from Lille.
Additions to the squad will require departures and Arsenal are hoping to make Dinos Mavropanos’ loan to Stuttgart, Matteo Guendouzi’s loan to Marseille and Lucas Torreira’s loan to Fiorentina permanent.
Ainsley Maitland-Niles, who is currently on loan with Roma, and Pablo Mari, who is with Udinese, could both be sold to provide extra funds.
Meanwhile, William Saliba, who is on loan with Marseille, could return to the fold and finally make his Arsenal debut next season following a third successive loan in Ligue 1.
