Exclusive - Arsenal are prepared to spend nearly £250m on at least five new signings this summer, giving manager Mikel Arteta the chance to rebuild the squad following an eighth place finish in the Premier League in 2020/21 and turn the club’s on-field fortunes around.
Arsenal will have no European football next season as a result of their lowest league finish in 25 years, but the Gunners will be allowed to make wholesale changes in the transfer market.
90min has learned that Arsenal have been given the green light by the Kroenke family to spend nearly a quarter of a billion on new faces ahead of the 2021/22 campaign.
The rebuild, which will be led by technical director Edu, will primarily target younger players that have the potential to improve and their value increase. Indeed, that development of players into more expensive assets is a significant part of the Kroenkes’ willingness to spend big.
Arsenal are initially focusing their search a new goalkeeper, central defender, full-back and two central midfielders. However, with the club also keen to move several existing players on, which could additionally help raise funds, there could be more as well.
Sheffield United goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale, Brighton centre-back Ben White, Norwich right-back Max Aarons, and midfield trio Albert Sambi Lokonga, Yves Bissouma and James Maddison of Anderlecht, Brighton and Leicester respectively are all players the Gunners are interested in.
Crucially, every one of them is younger than 25 and fits into the specific recruitment policy. The same was also true of former target Emi Buendia, 24, before he joined Aston Villa instead.
90min has previously revealed that Arsenal are looking to sell 30-year-old striker Alexandre Lacazette this summer rather than offer him a new contract, further highlighting the club’s intent to lower the age of the squad and ensure that players retain good potential sell-on value.
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Source : 90min