As the inquest into Arsenal's failure to land the Premier League final starts to simmer, speculation over their summer spending plans is starting to ramp up.
Mikel Arteta's side will return to the Champions League next season and the Spanish boss undoubtedly needs reinforcements after his squad's depth was exposed at the tail-end of the campaign. Declan Rice is currently the name central to the intended overhaul, with Arsenal firmly in the race to sign the England midfielder.
The North London club are also on the lookout for a striker, as well as defensive cover after an injury to William Saliba contributed to their title hopes derailing last season. Regardless, fans can be braced for a busy summer at the Emirates.
And with the transfer window opening in just over a fortnight, Mirror Football rounds up all the latest Arsenal news...
Arteta to be handed a transfer war-chest
Arsenal owner Stan Kroenke will reward the team’s progress under Mikel Arteta by providing the Spanish boss with big financial backing in the summer transfer window.
West Ham captain Declan Rice is their number one transfer target and while he is seemingly keen on a move across London, the Hammers’ £100million valuation will test the purse strings. Mirror Football understands that Bayern Munich are ready to go head-to-head with Arsenal for Rice – but the Gunners have the funds to compete with the German giants.
According to the Daily Mail, Arsenal have a transfer budget of around £180 million for the summer. And that doesn't factor in funds released by player sales, with the likes of Granit Xhaka expected to be soon off the wage bill.
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Arsenal icon snubs key duo
Join the debate! Who was Arsenal's best signing last season? Let us know here.
Arsenal icon Ray Parlour has opted for a surprise choice for the Gunners’ signing of the season.
The impact of former Man City players Oleksandr Zinchenko and Gabriel Jesus has been hailed, but Parlour instead argued that Jorginho's January switch from Chelsea was the most pivotal bit of business at the Emirates. Speaking to Metro, the 50-year-old said: “Jorginho has done a good job in midfield. He’s got good experience for the money [Arsenal paid].
"I’m going off the value of the players signed. Trossard has also been an excellent signing. Jesus leads the line very well. But probably for the money they spent and the experience they got, which they needed, as well as a back-up in midfield, I would go for Jorginho. For the last two or three games he has been really good. You can’t buy experience. He knows what needs to be done to win trophies."
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Bayern up the ante over Rice pursuit
Arsenal are perceived to be the front runners in the battle to land Declan Rice, but Bayern Munich are now set to step up their own pursuit.
The Bundesliga champions are also admirers of Rice, and Mirror Football understands they are now braced to put together a financial package worth £95m in order to beat the Gunners to the signing. That figure is slightly higher than the structured £90m deal that Arsenal are planning to lodge with the Hammers once their European campaign officially concludes next week. However, both bids would fall short of West Ham's own £100m valuation of Rice.
Rice's preference is thought to be a move to the Emirates, though he has made no secret of his desire to play Champions League football; something Bayern are of course able to offer him.
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