Arsenal's summer transfer window has been pretty plain sailing so far. Other than seemingly missing out on a move for Leeds United winger Raphinha, Mikel Arteta has managed to add four players to his squad without any issue.
Roughly £80million has been spent by the Spaniard, who is hoping the changes will help them go one step further and finish in the top four next season. More arrivals are expected though, with the need for quality and depth in several key areas.
football.london understands that a defender and a midfielder could join this summer, but only if other squad players are able to be moved on. While that seems as though it could be plain sailing for the Gunners, they are yet to be put under any threat for their star players.
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That, however, may be about to change due to transfer activity very nearby. football.london understands that rivals Chelsea are close to agreeing a deal for Napoli defender Kalidou Koulibaly, with the Blues confident a move will happen.
At first, it doesn’t seem to directly impact the Gunners, but interest from elsewhere might. Juventus were said to be in talks to sign the Senegal international to shore up their backline options with Matthijs de Ligt expected to leave.
Should the Bianconeri lose that battle, attention may turn elsewhere, with reports claiming that they hold an interest in Arsenal defender Gabriel Magalhaes. The 24-year-old has impressed at the Emirates Stadium since his £23million switch from Lille in 2020.
The Brazilian made 35 Premier League appearances last season, keeping 13 clean sheets in a rock solid partnership alongside Ben White. Such is his importance, it could be a huge blow to Arteta if he loses him.
Discussing the importance of Gabriel, the manager said last year: "We know that he’s a player with an incredible future and is already giving us a lot. He has adapted really well to the league.
"That’s why we signed him. He is stepping in, his language is much better and he can coach and communicate much better with his teammates. He understands what we want and I don’t think it gets much harder than playing here in the Premier League."
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