Mikel Arteta is eyeing up five new players in a mini revamp of his Arsenal squad this summer.
The Gunners finished the 2022/23 Premier League season in second, five points behind champions Manchester City. While there was disappointment at missing out on the title, Arsenal know their return to the Champions League will be a major help in attracting top tier players in the summer transfer window.
Arteta is keen to improve on his side's second-place finish and wants to strengthen his squad for the new campaign. According to ESPN, the Arsenal manager is looking at signing five new players as they prepare to return to Europe's top club competition for the first time since 2017.
Bolstering his midfield department is the first area Arteta is hoping to address. Arsenal are trying to sign two new midfielders, with Granit Xhaka set for the exit door. The Swiss international has been heavily linked with a move to Bayer Leverkusen this summer, while Bayern Munich are also interested.
Arsenal's main midfield target is West Ham star Declan Rice. He is their preferred recruit in that position but are aware they will face competition from Bayern and Manchester United for his signature. Although Rice has one year left on his contract, the Hammers are desperate to keep hold of the £100million-rated ace.
Moises Caicedo is another name that is firmly in the frame. Arsenal tried to sign the Brighton midfielder in January but the Seagulls managed to convince the Ecuadorian to stay. Roberto De Zerbi revealed last month that the 21-year-old could leave the Amex Stadium this summer, with the Gunners still keen.
The Gunners have also been linked with a big-money move for Mason Mount. Chelsea are prepared for a mass exodus this summer to balance the books and England international Mount may be one of the first out of the door. But Manchester United are also interested in the 24-year-old, as are several European clubs.
Ilkay Gundogan could be another option with the Manchester City midfielder out of contract at the end of June. The 32-year-old is waiting until after the Champions League final to assess his options. Arteta has worked with the German before and would be keen to reunite this summer.
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Meanwhile, Arteta is also ready to add another right-back and centre-back to his squad. Ben White and Takehiro Tomiyasu have done well on the right side of defence over the last two years, but the Arsenal boss is open to signing a more natural right-back, with Ivan Fresneda amongst the names linked.
As for the centre-back berth, Napoli star Kim Min-jae and Crystal Palace's Marc Guehi have emerged as potential targets. William Saliba and Gabriel were the first-choice pairing in that position for the majority of the season, before Saliba suffered an injury in March and Arsenal eventually struggled to cope.
The final area Arteta is ready to bolster is up front. Gabriel Jesus scored just 11 goals in 33 appearances in all competitions and Eddie Nketiah also failed to deliver when called upon. Although Jesus has impressed since his move from City, Arsenal are looking to sign more of a natural goal scorer.
Dusan Vlahovic and Dominic Calvert-Lewin have been linked with a move to north London, while Victor Osimhen is another name that has been tipped to make the switch to Arsenal. Folarin Balogun is set to return to the Gunners this summer after his loan spell at Reims but could also leave on a permanent deal.
