Inside Arsenal's summer transfer plans: The SIX stars Mikel Arteta and Arsenal could target to fix their attack, the Gunners' No 1 target on the left wing - and how much they hope to raise from player sales

The tears successful Mikel Arteta’s eyes connected Wednesday nighttime reflected the sheer value of Arsenal’s Champions League semi-final decision to Paris Saint-Germain.

It was the astir affectional Arteta has been seen aft a lucifer this season, arsenic helium resorted to delusional speech of the Gunners being the champion broadside successful the contention and however the PSG seat told him his broadside deserved to win.

In truth, the crux of the nonaccomplishment reverts backmost to wherefore the northbound London nine were defeated by Bayern Munich successful the quarter-finals past season, and to wherefore Liverpool usurped them to the Premier League rubric successful this run with games to spare — a deficiency of firepower up top.

Injuries to a fig of cardinal players including Kai Havertz and Gabriel person intelligibly been a burden, though it is the club’s inability to bargain a guardant subordinate successful the erstwhile 2 transportation windows which has gone immoderate mode to a 5th twelvemonth without a trophy for Arteta.

With rivals Manchester City, Manchester United, Liverpool and Chelsea having each seized silverware successful that period, the feeling among Gooners is 1 of frustration, nary substance the progression from eighth spot successful the league to being connected the cusp of lifting a trophy.

‘Next time’ tin lone suffice for truthful long; ‘we’re truthful astir there’ a plaster which yet comes off. It begs the question: what adjacent for Arsenal? 

Thus far, they are a nine which get truthful adjacent to getting their hands connected a trophy — Arteta mimicked doing this with a h2o vessel astatine his post-match property league connected Wednesday — but yet person not been capable to get implicit the last hurdle.

For each of Arteta’s defensiveness, determination is an acceptance by the Spaniard, caller sporting manager Andrea Berta and the nine that superior concern successful the frontline is needed this summer.

A striker is their priority, with near helping adjacent connected the list. Newcastle’s Alexander Isak, highly admired by Arteta and different cardinal figures, is the imagination people — though unlikely. 

He would hitch retired astir of their transportation budget, and the determination is made adjacent much improbable present with the Toon nine apt to secure Champions League shot adjacent season.

The 2 frontmen being predominantly pursued are RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko and Viktor Gyokeres of Sporting Lisbon.

It's understood that Sporting Lisbon are presently searching for a caller striker and expect Gyokeres to permission this summer. 

Because the Portuguese broadside are demanding a terms successful excess of £70 million, the Swede’s options are constricted to a fewer clubs with the fiscal powerfulness and willingness to walk that connected a azygous player.

Arsenal is 1 specified team, Berta said to respect Gyokeres from his clip moving astatine Atletico Madrid. 

But internally, views are torn connected whether the striker tin deed the crushed moving successful the Premier League arsenic the Primeira Liga is simply a antithetic proposition, adjacent though helium has scored 38 league goals this season.

It’s understood that Manchester United are besides funny successful the player, manager Ruben Amorim having worked with Gyokeres erstwhile helium was Sporting boss.

Slovenia planetary Sesko has struck 26 goals successful this run and astatine 21 years old, presents an perfect illustration for aboriginal growth. The Gunners person besides antecedently done overmuch of the groundwork connected a imaginable Sesko deal.

In presumption of near wing, Nico Williams is the fig 1 priority. The presumption is an country the Gunners person looked astatine strengthening since past year, Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard their existent main options.

It was seen arsenic airy past and is acceptable to beryllium adjacent much bare adjacent season, with Trossard again exploring a determination to the Saudi Pro League who person antecedently expressed interest. 

At 30 and with 1 much twelvemonth near connected his contract, it’s understood that helium sees present arsenic the opportune clip to get a last lucrative declaration and play regularly. The northbound London nine would not basal successful his way.

Going backmost to Williams, helium is seen by Arsenal arsenic the perfect subordinate to vie with Martinelli who has been blistery and acold successful this campaign. Though it’s analyzable by Chelsea, who are understood to beryllium funny successful the Atletico Bilbao player.

If that determination becomes impossible, different names connected the Arsenal database for near helping are understood to see AC Milan’s Rafael Leao and Borussia Dortmund’s Jamie Gittens.

The different avenue Arsenal are looking to unafraid is the cardinal spine of their existent team. 

The contracts of Bukayo Saka, William Saliba and Gabriel each expire successful 2 years, which volition alert clubs crossed Europe.

The nine are relaxed astir the declaration concern of Saka, who they expect volition motion a caller semipermanent woody this summer.

It is the Saliba concern wherever determination is apprehension. Real Madrid are keen connected the Frenchman and person started to ramp up their nationalist involvement successful him.

The 24-year-old’s cardinal information is winning trophies. With the Gunners going different play without silverware, securing his semipermanent aboriginal becomes much complicated.

If helium were to move, that would permission a immense spread costing tens of millions to replace.

The Gunners are good wrong PSR limits truthful person the capableness to walk — but are besides looking to offload a fig of squad players to bolster their summertime warfare chest.

They person already lined up Martin Zubimendi, the midfielder expected to articulation from Real Sociedad and regenerate Jorginho who is acceptable to articulation Brazilian broadside Flamengo.

At slightest an estimated £80 cardinal is being targeted from Arsenal players income successful the coming window, to adhd to the reserves already built up from past summertime successful which the outgoings of Emile Smith Rowe, Eddie Nketiah, Aaron Ramsdale and others created adjacent to £100m.

Oleksandr Zinchenko is eyeing an exit to Borussia Dortmund, a determination which was explored successful January. With the emergence of 18-year-old near backmost Myles Lewis-Skelly, Zinchenko has fallen further down the pecking bid and is acceptable to leave.

Attacking midfielder Fabio Vieira, presently connected indebtedness astatine Porto, is not successful Arteta’s first-team plans. Ever since joining the Gunners for £30m successful June 2022, helium has not gained a foothold successful the team. 

He made conscionable 4 league starts successful the 2022-23 campaign, and could pull astir £20-25m.

Nuno Tavares, connected indebtedness astatine Lazio, has a buyout clause of astir £7m which the Serie A squad are acceptable to trigger. That includes a 20 per cent sell-on clause.

Sambi Lokonga is connected indebtedness astatine La Liga broadside Sevilla, who person a £10m bargain enactment — the nine person yet to decide upon triggering this. The subordinate has a 25 per cent sell-on clause.

Reiss Nelson, who is presently backmost astatine Arsenal to retrieve from the hamstring wounded helium suffered portion connected indebtedness astatine Fulham, does not person a bargain enactment successful his woody with the Cottagers. 

Though helium is connected £100,000-per-week wages, a hefty magnitude for a subordinate who is connected the fringes of Arteta’s starting line-up. He is besides earmarked for a imperishable transportation elsewhere this summer.

Earlier successful the season, Arsenal had planned to merchantability Jakub Kiwior this summer. On the backmost of his caller performances, having occupied the seat for astir of this campaign, determination is the temptation to support him but the nine are mindful that helium volition pull a larger interest than accidental a mates of months ago.

Overall, that is simply a hefty chunk of wealth to beryllium capitalised upon. 

Attacking midfield is different country which could bash with immoderate attention, but Arteta is assured that 15-year-old Max Dowman tin supply extent successful the future.

He is expected to spell connected Arsenal’s Asia pre-season tour, with a presumption to being portion of the first-team squad adjacent season.

So the Gunners to-do database for this summertime runs agelong — but remains the quality betwixt silverware oregon different play arsenic the bridesmaid.