Arsenal face another busy summer as Mikel Arteta looks to end the club’s 21-year wait for the Premier League title..
The Gunners are ready to spend big again – in addition to the £250 million they spent in 2023.
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Arteta’s side have already confirmed the arrival of goalkeeper David Raya for £27 million, converting his loan into a permanent move.
And this appears to be one of many new signings at the Emirates, with the club’s wishlist including a versatile defender, a midfielder and a striker.
Arsenal are believed to be looking to sell a number of players to fund their purchases, including Eddie Nketiah, Reiss Nelson and Aarom Ramsdale.
Arsenal were keen to sign a new striker and had their eye on Benjamin Sesko, but he has decided to stay at RB Leipzig after signing a new contract in Germany.
The Gunners apparently have him on their radar for a possible transfer next summer, meaning Kai Havertz could take over the leadership role next season.
This could see Arsenal turn to signing a top-class winger such as Nico Williams – and potentially also securing the services of Riccardo Calafiori and Joshua Kimmich.
Here, The Pitch Prospect.com takes a look at how the north London giants could line up against Wolves in their opening game of the 2024/25 season if they sign the three players – all of whom starred at Euro 2024.
Following Raya’s arrival, the Spaniard will retain his place as the club’s number 1 between the sticks after winning the Golden Glove with 16 games without conceding a goal.
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Ben White would play at right-back, having developed into one of the league’s best full-backs since moving from his traditional position as a centre-back.
However, there could be a change in Arsenal’s impressive defence, with The Pitch Prospect understanding that versatile Bologna star Calafiori is a target.
The 22-year-old helped Bologna to a fifth-place finish in Serie A and his reputation grew after his dazzling performances for Italy at the European Championships.
His ability to play both as a centre-back and as an inverted left-back appeals to Arteta, although he may be puzzled by the question of where he will play.
And with William Saliba and Gabriel Magaelhaes forming one of the best centre-back duos in the top flight, Arteta may be reluctant to break up the duo.
This would place Calafiori at left-back, leaving Jurrien Timber, who missed most of last season with a knee injury, on the bench.
He would then join Jakub Kiwior, Takehiro Tomiyasu, Oleksandr Zinchenko and Kieran Tierney as backup options.
It is no secret that Arsenal would like to sign a defensive midfielder; Kimmich from Bayern Munich is being talked about as a possible option.
The German maestro’s contract at the Allianz Arena only has one year left and Vincent Kompany’s team is ready to cash in on him to avoid losing him for free.
And it is assumed that the 29-year-old would welcome a move to Arsenal should he decide to embark on a new adventure away from the Bundesliga.
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He would then start ahead of Thomas Partey and Jorginho, allowing Declan Rice to continue to thrive in his new box-to-box role.
Captain Martin Ödegaard would complete the midfield; the Norwegian is considered one of the best playmakers in Europe.
Hale End graduate Bukayo Saka would then retain his place on the right wing after setting record figures last season – contributing 20 goals and 14 assists in all competitions.
However, there could be a big change on the other side, which would result in Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard moving to the bench.
The Pitch Prospect reported last month that Arsenal were keeping an eye on Athletic Bilbao star Williams, who represented Spain at Euro 2024.
With a release clause of £47 million, the speedy 21-year-old could be at the centre of a transfer tug-of-war between many teams across Europe.
And if Arteta were to forego signing a new centre-forward, Havertz would likely retain his place at the top of the pitch ahead of Gabriel Jesus.
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