Arsenal are reportedly planning to bid for a Premier League star as manager Mikel Arteta personally prepares to reshape the club's recruitment strategy.
Arsenal set for Southampton tie with treble still possible
There is something almost ironic about the timing.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta during the match
Arsenal head into Saturday's FA Cup quarter-final at St Mary's carrying an injury list substantial enough to test any manager's squad depth, and yet the club they are fielding sits nine points clear at the top of the Premier League table with a treble still very much in their sights.
Arteta rotates tonight knowing the Champions League quarter-final first leg at Sporting CP is barely three days away.
Southampton have been extraordinary under young German manager Tonda Eckert, unbeaten in 14 games and scrapping hard for a Championship promotion place, and the Carabao Cup final defeat to Man City before the break still lingers in the dressing room.
But Arsenal's quality — even depleted — should ultimately prove sufficient against second-tier opposition.
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He wants to cap off his final season with a title.
What is already preoccupying the Gunners' hierarchy as much as the immediate tactical picture, however, is the construction of next season's squad.
And according to Football Transfers, the first major piece of that puzzle has been identified — and it carries significant implications for the direction Arteta is deliberately steering this club.
Arsenal set to bid for Newcastle star Anthony Gordon amid Arteta plan
As per their information, Arsenal are planning to make a bid for Newcastle United's Anthony Gordon at the end of the season.
Newcastle United's Anthony Gordon applauds fans after the match
FootballTransfers suggest the pursuit will happen, with the north London club prepared to formally approach Newcastle for the 25-year-old England winger as the summer window approaches.
The bid forms part of what is described as a broader shift in Arteta's transfer philosophy — a conscious move to build a stronger English core within his squad.
The Spaniard apparently 'plans a change in transfer strategy' built around that.
It is a strategy that has been quietly taking shape for some time.
Last summer, Arsenal signed both Noni Madueke from Chelsea and Eberechi Eze from Crystal Palace, two English players who added to a group already anchored by Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka.
Now Arteta wants to go further.
anthony-gordon-newcastle-sunderland
Gordon, and separately Tino Livramento at right-back, are the next pieces of that vision — footballers who understand the particular demands and culture of English football from the inside.
The 'frightening' forward's profile makes him attractive beyond nationality, however.
Arsenal are in genuine need of a left-winger this summer, with Gabriel Martinelli's position at the club increasingly uncertain — as this week's reports of PSG making enquiries about the Brazilian illustrated.
Gordon's explosive pace, direct running and Premier League experience make him an excellent fit for Arteta's system.
An expectation of two or three departures is growing at St James' Park, with Sandro Tonali appearing the most likely of their stars to leave.
Whether Gordon is one of the others remains to be seen — but Arsenal are clearly prepared to test that resistance with a formal offer.
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The Gunners are apparently keen.