Mikel Arteta has confirmed that Arsenal will have a “big summer” in the transfer market as they look to challenge on multiple fronts next campaign.
The Gunners look likely to fall short of their goals once again this season with Arteta’s side set to finish as runners-up in the Premier League for a third consecutive campaign.
Liverpool are 12 points ahead of second-placed Arsenal in the Premier League table with only a huge collapse from the Reds, who have only lost one match all campaign, allowing the Gunners a chance.
Arsenal are into the quarter-finals of the Champions League but not many neutrals are giving them a chance of progression, especially as they don’t currently have a senior centre-forward.
Despite potentially not reaching the heights they had hoped, Arteta looks set to go again next season with new sporting director Andrea Berta helping to support him in the summer transfer window.
Arsenal need a number of new additions to add quality in certain areas and refresh their squad, and Arteta has revealed that their transfer window will “be a big one”.
Arteta told a pre-match press conference: “It’s going to be a big one and we are very excited about it.
“The way we planned the five first summers, they were going to be very big and they were going to have different objectives because the turnaround of players and the objective of those windows was going to be different.
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“But now when you are going to go again, we want to increase the depth of the squad but as well we want to increase the quality and the skills that we need to go to the next step.”
Arteta added on Berta: “I think Andrea is a big addition to the club, a big addition to the team, a team that is already formed with a lot of great people.
“Every summer is big because it is an opportunity and especially because of the number of players we have in the squad right now that is necessary.
“But it’s a big summer for many things because first of all we have to maintain the good foundations that we have and then obviously how can we improve and evolve the team.”
Arteta’s comments come after GiveMeSport claimed that Arsenal could spend as much as £300m in a ‘record-breaking window’.
‘GMS sources have been informed that Berta wants to alter the spine of Arsenal’s team, leading to a new second-choice goalkeeper, left-back, defensive midfielder, left-winger and striker being targeted, while cover could also be brought in for Bukayo Saka and recruiting an all-action central midfielder is a possibility.
‘The north Londoners have already been attempting to get a deal tied up for Martin Zubimendi, thanks to being able to take advantage of a £51million release clause written into his Real Sociedad contract, while other targets currently plying their trade in La Liga have been earmarked.
‘Athletic Bilbao winger Nico Williams and Espanyol goalkeeper Joan Garcia are on Arsenal’s radar as potential arrivals, GMS sources have been told, and it could prove to be a record-breaking window as in the region of £300million may be spent to improve Arteta’s options ahead of another push for silverware.’