Arsenal and sporting director Andrea Berta have been alerted to the price tag of a "gifted" attacker, and it has dropped by nearly half compared to last year, as the Gunners are presented with a £63 million discount.
Mikel Arteta praises Andrea Berta with Arsenal summer transfer update
Before their final game of the Premier League season, Mikel Arteta was asked about the club's summer recruitment drive, which is now set to take centre-stage after a very disappointing campaign.
john-obi-mikel-arsenal-viktor-gyokeres Related
[Obi-Mikel desperate for Arsenal not to sign "unplayable" Gyokeres alternative](https://www.footballfancast.com/arsenal-transfers-john-obi-mikel-viktor-gyokeres-victor-osimhen/ "Obi-Mikel desperate for Arsenal not to sign "unplayable" Gyokeres alternative")
The ex-Chelsea midfielder suggests he'd be a major threat under Arteta.
The Gunners end 2024/2025 with no silverware, despite being tipped to win this year's Premier League title and mount serious challenges across other competitions as well.
Since Arteta's appointment, there hasn't exactly been a lack of investment in the squad, and some critics are beginning to wonder whether he is really the right man to end Arsenal's two-decade-long-plus wait for a domestic league crown.
Arsenal transfer spending under Arteta (via Sky Sports) Money on new signings
19/20 - winter £0
20/21 - summer £81.5m
20/21 - winter £900k
21/22 - summer £156.8m
21/22 - winter £1.8m
22/23 - summer £121.5m
22/23 - winter £59m
23/24 - summer £208m
23/24 - winter £0
24/25 - summer £101.5m
24/25 - winter £0
However, 24/25 hasn't been without major obstacles for Arteta either, with the 43-year-old lacking major firepower upfront for the majority of this term. Injuries to Kai Havertz - who has since returned to action - and Gabriel Jesus meant that Arsenal had been forced to deploy Mikel Merino as an emergency striker for months.
Mikel-Merino-Arsenal
Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard were also unavailable for extended periods at points during the campaign as well, proving very unfortunate, and it highlights the need for Arsenal to reinforce their squad with further attacking quality.
Speaking in his pre-Southampton press conference, Arteta expressed his desire for Berta to bring in more "firepower" this summer, all while sharing his high expectations for the ex-Atletico Madrid chief, who officially joined in late March.
"I think he’s going to be a big contributor with his experience, and the fact that he’s already won in very difficult contexts and the way he’s built teams, he is exceptional," said Arteta about Berta.
andrea-berta-arsenal-premier-league
"I think we have to share that responsibility and Andrea is going to be a key part to driving the plans and the ideas we have and try to execute them, and we are here to support him."
Andrea Berta handed £63m Rodrygo discoCunt after Arsenal open talks
A key target who has emerged this week comes in the form of versatile Real Madrid forward Rodrygo, who England star Jude Bellingham thinks is "underrated" and the "most gifted" player in their squad.
Real-Madrid-Rodrygo
Sky Germany's Florian Plettenberg stated earlier this week that Arsenal have opened talks over signing Rodrygo, and the Brazilian has shot to the "very top" of Berta's transfer wishlist for the wide area.
Reports last year claimed Real president Florentino Perez was demanding around £130 million to sell the 24-year-old to Man City, but according to journalist Anton Meana, this price has dropped by nearly half.
rodrygo-real-madrid
Meana, speaking on Cadena SER show El Larguero this week, shared news that Real's asking price for Rodrygo is now £67 million - meaning Arsenal can sign the South American star for £63 million less than previously believed.
£67m for a player of Rodrygo's quality seems extremely tempting, and this potential deal has been made all the more doable by this latest financial update on an increasingly developing story.