Arsenal are eyeing a move for Aston Villa forward Morgan Rogers, who has been in fine form this season and is also attracting interest from the likes of Paris Saint-Germain
Morgan Rogers scored and assisted in Aston Villa's Europa League final triumph over Freiburg
Morgan Rogers scored and assisted in Aston Villa's Europa League final triumph over Freiburg(Image: Martin Rickett/PA Wire)
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Mikel Arteta is eager to kick-start his summer recruitment drive following this season's achievements - with Aston Villa's Morgan Rogers high on his wishlist.
The Mirror reports Arsenal's manager delivered a pointed message to the club's decision-makers following their Champions League final loss to Paris Saint-Germain.
Arteta insisted the club must make 'important decisions' demonstrating 'ambition' to elevate the team to 'another level' after claiming their first Premier League crown in 22 years.
His comments were deliberate, as Arteta is pushing for significant reinforcements, with England international Rogers featuring prominently on their radar.
Rogers has also caught the eye of clubs including PSG following another standout campaign under Unai Emery, with speculation that Villa may be willing to sell to comply with UEFA's financial controls.
Whether Villa will part with the player remains uncertain, but Rogers has captured Arsenal's attention due to his versatility in operating as a No.10 or on the left flank - positions Arteta is keen to bolster.
Arteta favours multi-functional players and is seeking additional attacking firepower and quality ahead of a potential summer overhaul.
The key difference this time is that Arsenal splashed out £250million last summer in a massive spending spree which brought in Viktor Gyokeres, Eberechi Eze, Martin Zubimendi, Noni Madueke and Christian Norgaard, while they will finalise a permanent transfer for Piero Hincapie.
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This summer the club are determined to strengthen their squad with quality additions, though they'll need to offload players to accommodate new arrivals, with Gabriel Martinelli amongst those who could potentially depart. Gabriel Jesus has also attracted interest, although the Brazilian striker isn't rushing to leave with 12 months remaining on his contract.
Arsenal's summer recruitment will prioritise attacking reinforcements once more, but securing another number nine would require an existing player's exit first. Arteta's comments immediately following the final were revealing, clearly indicating his desire to enhance the squad's quality.
This could also suggest that, having finally claimed the title and crossed that crucial line, he's contemplating a tactical evolution as the club pursues further silverware. The club have now suffered FIVE consecutive European final defeats stretching back to 1995, including the 2006 Champions League final, the 2019 Europa League final and now the loss to PSG in Budapest.
While Arsenal remain a heavyweight in European football, their continental trophy cabinet is modest - just two honours with the 1994 Cup Winners' Cup and 1970 Fairs Cup - particularly when compared to their impressive domestic achievements.
Arteta is eager to address this imbalance and build upon what will be remembered as amongst the finest campaigns in the club's history and undoubtedly the pinnacle of his tenure thus far.
By contrast Villa have won both of the European finals in which they have featured, in 1982 and just a couple of weeks ago when they overcame SC Freiburg to win the Europa League in Istanbul. Rogers was one of three scorers that night, with Youri Tielemans and Emi Buendia also finding the back of the net.
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