
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta personally wants the Gunners to seal a statement signing before summer deadline day on September 1, and they’ve been alerted to the marquee costs of a potential deal.

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Arsenal are about to make a signing.
It is absolutely imperative that the new sporting director, Andrea Berta, starts making progress soon when it comes to the club’s key forward targets, and in an ideal world, Arteta would be able to work with them for pre-season.
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 |
According to some reports, Arteta personally wants Arsenal to bring in their desired new striker in time for their tour of Asia late next month, with the Spaniard seemingly keen to assess his squad in detail ahead of another Premier League title race.
Alongside their chase for a new number nine, links are also seriously re-emerging in regard to a potential swoop for Real Madrid star Rodrygo.
Arsenal held some talks over signing the Brazil international last month, and between “all parties”, meaning both club officials and the player’s representatives were involved in discussions over a switch to the Premier League.
Rodrygo has bagged 14 goals and 11 assists throughout 2024/2025, including their Club World Cup campaign, and teammate Jude Bellingham is convinced that the 24-year-old is Real’s most underrated player.
“Rodrygo, so underrated,” Bellingham said to CBS Sports.
“For me he’s probably the most talented and most gifted player in the squad. The things he can do with the football — we’ll be messing around and he’ll flick the ball up somehow, and you’re like, ‘How do you do that?’. I’m trying to do it, twisting up my ankles and everything like that. He’s a pleasure to play with.”
Mikel Arteta personally wants Arsenal to sign Rodrygo
According to CaughtOffside and journalist Mark Brus, though, Los Blancos ideally want around £94 million for their top talent – even if there is a theory behind-the-scenes that they could accept closer to £72 million.
This, combined with Rodrygo’s £205,000-per-week wages, would surely make him one of the most expensive signings of the summer in terms of overall cost – but it is an option now under serious consideration by Arsenal due to Nico Williams’ pending switch to Barcelona.
Arteta personally wants Arsenal to strike a deal for Rodrygo over the coming months, and he is believed to be a big fan of the South American who Xabi Alonso would ideally like to keep at the Bernabeu.
Man United and Chelsea are named as other suitors for the ex-Santos star, so this could potentially drive the price up even more.