Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta and the Gunners hierarchy are determined to end their fairly long wait for major silverware by reinforcing the squad with star quality this summer.
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“Certainly” – Journalist says Arsenal could sign £85m star within weeks
A timeline has emerged for his potential arrival.
It’s been five years since Arteta hoisted the FA Cup aloft at the end of his first season in charge, and discounting Community Shields, Arsenal have had precious little to shout about since that triumph at Wembley.
|
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 |
Critics have consistently drawn attention to Arsenal’s need for a prolific centre-forward to lead Arteta’s line, and this was evident throughout 2024/2025, where they missed out on the Premier League title to Liverpool by a seismic 10 points.
Arsenal scored just 69 league goals last campaign, a far cry from the 91 and 88 they’d scored in the previous two seasons, with their lack of firepower seriously coming back to bite Arteta.
Injuries to Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus didn’t help either, so Arsenal are in pursuit of a top-class striker to gift Arteta that extra level of ruthlessness going forward, amid reported talks over Benjamin Sesko and Viktor Gyokeres.
However, more reports are beginning to suggest that Arsenal could still sign a new centre-back as well, coming after they failed to tempt Dean Huijsen with a move to the Emirates before his switch to Real Madrid (Fabrizio Romano).
Lille defender Alexsandro is a target for Arsenal, and they’ve made initial contact over signing the Brazil international, as sporting director Andrea Berta weighs up a move, according to UOL.
As well as Alexsandro, it is believed that discussions have been held over a former Man City star who Arteta knows very well.
According to Spanish newspaper AS, as translated by Sport Witness, Spain international defender Aymeric Laporte is now the subject of admiring glances from N5.
Laporte is on a seismic £400,000-per-week contract in the Saudi Pro League with Al-Nassr, Cristiano Ronaldo’s side, but he could now leave the Middle East nearly two years after signing for them from City.
AS report that Arsenal have made contact over signing Laporte, alongside the likes of Athletic Bilbao, Marseille, Inter Milan and Unai Emery’s Aston Villa, but it is Bilbao who appear to be most keen.
Laporte has special ties to Bilbao as a former player of the Basque club, and manager Ernesto Valverde has asked the La Liga side to re-sign their ex-star before deadline day on September 1.
Berta will obviously require the 30-year-old to take a large cut on his ridiculous wage packet, but in terms of star quality, he’s a very ideal potential back-up to the likes of William Saliba and Gabriel.
Laporte has won the Premier League five times with City and was a member of their famous treble-winning side in 2023. His experience could be invaluable, and perhaps Arteta’s previous relationship with Laporte at Eastlands could play a key role.
