Arsenal

Arsenal

Premier League • England

Arsenal transfers: Stan Kroenke sets record budget for Mikel Arteta to inspire Champions League charge

Arsenal chief Edu with a smiling Mikel Arteta

Mikel Arteta is ready to oversee what could be the highest-spending summer transfer window in Arsenal history, according to a report.

Arsenal have aimed high under Arteta’s leadership this season, becoming serious challengers for the Premier League title. Their push to topple Manchester City was preceded by the summer 2022 arrivals of players like Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko – directly from their title rivals, coincidentally.

Man City recently won a head-to-head clash with Arsenal, finally reclaiming the advantage in the title race. But at the very least, Arteta’s side have secured Champions League qualification for next season.

And to ensure their project keeps developing, owner Stan Kroenke has now decided to hand over a huge transfer budget to Arteta and technical director Edu.

According to Football Transfers, Kroenke will sanction a spend of up to £200m on new players this summer, also making funds available from the sales of existing squad members. Arteta and Edu will be assigned ‘total control’ of which specific signings to make.

If they use up the entire £200m transfer kitty, it would make it the most expensive transfer window Arsenal have ever overseen.

And per the update, Kroenke wants Arteta and Edu to enable Arsenal to make a ‘serious pursuit’ of winning the Champions League, despite it being their first season back in it since 2016-17.

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Arsenal transfer wishlist remains under wraps

The report does not disclose which targets Arsenal might make moves for. From elsewhere, it can be sensed that they will be prioritising the addition of at least one central midfielder, as well as attacking competition.

In midfield, they are set to start the 2023-24 season with four players in their thirties. Therefore, they need to find a long-term option to push the likes of Granit Xhaka (who has surprisingly been linked with an exit), Thomas Partey, Jorginho and Mohamed Elneny.

Several sources seem to be in agreement that West Ham captain Declan Rice is a top target in that regard. Arteta appears to be willing to personally convince the England international to join.

It was previously warned that Arsenal might only be able to afford one of either Rice or Brighton’s Moises Caicedo this summer. But depending on other positions they want to strengthen, an allocation of £200m as a transfer budget may give them an outside chance; only time will tell.

Further forward, Arsenal could do with another right winger – or at least some type of creative attacking midfielder – to help ease the burden on Bukayo Saka.

The enthusiasm around the Emirates Stadium has been growing over the past year or so, and it seems Arsenal aren’t willing to stop here.

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