It is just three weeks until Arsenal kick off their 2024/25 season against Wolves at Emirates Stadium.
The Gunners are currently in the United States on their pre-season tour and have already faced Bournemouth, which finished 1-1, with games against Manchester United and Liverpool to come. It will be a busy few weeks for Mikel Arteta and his coaching staff as they get returning players up to speed and introduce new ideas ahead of the new campaign.
“We’re certainly heading in the right direction and we are traveling at a really high speed with the things that we have transformed not only in the football side, but I think as a club as well,” Arteta said earlier this week. “And now what is missing is to bring the big titles back home.”
He added: “This league requires different standards to relate that world to winning the Premier League. We need to upgrade everything we’re doing. We need to improve in every area. That’s what we’re trying to do.”
One way Arsenal can improve is by dipping into the transfer market. David Raya has already made his loan move to Emirates Stadium permanent in a £27million deal from Brentford, while the Gunners have agreed a deal worth £38million for Bologna defender Riccardo Calafiori. It’s possible the Italian is announced as an Arsenal player in the coming days as football.london understands he will fly out to the USA to join up with his new teammates.
While Raya is undoubtedly the club’s number one after moving ahead of Aaron Ramsdale in the goalkeeping pecking order last year, it’s not yet known where Calafiori will fit in. He can play at both centre-back and left-back, although it’s most probably the latter where he will get more game time with Jakub Kiwior potentially moving on and question marks surrounding Oleksandr Zinchenko’s defensive capabilities.
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The Gunners are expected to bring in more players ahead of the new season and football.london understands bolstering the midfield is Edu’s priority. Real Sociedad star Mikel Merino is of interest and a deal appears possible considering the Spanish international has just one year remaining on his contract at the La Liga side.
The 28-year-old impressed at Euro 2024 with Spain and would offer more quality to the Gunners midfield. Jorginho and Thomas Partey’s contracts both expire next summer so signing someone like Merino in this window makes sense, especially given he can complement both Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard in the Arsenal midfield.
If Arsenal do not move for Merino, another midfielder they could sign is Fabian Ruiz. Arsenal are said to have initiated contact regarding a move for the PSG star, who scored seven goals and assisted three more in 35 appearances last season.
Arsenal are also in the market for a versatile forward, it’s understood, and it will be interesting in the coming weeks to see which, if any, player arrives through the door. Bukayo Saka is currently on an extended break and it’s unclear at this stage if he will be up to speed for the Wolves clash, while Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus are currently fighting it out for a spot down the middle. Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard are the current options on the left.
One player who Arsenal are being linked with is Barcelona wide man Raphinha. The former Leeds United man was tipped to join the Gunners two years ago and Edu is an admirer of his fellow countryman. It’s said the 27-year-old, who has had 45 direct goal involvements (20 goals, 25 assists) in 87 outings for Barca, could be allowed to leave the Spanish giants for £42million this summer. Considering Raphinha’s quality it could be a steal given he can also cover for Saka, who has not often been allowed a rest in recent seasons because there has not been an able deputy.
Possible Arsenal XI vs Wolves: Raya; White, Saliba, Gabriel, Calafiori; Merino, Rice, Odegaard; Raphinha, Jesus, Martinelli
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