Arsenal could soon be subject to approaches from Saudi Arabia as Saudi Pro League sides consider “lucrative” offers for two big-name members of Mikel Arteta’s squad.
Edu and Arteta devising summer plans as key Arsenal exits possible
The north Londoners’ plans for the summer window are already well underway, with sporting director Edu admitting to have already decided on his targets.
“I understand what the fans are asking for but we already have our targets,” said Edu on Arsenal’s summer transfer plans to TNT.
“We have planned a lot ahead and I will be worried if we don’t score a lot of goals and if we’re not creating chances, which is the opposite because we create a lot and score a lot of goals.
“The plan is to try to get better every year and I think we are in a good moment. Let’s see if we can keep improving. Many times in certain conversations to recruit the players you don’t see the character of the player or the character of the player does not fit well with what we are trying to do and then you have to move on and try to find what we’re really looking for.
“If you see all the signings we’ve made since we started together, everyone is almost the same, young, energetic and passionate, and good talents with big, beautiful futures ahead of them.”
Some reports have even suggested that Arsenal could be set to break their summer transfer record when the window reopens, which would be some feat considering they spent around £208 million last year.
Edu and Arteta are chasing a prolific new striker for Arsenal, as well as a central midfielder (Charles Watts), with both Gabriel Jesus and Thomas Partey subject to speculation over their futures in north London.
Jesus, who signed from Man City for around £45 million in the summer of 2022, has registered just eight goals and seven assists in all competitions this season – and his place would seriously be questioned if somebody like rumoured target Viktor Gyokeres were to arrive.
Arsenal are also open to selling Partey for the right offer, coming as the Ghanaian’s contract is set to expire next year. The north Londoners paid his full £45 million buy-out clause to sign him from Atletico Madrid in 2020, and he has gone on to be a great servant, but he could also be nearing the end of his time at Arsenal.
Saudi clubs considering “lucrative” Jesus and Partey contract offers
The duo, who cost a combined £90 million for Arsenal to sign, are now turning heads in the Middle East.
Indeed, according to GiveMeSport, Saudi sides are considering “lucrative” contract offers to tempt Jesus and Partey away from Arsenal this summer, as they seek to add more big-name stars to their growing league.
Arteta’s side, for their part, are “willing to consider” offloading the pair – so it will be interesting to see if their exits could fund upgrades to the squad ahead of 2024/25.
