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Arsenal owner Stan Kroenke is reportedly prepared to sanction a £250million summer transfer blowout as Mikel Arteta attempts to put together a squad capable of challenging Manchester City for the Premier League title. With all but £40m of that total spent on deals that have concluded or are on the verge of completion, Gunners sporting director Edu does not have much left to work with. But with some cash still in the bank to bring in one more player alongside Kai Havertz, Declan Rice and Jurrien Timber, Express Sport takes you through four targets Arsenal could sign with what's left...
Goncalo Inacio
William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes made up a formidable centre-back partnership last season, while Timber and January signing Jakub Kiwior could provide high-quality back-up in 2023/24. But reports suggest that Arteta is keen on signing yet another defender.
The Gunners' title bid fell apart when Saliba was struck down with injury last term, which would explain the obsession with adding depth in that department. Inacio, 21, is vastly experienced for his age, and the Portuguese international could be available for the palatable sum of just £39million this summer - the value of his Sporting Lisbon release clause.
Romeo Lavia
Arteta knows Lavia well from his time at Man City, where the classy midfielder spent two years before moving on to Southampton last summer. With the Saints preparing for life in the Championship, the 19-year-old has shown enough to prove that he deserves another shot in the top flight.
According to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, the Gunners are 'interested' in moving for Lavia. Liverpool are also impressed by the player, who has been slapped with a £50m price tag, meaning Arsenal would have to negotiate a lower fee to stay within their budget.
Xavi Simons
The attacking midfielder has exploded since joining PSV Eindhoven last summer, netting an impressive 22 goals across all competitions in 2022/23. Paris Saint-Germain have a bargain £5.2m buy-back clause, but the final decision will come down to Simons.
Reports indicate that he is reluctant to return to the French capital, where he previously found game time difficult to come by. Arsenal are thought to be lurking and ready to pounce on the 20-year-old, who is now a senior Dutch international with five caps on his CV.
