Edu set to transform Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal starting line-up by sanctioning £198m spending spree

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Arsenal’s starting line-up is bound to look a little different by the start of next season. With plenty of names mooted for a summer transfer, and a number of current Gunners linked with a move away from the Emirates, Mikel Arteta is likely to have a slightly new squad by September as he continues his side’s rebuild.

We’ve seen the project start to bear fruit this campaign, and if Arsenal can hold their nerve in their last ten games, we may well witness the Gunners under Champions League lights once again. They’ll need a stronger, more competitive squad if that’s to happen, but as Stan Kroenke is willing to back Edu and Arteta in the market, we can expect to see a number of new additions

As previously reported by football.london , the Gunners will target two centre-forwards. With Alexandre Lacazette and Eddie Nketiah appear set to wave goodbye to the Emirates in the summer, the Gunners are planning to invest in their forward line.

Arsenal are tracking Benfica striker Nunez ahead of a potential summer move, football.londonunderstands. The forward has scored 26 goals in 33 games this season, including the winning strike in the recent Champions League last-16 win over Ajax.

Gunners technical director Edu is in contact with the representatives of Nunez and has shortlisted the Uruguayan forward as a potential summer signing.

Meanwhile, plenty of other forward candidates, including Manchester United’s Marcus Rashford, have been subsequently linked with a transfer to north London.

Central midfielders are also on the Gunners’ wish list, especially if Roma return for Granit Xhaka as expected. football.london understands the Italian giants will come back in for the Switzerland international at the end of the season having failed to tempt him to the Stadio Olimpico last summer.

Xhaka looked all set to leave the Emirates at the end of the 2020-21 campaign as Arteta looked to overhaul his Gunners squad. But an impressive display at Euro 2020, that saw Switzerland beat favourites France to reach the quarter-finals, tempted the club into offering him a new one-year extension until 2024.

He’s now formed an impressive partnership with Thomas Partey at the base of Arsenal’s midfield, but as he’s 29, it wouldn’t be entirely surprising if he did end up moving on.

In terms of midfielder incomings, according to The Sun, the Gunners are leading the race to sign Youri Tielemans. Their strong position in the pursuit of Champions League qualification puts them ahead of Manchester United as a potential suitor. Meanwhile, others, including Ruben Neves of Wolves, have also been considered.

As per Transfermarkt, a combined value of Nunez, Rashford, Tielemans and Neves is £198m for those four signings alone. Of course, the likeliness of attaining each of them is incredibly unlikely, particularly before player sales.

However, Arsenal fans will be wondering what Arteta’s starting line-up will look like with those names in it. Well, here’s how it could look.