David Ornstein had barely waited for the confetti to settle in Budapest before revealing what Arsenal are planning this summer. Speaking on TNT Sports immediately after the Champions League final, The Athletic's chief football correspondent outlined a recruitment drive that could make last summer's £250 million spending look modest by comparison. Arsenal came within a penalty shootout of winning everything. Now they want to make sure they actually do.
The headline from Ornstein is that Arsenal want two central midfielders. That tells you everything about how Arteta and sporting director Andrea Berta assessed Saturday night. Martin Odegaard started over Eberechi Eze and was substituted before extra time. Zubimendi and Madueke came on in the 91st minute and neither took a penalty. The midfield was the problem and Arsenal are going to fix it properly this summer rather than patch it. Two new central midfielders is a statement of intent from a club that has just won the Premier League and reached a Champions League final. They are not satisfied.
Alongside the midfield targets Ornstein confirmed Arsenal are in the market for a left winger and a right-back. The left wing position has been on their agenda for over a year. Ben White's long term injury issues have made the right-back position a priority too. Nathaniel Brown of Eintracht Frankfurt has been linked and fits the profile of the young hungry player Berta tends to target. The left wing search is more complex — with Marcus Rashford's situation at Barcelona unresolved and Anthony Gordon having just signed for Barca, the market for quality left wingers is complicated this summer.
On the outgoings side Ornstein reported that Gabriel Jesus has been valued at between £18 million and £20 million with multiple clubs already enquiring. Jesus is 29, has 12 months left on his contract and Arsenal are not going to extend it. That is a sensible and unsentimental decision from a club operating with the calm authority of champions. Jesus contributed when called upon but Viktor Gyokeres is the number nine now and there is no room for sentiment in a squad being built to win the Champions League.
And then there is the small matter of Max Dowman — a 15-year-old who has agreed scholarship terms with Arsenal and could have moved anywhere for more money. He chose Arsenal. That is what winning the Premier League does for a club's pulling power. The first team is winning trophies, the academy is attracting the best young talent in the country. Everything at Arsenal right now points in the same direction.
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