‘A lot going on’… Edu confirms Arsenal have ‘targets planned’ in summer transfer hint

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Arsenal sporting director Edu has now revealed how far along the north London club are with putting together their summer transfer plans.

The upcoming summer transfer window is set to be a big one for Edu and Arsenal.

The Gunners certainly have plenty of work to do in the off-season. There are areas of Mikel Arteta’s squad that are in obvious need of upgrades and reinforcements. There are also a number of first team stars who look certain to depart the Emirates Stadium at the end of the current campaign.

Bit-part figures Mohamed Elneny and Cedric Soares are both set to leave as free agents this summer. On top of that, there are question marks surrounding the future of Thomas Partey in north London. As things stand, Jorginho is also due to become available for a free transfer at the end of this season, despite clamour for the Gunners to extend his stay at the club.

What issues do Arsenal need to address in the summer transfer window?

A midfield rebuild is clearly on the horizon, then. There is also a huge demand for an elite level new striker to be signed, amid concerns that the likes of Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz simply aren’t prolific enough to fire Arsenal to the top prizes in the game. A new arrival in this department could spell the end of Eddie Nketiah’s Arsenal career.

Yet more attention must be paid to to matters at the back of the pitch. Aaron Ramsdale is all but certain to leave Arsenal this summer, meaning a new back-up for David Raya will have to be sourced. The persistent injury issues suffered by Takehiro Tomiyasu and Oleksandr Zinchenko could also convince Arteta that another full-back option is needed. 

There is also a lack of depth on the flanks. There is no natural back-up for Bukayo Saka on the books at this time. Wolves winger Pedro Neto has been described as the perfect player to take up this role.

To fund even a portion of all this incoming business, Arsenal will need to sell well this summer and fetch top prices for their unwanted assets. This has not always been the club’s strong suit, to say the least. Edu must prove his worth in the market in this regard. There could also be some painful goodbyes for fans to swallow if certain sacrifices have to be made in order raise the money required. 

Edu lifts lid on Arsenal transfer plans

Clearly, there is plenty for Edu to do, and that is only concerning matters regarding the men’s first-team. 

The Brazilian has recently lifted the lid on where Arsenal are now at with their plans for the summer. Speaking to TNT Sports, the former midfielder said, “there’s a lot going on at the moment.”

“My role isn’t just looking after the first team, it’s looking after the women and the academy as well. There are a lot of things to do but of course, we’re learning [what we need] ahead of the summer.”

“I understand why the fans are asking for [a No.9] but we already have our targets planned, we know what we’re going to face, and I’d be worried if we weren’t scoring goals or creating chances but we are doing that right now. The plan is to try and get better every year, we’re at a good moment right now and so it’s about improving step-by-step.”