Arsenal are reportedly pursuing as many as six transfers just a fortnight into the summer window, with sporting director Andrea Berta leading the charge. The Gunners have only wrapped up the £42.5 million permanent signing of loanee Piero Hincapie so far, but activity is expected to accelerate throughout July.
Berta's Busy Summer Behind the Scenes
According to the Daily Mail, Berta and head of scouting Maurizio Micheli are working on multiple deals simultaneously. The club's relatively quiet start is attributed to their Champions League final appearance and the ongoing World Cup. However, behind-the-scenes negotiations are said to be progressing.
The Mail reports that Arsenal have already submitted a bid for Newcastle's Bruno Guimaraes, while also holding talks over Morgan Rogers and testing Paris Saint-Germain's resolve for Bradley Barcola. Enquiries have been made regarding Alex Scott, and discussions have taken place with representatives of Kerim Alajbegovic. Christos Tzolis, offered to Arsenal, is also a genuine interest.
Targets to Strengthen the Squad
Mikel Arteta's side is targeting around four new signings to bolster their Premier League title-winning squad. Of the six players highlighted, Alajbegovic, Barcola, Guimaraes, and Rogers are still competing in the World Cup. Scott trained with England before the tournament, while Tzolis played for Greece in friendlies.
Barcola or Rogers would represent a marquee wide-forward acquisition, while Alajbegovic and Tzolis are considered budget-friendly options. Guimaraes and Scott are central midfield candidates alongside Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard, especially as Martin Zubimendi fell out of favour late last season.
Arteta's Ambition After Champions League Defeat
Following Arsenal's Champions League final defeat, Arteta challenged the club to push harder. He said: "We will start the process to review what we've done. If you want to reach another level, we're going to have to show that ambition because we are more than capable of doing it, but it demands to be very, very ambitious, very fast and very smart."
He added: "We need to do better, to improve and find different margins to get the outcome."
