Arsenal are set to reinforce their midfield options this summer by signing two players who have been at the heart of some of the best performances in the English Premier League this season.
The first of these is West Ham United’s Declan Rice, who has established himself as a key player for the Hammers since breaking into the first team in 2017. Rice has quickly become an essential part of Manuel Pellegrini’s side and his impressive performances have also seen him break into Gareth Southgate’s England squad.
Rice is expected to join Arsenal in a deal worth over £50 million, making him one of the most expensive ever signings for The Gunners. He should be able to slot straight into Mikel Arteta’s team with his impressive range of passing and defensive awareness. His versatility will also prove useful; he can play either as a defensive midfielder or further up the pitch depending on the situation.
The second player that Arsenal are looking to sign is yet to be identified, but there is plenty of speculation about who might make it onto their list. One name which has been mentioned recently is Borussia Monchengladbach midfielder Denis Zakaria, who has emerged as one of Europe’s hottest prospects after a series of top class performances in Germany this season. Zakaria fits the profile of what Arteta wants from his midfielders: energy, physicality and aggression, all mixed with quality on the ball and an ability to move forward when needed.
Meanwhile, other names linked with Arsenal include Real Madrid’s Dani Ceballos and Atletico Madrid’s Thomas Partey – both players offer great experience in European football but would come at a significant cost for The Gunners.
Whichever way they go, Arsenal are set to make a statement with their new signings during this transfer window and could see their squad depth significantly improved. If you are interested in Arsenal jersey 23/24 and other peripherals, you can find out more by clicking here.
A crucial factor for any potential signing will be whether they can settle quickly enough given Arteta’s limited time frame before pre-season begins next month. But if all goes according to plan then The Gunners could find themselves back among Europe’s elite sooner rather than later with two players capable of helping them take the next step forward on their journey back up towards Champions League qualification.
