Hiring Mikel Arteta may have been one of the smartest decisions Arsenal have made in recent years. The departure of Arsene Wenger after more than two decades was not an easy challenge for the Gunners but the Spanish boss has already proven why he could be the right man for the job.
Arteta has slowly conducted rebuild in North London, with only seven players he inherited from Unai Emery's squad still at the club. Last summer, Arsenal have spent a mind-blowing £150 million ($204m) in Ben White, Martin Odegaard, Aaron Ramsdale, Takehiro Tomiyasu, Albert Sami Lokonga, and Nuno Tavares.
That speaks volumes of the trust Arteta has been given to spend. And the results seem to prove him right, as all those signings have been a great addition this season. According to The Sun, the club's hierarchy will allow Arteta to execute another splash for the 2022-23 to get three players.
Report: Arsenal prepare $245m moves next summer
Arteta may have carried out a necessary clearout at the Emirates, with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang leaving for Barcelona the latest departure. But that has seen the Gunners' roster suffer a huge downsize, which is why new faces might be needed come July.
The report claims that Arsenal will set their sights on three names to boost their squad. Alexander Isak of Real Sociedad, Dominic Calvert-Lewin of Everton, and Ruben Neves of Wolves are understood to be the key targets.
Arsenal will probably need a reinforcement in the attack, considering that Alexandre Lacazette and Eddie Nketiah's contracts are up in the summer in addition to the fact that Aubameyang has just left the club. But these three targets would come at an expensive cost.
Isak, 22, has a release clause of $102 million, while the Toffees wouldn't let Calvert-Lewin leave for less than $80 million, and Wolves would demand around $60 million for Neves. It would require Arsenal to make a big financial effort, but maybe it's the price to pay to get back to the top.
However, these intentions may also depend on how they finish the current season. Arsenal are currently sixth in the Premier League with 36 points with two games in hand over West Ham (5th) and one on Manchester United, who hold the 4th spot - which grants a UEFA Champions League berth.
