Morgan Rodgers is Arsenal’s summer target (Image: Getty)
Mikel Arteta is keen to embark on a summer rebuild to build on this season’s achievements, and has set his sights firmly on Morgan Rodgers. Gunners manager Arteta has sent a sharp message to Arsenal bosses after their side lost to Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League final.
Arteta declared the club needed to show “ambition” and take “important decisions” to take the club to “another level” after winning the Premier League for the first time in 22 years. The comments carried real weight as Arteta continues to push for major additions, with Aston Villa’s England star Rodgers firmly on Arsenal’s radar as a potential signing. Rodgers has also attracted interest from the likes of Paris Saint-Germain following another impressive campaign for Unai Emery’s side, amid growing speculation that Villa could be sold to make ends meet.
It remains to be seen whether Villa end up parting ways with Rodgers, but the midfielder has drawn admiration from Arsenal given his ability to play as a number 10 and also play on the left wing, a position Arteta is especially keen to fill.
Arteta is known to prefer players who can play multiple roles, and is looking for improved attacking power and quality, with the team likely to undergo a reshuffle this summer.
What makes this slot stand out is that Arsenal spent an ambitious £250m last summer signing Victor Gokeres, Eberechi Eze, Martin Zvimendi and Christian Norgaard, as well as signing Piero Hincapie on a permanent deal.
However, this summer Arsenal are keen to strengthen their squad while also reducing their squad to accommodate new signings.
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Morgan Rogers and Gabriel could be teammates next season (Image: Getty)
Gabriel Martinelli is said to be on the verge of leaving, and there is growing interest in Brazil international Gabriel Jesus, but there is little appetite for him to leave with 12 months left on his contract.
The Gunners will once again focus on attack as they look to strengthen their side in the summer transfer window, but which striker will join is likely to depend first on departures.
Arteta clearly believes a deal can be done and his comments immediately after the final showed the Spaniard’s determination to bring in top-quality reinforcements.
It could also indicate that he has worked hard to win the title and is considering a change in approach as the club chases another silver medal.
It was their fifth straight defeat in a European final dating back to 1995, including defeats in the 2006 Champions League final, 2019 Europa League final, and now against PSG in Budapest.
Despite Arsenal’s heavy weight in European football, their record on the continent remains underwhelming, with only two trophies, the 1994 Cup Winners’ Cup and the 1970 Fairs Cup, in contrast to their stellar domestic record.
Arteta is acutely aware of this and is determined to rectify this. However, he still wants to build on a campaign that will be remembered as one of the best in the club’s history, and arguably the standout season of his tenure so far.
Arsenal’s England players Declan Rice, Bukayo Saka, Eberechi Eze and Noni Madueke will have an extra week to join up with the national team at their training base in Miami ahead of the World Cup. Most of the team is scheduled to depart on Monday.
