Though it could be said that Arsenal have had a relatively quiet transfer window this summer, it’s also true that the Gunners already had one of the strongest squads in the Premier League so arguably only needed to make one or two strategic signings.
Riccardo Calafiori and Mikel Merino are two players of the highest quality, and it’s believed that Mikel Arteta would liked to have landed Merino’s Euro 2024 team-mate, Nico Williams.
The 22-year-old had a brilliant tournament for Spain alongside Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal, and it was thought at one stage that the pair might link up at club level this summer too.
With a week still to go until the transfer window closes, anything can happen of course, though there’s a strong likelihood that Williams will stay at Athletic Club.
The Independent (subscription required) note the interest of the Catalan giants as well as the Gunners in the player, who has a £48m release clause, and the outlet further advances that Williams’ medium term aim is believed to be a move to Barca rather than North London.
That news will surely come as a blow to Arteta, even if it isn’t particularly surprising.
What it does mean of course is that the North Londoners will need to look elsewhere if they want to land another attacker in the current window.
It’s unclear at this stage who their other targets may be, though with the Gunners expected to be pushing Man City all the way again in the Premier League title this season, the club is unlikely to be short of agents advancing their client’s candidacies.
One name that is still in the frame is Ademola Lookman, though Gian Piero Gasperini is sure to baulk at losing him after conceding that Teun Koopmeiners will likely move to Juventus and Gianluca Scamacca finds himself on the sidelines for much of the season.
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