Arsenal chief Edu opens up on summer plans as Mikel Arteta eyes ‘two marquee signings’

Arsenal technical director Edu hinted the Gunners are eying up ‘two marquee signings’ in the upcoming summer transfer window. Mikel Arteta’s side are currently in pole position to finish in the top four after their excellent 3-1 victory against Manchester United on Saturday.

The victory against Ralf Rangnick’s beleaguered Reds has seen them open up a two-point gap over fifth-placed Tottenham Hotspur with five matches left to play. And their push for Champions League football can be attributed to the £150million transfer spree in the summer transfer window.

Arsenal broke the bank to bring Nuno Tavares, Ben White, Martin Odegaard, Aaron Ramsdale, Albert Sambi Lokonga and Takehiro Tomiyasu to the Emirates Stadium last summer. This gigantic overhaul, coupled with the departure of high earners such as Willian and Pierre Emerick-Aubameyang, has so far proven to be a success.

The Gunners are expected to be in the market for one or two new strikers as they are currently set to lose Eddie Nketiah and Alexandre Lacazette for nothing when their contracts expire at the end of the campaign. However, Edu recently suggested the Gunners’ transfer strategy will be more localised to around ‘two marquee signings’.

“Our planning has already been done, it has already reached the owners. It’s a matter of step by step, how we are going to finish the season and to put in plan the planning that I’m very excited about.”

Arteta also opened up on what he wants before their clash against Manchester United. While Arsenal have enjoyed a relatively impressive campaign, they have been somewhat blessed by the absence of European football.

And the Gunners boss stated he will need to further bolster and grow his squad if they are to compete in Europe. “The Champions League and the Europa League both require a much larger squad because the amount of games is much bigger,” Arteta said.

“If we can afford it financially and we don’t have to do the turnaround in the squad that we’ve had to, what I want is 22 outfield players and three goalkeepers. A lot of things have to be put in place and that takes time, so I am expecting a busy summer.”