With the 2023/24 domestic Premier League season edging ever closer, it is clear that Arsenal’s board are more than willing to back manager Mikel Arteta as he looks to strengthen the group further this summer in an effort to both maintain, and then hopefully build on our runners up success last term.
We certainly seem to have our irons in the fire, and this week it was announced that we had agreed a reported £65 million deal with Chelsea for German forward Kai Havertz. The 24 year old impressed plenty with his spell in the Bundesliga with Bayer Leverkusen and at the beginning of the 2020/21 campaign, Chelsea parted with £71 million to take him to Stamford Bridge.
It was a mixed spell for the player really, as although he went on to make over 100 appearances for them, he only returned 32 goals across all competitions, but given Chelsea’s issues over the past few seasons, the odds are good that Arteta will be able to get far more out of him now once he settles into life at the Emirates Stadium, and he obviously comes in with good European experience which will help as we look forward to the Champions League next year.
Personal terms and a medical are yet to go through, but you would think it unlikely that there will be any issues on those fronts.
If this deal has been agreed in principle as reported, then we will have to wait and see what the real details are as there is some talk that add ons could eventually increase the £65 million fee and then fans will want to see the contract length.
We are also continuing to await news on the reported bids that have gone in for both West Ham United and England midfielder Declan Rice and highly rated Ajax and Netherlands defender Jurrien Timber.
Whilst our second bid for Rice has been rejected, and there is now some talk that Manchester City have entered the fray – which may complicate things from our point of view – I’m yet to see any real or credible updates on what happened with the reported £30 million offer we sent to Ajax.
As long as new signings are in for the beginning of pre season though, they should get all the time they need to settle in properly.
Image from: unsplash.com
