Three seasons of great promise but no reward has left Arsenal and Mikel Arteta desperately hungry for success, something they will try to remedy with a healthy summer of spending.
However, no club can purchase endlessly, which makes smart deals for free agents an extremely enticing prospect, made even more attractive by the number of quality options in this summer’s market.
With Champions League qualification all but secure, the Gunners will be firmly focused on next season and how best they can prepare for a title bid.
| Position | Team | Played MP |
Won W |
Drawn D |
Lost L |
For GF |
Against GA |
Diff GD |
Points Pts |
| 1 |  LiverpoolLiverpool |
36 | 25 | 8 | 3 | 83 | 37 | 46 | 83 |
| 2 |  ArsenalArsenal |
36 | 18 | 14 | 4 | 66 | 33 | 33 | 68 |
| 3 |  NewcastleNewcastle |
36 | 20 | 6 | 10 | 68 | 45 | 23 | 66 |
| 4 |  Man CityManchester City |
36 | 19 | 8 | 9 | 67 | 43 | 24 | 65 |
| 5 |  ChelseaChelsea |
36 | 18 | 9 | 9 | 62 | 43 | 19 | 63 |
| 6 |  Aston VillaAston Villa |
36 | 18 | 9 | 9 | 56 | 49 | 7 | 63 |
With that, here are a trio of exciting players out of contract this summer whom Arteta and Co. should be eyeing up.
Leroy Sane
Arsenal are desperate for some extra quality on the wing, specifically on the left side of the pitch, to try and balance out Bukayo Saka’s output.
Leroy Sane would make a perfect partner for Arsenal’s starboy, with the German winger already possessing Premier League-proven attributes, having won two Premier League titles with Manchester City under Pep Guardiola.
Leroy Sane’s Bayern Munich record
- Appearances: 219
- Goals: 61
- Assists: 55
His dynamic, direct playing style would fire some unpredictability into a team that seems so structured and stiff in attacking areas.
It’s unlikely the 29-year-old will be allowed to leave Bavaria for free, but if Bayern Munich let Sane slip through their grasp, it’s a deal Arsenal should be all over.
The immediate quality the forward would add could prove to be invaluable in a title fight next year. Sane has been full of praise for Arteta in the past, after the pair worked closely together while at Manchester City.
Ola Aina
Nottingham Forest have been the surprise package of the 2024/25 Premier League season, with many tipping them for relegation in August.
In actuality, Nuno Espírito Santo’s side have secured European football for next term, and still enjoy a chance at qualifying for the Champions League.
One of the standout performers in Forest’s side has been Ola Aina, with the full-back’s gut-busting performances symbolic of the unity that seeps through the club at this moment in time.
Having previously featured for the likes of Torino and Fulham, Aina is one of many talented academy graduates Chelsea have let go in the past.
Oleksandr Zinchenko, Kieran Tierney and Jakub Kiwior are all thought to be looking to secure a move away from the Emirates this summer, which would mean the Gunners need reinforcements in the full-back area.
Aina has previously stated his distaste for playing against Arteta’s side, labelling them the toughest attack he has come up against in the Premier League.
Speaking on The Inside Scoop Podcast, he said: “Arsenal is so hard to explain—you have to be on the pitch.
“When they’re passing it, it looks like they’re just going side to side, but they’re probing. There are balls in behind, flicks and stuff, players are changing positions constantly, and that’s tough [to deal with]. “…For me, playing against Arsenal is long.”
Therefore, if the opportunity arose for the defender to switch allegiances, it would be hard to imagine him declining.
Jonathan David
Firepower up top is something the Gunners have sorely lacked this season, especially since losing Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus to season-ending injuries.
Arteta has gone as far as deploying midfielder Mikel Merino as a striker, which has turned out to be an unlikely success, highlighting the level of output a capable forward could create in an Arsenal team brimming with talent.
Jonathan David’s Lille Stats
- Appearances: 231
- Goals: 109
- Assists: 30
Jonathan David has scored 25 goals in 48 games for Lille this season and is set to end his five-year stay with the French club this summer.
The Gunners are actively monitoring the situation and could look to strike a deal in the upcoming window, according to InterLive. Former sporting director Edu was keen on bringing David to Arsenal in the past, but the move never materialised.
If this transfer becomes reality, it would guarantee goals in an Arsenal side that has sorely lacked in that department.
The removal of any potential transfer fee also means that Arteta could add attacking quality, whilst freeing up money to spend elsewhere in the squad.
As a result, striking a deal for David would be a no-brainer for the Gunners this summer.
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