28 May 2023 , 02:00
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Arsenal are preparing for a final day showdown with Wolves, but many fans will also have their eye on the club's upcoming summer business.
For a while, it looked as though Mikel Arteta's team would still be in title contention ahead of the finale. However, after a late-season slump opened the door for an unstoppable Manchester City side, the Gunners are forced to settle for second.
There has already been one bit of good news for the Gunners, with Bukayo Saka agreeing a new contract, while moves for the likes of Declan Rice could lift the mood further. Here are the latest lines from around North London.
Saka compromise
Arsenal initially wanted to hand Bukayo Saka a longer contract extension, it has been claimed. The England international has committed his future to the club until 2027, but the length of the deal is said to have come down during negotiations.
According to The Mail, the Gunners were able to prevent a release clause being inserted into Saka's new deal. Instead, though, the 21-year-old - who has interested Manchester City - only signed a four year deal.
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“Time is on our side," Saka said after his new deal was confirmed. "You can look at our team and a lot of the players are young. We’re hungry, and a lot of us haven’t won trophies at Arsenal so we want to achieve big things. If you watch the way we all speak, we want to win and we want to win here.
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Edu's pledge
Edu is insistent Arsenal are only interested in making signings who can take the club up a level. The Gunners are preparing for a first Champions League season since the days of Arsene Wenger, and England midfielder Declan Rice is among those being linked with a summer switch.
Who should Arsenal sign this summer? Have your say in the comments section
West Ham captain Declan Rice has been linked with an Arsenal move (PA)"It's identifying very well where we can improve. If they are individual, isolated positions, if they are units, if they are 'final third', as we call it here, if they are midfield, defensive part," the sporting director told ESPN. "This diagnosis we already have because we already have a very clear style of play for Arteta.
"Today, you see Arsenal playing and you identify, you know that is Arsenal's style. So now it's time to understand where we can boost the units, so that the team can improve and go to another level of performance. And I think there is another level, we have one more level."
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Arteta on transfers
Mikel Arteta has made clear how he feels the Gunners can convince transfer targets to move to the Emirates Stadium. Ahead of Sunday's meeting with Wolves, and with a bid for Declan Rice thought to be in the pipeline, the Arsenal boss was asked about his club's potential summer business.
"[We can attract players] by explaining who we are, how we do things, what we want from them, how we think they are going to fit in in our culture, in our club, and then trying to do the right thing as a club," the boss said.
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"Buying the right profile for the right amount of money that is going to fit what we are going to do, and in the end players and staff are going to make our car faster and more reliable to have a great season."
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