Hugo Ekitike signs, Eberechi Eze deal – Arsenal can build dream attack with £152m transfer plan

Arsenal could boast one of the strongest attacks in the Premier League if Andrea Berta can get his hands on Hugo Ekitike and Eberechi Eze. The new sporting director has enjoyed a busy start to the summer transfer window, making room for lots of new faces.

Not only has Berta managed to offload some deadwood, with Thomas Partey being the latest out of the door, but he's also tied down a couple of big names to new long-term contracts. The Italian has shown no sign of slowing down either, with Martin Zubimendi, Kepa Arrizabalaga and Christian Norgaard queuing up to join.

Berta has raised the floor at the Emirates Stadium, but now it's time to raise the ceiling. So, with that being said, football.london has looked at how Arsenal could set up next season.

Saka keeps his place on the right

Bukayo Saka should be the first name on the team sheet. The Gunners relied far too much on the 23-year-old winger this season, so much so that, when he suffered a hamstring injury, his teammates looked lost in his absence.

During the three months or so that Saka was on the sidelines, Arsenal struggled to generate nearly as many chances in the final third. With a couple of marquee additions to the frontline, the Hale End graduate could share the workload.

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Arsenal hijack Tottenham plan to sign Eze

Rodrygo and Nico Williams have both been heavily linked with moves to Arsenal, but neither have Premier League experience. So, the Gunners work day and night to wrap up a deal for Eberechi Eze.

According to the Evening Standard, Arsenal have joined Tottenham Hotspur in the race to sign the Crystal Palace attacking midfielder, adding him to their long list of targets. The report claims Eze has a £68m release clause in his contract at Selhurst Park, which can be payable in three instalments.

The England international, who turned 27 on Sunday, was released from the Hale End Academy at the age of 13, so a call from Arteta could pull on his heart strings. The Evening Standard reckon that the Gunners are also tracking Anthony Gordon, despite being a different profile.

Arsenal snub Sesko and Gyokeres for Ekitike

Arsenal should just pull the plug on their pursuit of Benjamin Sesko and Viktor Gyokeres. The duo have got to be the most unavailable yet supposedly available strikers on the market this summer; the Gunners don't have time to be faffing about.

So, Berta should turn his attention to Ekitike, who has – and has always had – a fixed price tag, which makes negotiations much easier for all parties. football.london understands that the Eintracht Frankfurt star was one of four strikers on Chelsea's shortlist before they signed Liam Delap.

The Blues were interested in signing him this summer, but they were not prepared to pay the 23-year-old's asking price of €100 million (£85m). The west Londoners have since turned their attention to Joao Pedro, leaving the door wide open for Arsenal to swoop in.

According to German outlet Bild, the Gunners have stepped up their interest in Ekitike, having grown frustrated in their pursuits of Benjamin Sesko and Viktor Gyokeres. It's said that the Frenchman has suddenly become a 'serious' option, with Arteta desperate to get his hands on a new number nine.

Of course, Arsenal shouldn't sign Ekitike just for the convenience; he fits the bill. Not only did the Frenchman score more goals than Sesko in the Bundesliga last season, he also recorded far more assists...

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