Declan Rice is Arsenal’s big target in the transfer window this summer. Edu and Mikel Arteta are waiting patiently for West Ham to play the last game of their season, against Fiorentina in the Europa Conference League final, before trying to arrange a deal for the midfielder.
Arsenal will be without Granit Xhaka next season after his £13m move to Bayer Leverkusen, so they need to bolster their midfield with at least one player. If Rice joins the club, he could take the No 8 role occupied by Xhaka last season or play in his more familiar No 6 role further back. If he were to sit deeper, Arsenal would surely want to sign a more attack-minded midfielder as well. Here are 10 midfielders who should be on the club’s radar this summer.
Youri Tielemans, Leicester
Arsenal looked certain to sign Tielemans a year ago, so much so that their fans were chanting “Youri Tielemans, we’ll see you next week” during their 4-2 win over Leicester in August. Now that Leicester have been relegated and Tielemans has said goodbye to the club’s fans, Arteta may want to go back in for the versatile midfielder. The Belgian averaged 2.1 tackles per game in the Premier League this season and can contribute further up the field too – he scored 28 goals and registered 26 assists during his time at Leicester.
Xavi Simons, PSV Eindhoven
Simons could be a good fit for Arsenal. Paris Saint-Germain have a buy-back clause for the 20-year-old, but Simons may prefer a move to Arsenal where minutes would be easier to come by and he would be joining a team spearheaded by young players. He was the second top scorer in the Eredivisie this season with 19 goals and he chipped in with eight assists. The Netherlands international likes to get into the penalty area – he had 162 touches in the opposition box this season – and he also completed the second most dribbles in the Eredivisie with 74.
Jesper Lindstrøm, Eintracht Frankfurt
Lindstrøm would be better suited to the right side of the midfield, where Martin Ødegaard plays, but that might not pose much of an issue given the freedom that Arteta gives his attacking players. Like Ødegaard, Lindstrøm likes to carry the ball and is good at finding space. There are a few drawbacks though – he only scored seven goals in the Bundesliga this season and his dribble success rate of 32.6% was the worst in the division. That said, he is only 23 and Arteta may feel he can help Lindstrøm improve.
James Maddison, Leicester
Maddison is likely to leave Leicester this summer and he could be a shrewd signing for Arsenal. He scored 10 goals and laid on nine assists for a side that was relegated this season, which shows how clinical he is in the final third. Xhaka was known for scoring long-range goals and free-kicks – Maddison would offer the same threat.
Ilkay Gündogan, Manchester City
Arteta poached two City players last summer in Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko and he could repeat that strategy again this year. Out of contract this summer, Gündogan will have many options and, for the moment, Barcelona seem to be frontrunners. He is a proven winner who peaks at the right time – his goals helped Pep Guardiola’s side clinch the title and he then scored a brace in the FA Cup final. He is an all-rounder – as well as scoring vital goals he also won possession in the midfield third 94 times in the league, which highlights his ability to play in a slightly deeper role.
Mohammed Kudus, Ajax
After an impressive World Cup for Ghana and a similarly superb campaign for Ajax, Kudus will have many suitors this summer. He can play in a variety of roles, whether on the wing or in central midfield. He completed the most dribbles in the Eredivisie this season with 91, breaking the lines in a way Xhaka sometimes struggles to do, and he topped that off with 11 goals and three assists. He is a hard-working midfielder whose style is perfect for a high-pressing team like Arsenal – he won 158 ground duels this season, which ranked fourth in the Eredivisie.
Adrien Rabiot, Juventus
Rabiot has been linked with Arsenal in many a transfer window, even as far back as Arsène Wenger’s time at the club. The Juventus midfielder is 28 now, but he still puts in a shift in the middle of the park. He won possession in the midfield third 101 times in Serie A this season – a tally only 12 players could better. He also won 70.7% of his tackles, so could play in a deeper role if required. Rabiot can also play further forward, having scored eight goals and registered four assists this season.
Gabri Veiga, Celta Vigo
Veiga is one of the brightest prospects in Europe. The 21-year-old has enjoyed a superb season with Celta Vigo and has similar qualities to Ødegaard. Despite playing in a struggling Celta team who survived relegation from La Liga on the final day, Veiga scored 11 goals and laid on four assists. He is one of their most influential players. Veiga likes to carry the ball and works extremely hard when out of possession too, having made 43 tackles this season, which would suit Arsenal’s pressing model. He will be in demand this summer, but the opportunity to play in the Champions League for a club that gives youth a chance would be tempting.
Pote, Sporting
Pote will be familiar to Arsenal fans after his goal for Sporting at the Emirates two months ago, when he chipped Aaron Ramsdale from 46 yards. The midfielder has been Sporting’s best player in the league this season. He is versatile and fully involved in games throughout. Pote contributed to 26 goals in the Primeira Liga this season, scoring 15 and setting up 11 – a tally that only Mehdi Taremi (29) could beat. His total of 74 key passes was the joint highest and he also works hard off the ball. He won possession in the attacking third 28 times – a figure only six players could beat.
Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, Lazio
Milinkovic-Savic has been linked with a move to the Premier League regularly over the last few years. He was vital for Lazio this season as they finished second in Serie A – their highest finish in 23 years – with only their goalkeeper, Ivan Provedel, playing more minutes. The 28-year-old is used to playing in a more advanced role and is consistent in attacking areas, having scored nine goals and registered eight assists this season. Like Xhaka, he offers a physical presence – he won 96 aerial duels in the league this season, with only three players winning more. His disciplinary record could be an issue – the Serbian midfielder was shown 10 yellow cards this season – but Arteta knows all about dealing with combative midfielders.
