Arteta has signed one of four Arsenal transfer targets as Calafiori nears

Mikel Arteta's Arsenal have signed just one of their four transfer targets this summer, with attention turning to defender Riccardo Calafiori.

Under the Spaniard's leadership, Arsenal have finished runners-up in the last two Premier League seasons, unable to overcome Pep Guardiola's Manchester City.

This summer window is vital as the 2024/25 season nears. The Gunners need to get their recruitment right if they wish to finally mount a successful charge.

Having already signed a starting goalkeeper, the club's wish list features some expensive names they hope will help them get over the line, including the imminently arriving Italian Calafiori, a pricy new marksman, and a midfield maestro.

David Raya

Spanish goalkeeper David Raya became Arsenal's first signing of the summer, joining from Brentford for a reported £27million - though the deal didn't exactly excite fans, considering the player was on loan in north London last season.

Raya qualifies as a homegrown talent, having spent three years at Blackburn Rovers before turning 22. He was the recipient of the Premier League Golden Glove last campaign, keeping 16 clean sheets for Arsenal.

His displacement of Aaron Ramsdale as first-choice keeper became inevitable following his penalty heroics against Porto in the Champions League, and it was apparent that the Gunners would trigger the buy option included within Raya's one-year loan deal.

Arteta has suggested that Raya will be his number one again this season, and was delighted to retain his services, stating: "David showed us last season what an important player he is for us. He is a big presence in our dressing room. We know he will take the strong foundations he put in place last season and build on them in the years to come and that he will enjoy more success with us."

Riccardo Calafiori

Having overcome a few obstacles, Arsenal's deal to sign Italian centre-half Calafiori finally looks set to be completed, barring a meltdown between two of his former clubs.

Impressing at Euro 2024, Calafiori made it clear that the Gunners were his first choice from a range of potential destinations. After leaving his boyhood Roma, Calafiori joined Basel in 2022.

Under then-head coach Thiago Motta, Bologna brought the Italian back to Serie A, where he starred and guided them to the Champions League. However, Basel installed a 50 per cent sell-on clause as part of the deal, meaning that half of the defender's fee would go to Switzerland.

After the Gunners painstakingly reached an agreement in principle over a £34million plus add-ons transfer fee, just the financial squabbles between Calafiori's former and current clubs remain in negotiations that would make the defender Arsenal's second summer signing.

Viktor Gyokeres

Swedish striker Victor Gyokeres is no stranger to English football, having played for Brighton and Coventry City. He has now been tipped to become the Gunners' next top marksman.

Arsenal's need for a goal-hungry striker is no secret, with Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus failing to be that out-and-out number nine for Arteta. Gyokeres could be the man to turn the title tide the north London club's way, as stated in the Daily Briefing column.

After joining Brighton in 2018, a series of loans culminated in a sale to Coventry three years later. Gyokeres led the Sky Blues to a play-off final before making a £20million move to Sporting CP, where he netted 41 goals in all competitions last season.

Arsenal would have to pay Gyokeres' sizeable £85million release clause to snap him up but if it means lifting the Premier League trophy come the season's end, the club may bite. The player has also admitted he may leave Portugal, stating to local media: "It’s football. I can’t promise anything. I won’t be sad if I stay, I’m very happy, but we’ll see what happens."

Mikel Merino

Another name on Arteta's list accustomed to the Premier League is Euros-winning midfielder Mikel Merino, who spent a single season at Newcastle under Rafa Benitez in 2018 before returning to Spain.

Merino, who has just a year left on his Real Sociedad contract, scored Spain's 119th-minute winner against Germany on their way to winning Euro 2024 and is tempting the Gunners to sign a player who, at 28, is older than their typical recruit - a move they made when signing both Jorginho and Leandro Trossard.

Arteta admires the midfielder's 'talent' and 'physicality,' according to The Athletic, despite his somewhat dismal spell at Newcastle, and would cost the club just over £20million should they wish to make a deal happen.

The player has also admitted he would be open to playing elsewhere next season, speaking to Spanish media and stating: "I will meet with the club and my representative to see what they have to say to me and what they don’t, and we’ll see. You never know where football can take you, and I am willing to continue my career wherever my heart and my head ask me to.”