Clubs are beginning to make their moves ahead of the summer transfer window as rumours start to circulate over which stars could make big switches. Arsenal are one of those sides already eyeing some targets for the coming months, with Declan Rice one of the top targets for the Gunners, who are hopeful of closing the gap to Manchester City at the top.
Chelsea already have a few deals completed as Christopher Nkunku looks set to join at the start of the window, while youngster Kendry Paez is also set to make a switch. The big focus for the Blues is likely to be a striker though, with the side in desperate need to find some goals.
Meanwhile Tottenham are looking to build a new project under their next head coach, while Harry Kane's future is in doubt heading into the summer. Elsewhere, plenty of other rivals are also going to be making their moves in the market to try and land their targets too.
With that said, keep the blog on lock as we bring you all the latest transfer news.
Christopher Nkunku, Andrey Santos, Malo Gusto and any returning loanees will all be added to Chelsea's squad for next season. It could take the initial number of players up to nearly 40. For the new coach, heavily expected to be Mauricio Pochettino, it poses a massive question.
It is also a challenge. How to deal with it, who to cut from the group, just what number is the happy medium to provide squad depth but not too much and is this all possible? It's certainly a big task. This is without factoring in more arrivals coming in during the transfer window.
These are widely covered issues that face the prospective new boss at SW6. Another big sliding doors problem is the unknown future for Mason Mount. Whilst the season enters its final weeks the 24-year-old is recovering from injury. All of this comes whilst his contract prepares to enter the final 12 months.
Transfer guru Fabrizio Romano has delivered an update on Arsenal and Chelsea's pursuit of Valencia midfielder Yunus Musah.
Speaking to CaughtOffside, Romano said: “I’ve mentioned Arsenal and Chelsea’s interest in Yunus Musah and it is the case that they are following Musah since January; Inter as well,”
“At the moment it’s just scouting and not advanced yet, but Musah has good chances to move this summer.”
As per transfer guru Florian Plettenberg, Manchester United are the team pushing the most to sign Frankfurt striker Randal Kolo Muani.
football.london has taken a look at a number of Arsenal players that have been linked with moves away from the Emirates Stadium and the current shirt numbers they wear for Arteta's side.
We've taken a look at the numbers potentially available for new signings.
Mount, 24, is likely to leave this summer with a stalemate in contract talks, which have not been revisited since February, while Loftus-Cheek, 27, and Hudson-Odoi, 22, also face uncertain futures. Gallagher, 23, has two years left on his deal and is believed to have come close to leaving in January.
Jose Mourinho might be about to deliver Chelsea their perfect Joao Felix transfer alternative as a summer of bargain deals awaits. Due to the now extremely likely prospect of having no European football whatsoever at Stamford Bridge next season it will a different market for the Blues.
As opposed to the summer, one in which they spent over £250m before following that up with over £300m in the winter as well, Chelsea will have to be wary of serious financial constraints. Their so-far unresolved sponsorship void as well as reduced revenue without the Champions League means a summer of sales is more likely than flashy buys.
This all means that when the new owners and their rejigged recruitment team come to plan for new players - which they undoubtedly will given the gaps in midfield and up-front specifically - it will have to be with care. Chelsea can no longer afford to keep making big-money mistakes.
According to Spaish outlet Sport, Ansu Fati’s agent Jorge Mendes has told Barcelona that the young winger will bring the club around £61m this summer if he is to move to a Premier League club.
Fati has previously been mooted as a target for Arsenal.
Barcelona could still opt for a sensational transfer move to bring Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang back to the club this summer.
The Gabonese international is surplus to requirements at Chelsea, following the arrivals of Ukrainian star Mykhailo Mudryk, and Atletico Madrid loanee Joao Felix.
Aubameyang has only managed one Premier League goal this season, after joining the Blues at the start of 2022/23, and the club are open to letting him go.
La Blaugrana are considering a possible move for the veteran striker, as their financial situation has improved, with Chelsea open to a free transfer.
An expected firesale of Chelsea’s home-grown players this summer would lead some staff from the club’s renowned academy to consider their positions.
Chelsea face having to raise substantial amounts of cash to avoid breaching the Premier League’s financial rules next year after reporting large losses in March for a second successive season.
Selling home-grown players would allow Chelsea, who have spent about £600 million in the past two transfer windows, to ease those pressures and potentially invest further this summer, with the profit from those sales balancing transfer fees that have been spread over long contracts for new arrivals.
According to Football Insider, Newcastle United are willing to pay Barcelona’s £50 million-60 million asking price for winger Raphinha this summer.
The former Leeds United attacker has previously been linked with both Arsenal and Chelsea before he signed for the Blaugrana instead last year.
Bad news for Chelsea and Real Madrid as AC Milan star Rafael Leao is close to extending his stay at the Italian club.
As per La Gazzetta dello Sport, the reigning Serie A champions have held talks with Leao over signing a new deal and reportedly the Portuguese international has agreed to extend his stay at the club by another five years.
Chelsea remain confident in securing Mason Mount's long-term future as the Blues look to fend off interest from Liverpool, Bayern Munich and Arsenal.
Mount has just a year left on his current deal at Stamford Bridge and has been heavily linked with a switch to Anfield. Jurgen Klopp is a huge admirer of the Chelsea midfielder whilst Thomas Tuchel wants to reunite with Mount at Bayern.
Chelsea are confident Mason Mount will turn down approaches from Bayern Munich and Liverpool and sign a new deal. (Source: @footyinsider247)
Speaking ahead of the Chelsea clash, he said: We are going to look at what we can do, and what is the best strategy for us to move forward, to improve and reach the level that we want to reach.
“It is going to be another competitive summer and window because there are going to be eight or 10 clubs with huge capacities to improve, and we know that.”
Brentford star Ivan Toney could be on the move this summer with a number of Premier League clubs expected to be interested.
The English forward has scored 20 Premier League goals this season, behind only Erling Haaland (34) and Harry Kane (25). Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano has now provided an update on the status of Toney ahead of the summer.
Romano said in his Caught Offside column:“Things with Ivan Toney could move in the summer. At the moment there’s not something concrete with clubs, but I’m told he’s open to make a top club move in the summer so it’s one to watch for sure."
Charlie Patino set to leave Arsenal permanently this summer, as per The Athletic.
The 19-year-old wants regular first team football which is unlikely under Mikel Arteta next season. Patino prefers to leave on a permanent deal rather than be loaned out again.
The Gunners are receptive and ready to help facilitate a transfer exit for the youngster as interest builds from UK clubs and abroad.
Wilfried Zaha is attracting interest from Arsenal, Juventus, Chelsea and Barcelona. The 30-year old becomes a free agent this summer.
Crystal Palace are hoping to agree a new contract with Zaha but it looks increasingly likely that he will leave the club this summer when his contract expires.
Tottenham now know how much they will have pay for Leicester City midfielder James Maddison.
The Foxes are in serious danger of being relegated from the Premier League which would almost certainly confirm a departure for Maddison.
Manchester City are also in the race as Pep Guardiola eyes a major midfield overhaul and now a new report has revealed a departure is guaranteed regardless of what happens this season.
According to the Telegraph, Maddison will leave the club and interested parties must pay between £45-60m to sign the England interantional.
Speaking to De Telegraaf, Timber said, "A transfer is getting closer and closer, so to speak. There is a lot of concrete interest and I have made agreements with Ajax. Last year Ajax asked me to stay for at least one more season and to extend my contract. As a club boy, I did that with love and after the season we will review the situation.
"At the Dutch national team, I often talk to boys who play football abroad. I want to take that step someday. But when that is, you will eventually hear and it will happen in consultation with Ajax. I'm still here anyway and I'm in no hurry. The focus is now on the cup final and the remainder of the competition."
Liverpool and Arsenal have been linked with a move for the Southampton defender Armel Bella-Kotchap. The 21-year-old joined Southampton at the start of the season and he has impressed with his performances for the Premier League club.
According to a report from Give Me Sport, clubs like Liverpool and Arsenal have been linked with the player in recent weeks.
Journalist Dean Jones has now revealed to the publication that both Liverpool and Arsenal have monitored the player in the past and they could look to return for him this summer.
“Bella-Kotchap’s performance levels, even in tough times they’ve been pretty good. Tough to know exactly who would be willing to take a punt on him, but to know just where he was at even before he came to Saints.
“Liverpool would have had an eye on him before, I don’t know whether they would be looking to come back in for him, but they’ve been suitors before. Arsenal could well have a look again, knowing that they’ve got to probably make a signing in that area of the pitch.
“So it will be interesting to see whether they rekindle interest.”
The £17 million rated defender is a prodigious talent with a big future ahead of him and he could prove to be a solid, long-term acquisition for the two Premier League clubs.
A number of clubs are in the hunt for Inter goalkeeper Andre Onana ahead of the summer transfer window.
SempreInter have reported that Chelsea are leading Manchester United and Barcelona in the race for Inter goalkeeper Onana.
A swap deal involving Kepa Arrizabalaga was swiftly rejected but Inter's interest in Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Trevoh Chalobah could help the move along.
Inter have reportedly told Chelsea that they want as much as €40 million (£35 million) in transfer fees for the 27-year-old Cameroonian goalkeeper.
Mikel Arteta wants to hold talks with Declan Rice as soon as the season ends, according to The Mirror. The Arsenal boss is increasingly confident he can land the West Ham midfielder despite the Gunners’ faltering title bid.
Rice’s contract runs until next summer with the option of another a year and he has rejected offers of a new deal. The England international, 24, who has 41 caps, is keen to stay in London and is interested in a switch to the Emirates.
football.london reported in January that the Gunners are prioritising a move for Rice this summer as Arteta looks to bolster his midfield.
Chelsea could step up their pursuit of Southampton midfielder Romeo Lavia in the summer transfer window.
Mauricio Pochettino is expected to arrive as the next permanent Blues boss and journalist Dean Jones has revealed Lavia likely one of the names the Argentine has scouted.
Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, he said: "The fact that Mauricio Pochettino has been out of football for a little while means that he'd have been drawing up his own plans, spotting some players around Europe that he feels like would be a good fit for certain teams that he might have had a chance of ending up at.
"So yeah, Lavia is definitely one of interest but he won't be the only one.”
Both Arsenal and Chelsea are scouting Valencia midfielder Yunus Musah ahead of the summer transfer window.
The 20-year-old USMNT star impressed at the 2022 Qatar World Cup and thus alerted several clubs across Europe, particularly in the Premier League, with Liverpool also among those interested.
Now, with the next transfer window close to opening, Fabrizio Romano has delivered a significant update on his future.
In his Caught Offside column, Romano wrote: “I’ve mentioned Arsenal and Chelsea’s interest in Yunus Musah and it is the case that they are following Musah since January; Inter as well.
“At the moment it’s just scouting and not advanced yet, but Musah has good chances to move this summer.”
Arsenal have been given yet another update in their long-standing pursuit of Dusan Vlahovic.
The Gunners first tried to sign the Serb in January 2022 but he opted to stay in Italy and sign for Juventus from Fiorentina.
Despite smashing in the goals in Florence, Vlahovic has struggled for numerous reasons in Turin which looks to have opened up the possibility of Arsenal signing him.
According to Tutto Mercato Web, Vlahovic's agent has offered the forward to Mikel Arteta and Arsenal. Despite his obvious struggled, Juventus are demanding €70 million (£62 million) to sanction his exit.
Manchester United have reportedly made Roma striker Tammy Abraham an alternative summer transfer option to Tottenham talisman Harry Kane.
With there no guarantee that Kane can be lured to Old Trafford, Gazzetta dello Sport reports that United are also monitoring former Chelsea frontman Abraham. The 25-year-old England international hit 27 goals for Roma last season – making history in the process as the highest-scoring Englishman across a single Serie A campaign - with a further nine efforts added to that tally this term.
After conceding 11 goals in four games, it could be defensive frailties that end up costing Arsenal in the Premier League title race, thus decisions have to be made in the summer transfer window.
Regardless of how this season finishes, if the Gunners want to mount another title challenge in the 2023/34 campaign and give a good account of themselves in the Champions League they'll need to tighten up at the back otherwise it will almost certainly prove to be a factor that stops them from achieving success.
Of course, with the summer transfer window just around the corner, Mikel Arteta's side are being linked with defensive reinforcements as Ivan Fresneda, Josip Sutalo andDevyne Rensch are just a few names that have been tipped to arrive at the Emirates Stadium in the next few months.
Arsenal are looking to add more quality to their attack and they have identified Allan Saint-Maximin as a potential target.
According to a report from Fichajes, Mikel Arteta is looking to add more flair and creativity in the wide areas and he could look to make a move for the 26-year-old. The Gunners would be willing to pay close to €30million (£26m) for the Newcastle star.
It remains to be seen whether Newcastle are prepared to let him leave at the end of the season. The Magpies do not need the money and they might not be willing to strengthen a direct rival either.
In addition to that, Newcastle will be playing in the Champions League next season. They will need a deeper squad to compete on all fronts. Allan Saint-Maximin remains an important player for Newcastle despite his inconsistencies.
Former Tottenham and Liverpool midfielder Jamie Redknapp has urged Daniel Levy to hijack Arsenal's transfer pursuit of Declan Rice. Spurs have dropped down to sixth in the Premier League following their dramatic 4-3 defeat against Liverpool at Anfield on Sunday.
Many things need to change at Tottenham before they begin to consistently challenge for titles and trophies, but Redknapp believes signing Hammers' captain Rice should be a priority for Levy this summer.