Arsenal have begun their summer transfer business with a bang, securing a move for Kai Havertz, who joins from Chelsea, while a deal to bring Declan Rice to the Emirates looks set to be announced anytime soon.
With the Gunners finishing second behind Manchester City in the Premier League last season, Mikel Arteta will be hoping to go one better during 2023/24 and improving his first-team squad is vital this summer.
They could even make a move for Moises Caicedo in order to give their midfield that extra edge, although it appears as though Chelsea are frontrunners with regard to that move.
If a move for the Ecuador international doesn’t occur, it appears as though the Gunners could potentially launch a bid for Real Madrid midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni according to one report.
This could cost Arsenal around €100m (£86m) however, with the La Liga side looking to recoup the fee they paid AS Monaco last summer.
Could Arsenal sign Aurelien Tchouameni this summer?
Although it does seem unlikely, anything can happen in the transfer window and with Arteta keen to build a squad which will be able to challenge the might of City, the Frenchman could be a stunning addition.
He enjoyed a relatively solid debut campaign for Madrid, ranking seventh across the squad for his overall Sofascore rating (7.13/10), while ranking third for accurate passes per game (47.8), first for tackles per game (1.9) and interceptions per game (1.5), underlining how important his defensive attributes were to the club.
The Frenchman is among the finest on the continent for a host of defensive metrics, ranking in the top 1% for interceptions per 90, top 8% for clearances per 90 and top 11% for aerials won across Europe’s big five leagues.
Carlo Ancelotti lauded him towards the end of last season, saying: “The future will be bright too; we have top talents like Tchouaméni, Camavinga, Valverde, Ceballos… and they will make history too. It’s different than the others but they’ll be great”.
Madrid appears to be keen on retaining his services ahead of next season, and there is no doubt the young "monster" – as described by France Under-21 boss Sylvain Ripoll – will get better, taking a while to settle into the demands of playing for a club the stature of Real.
He could certainly be a viable Caicedo alternative if Arteta was to secure a wonderful move for the French midfielder, and it would send a big statement of intent out to their rivals, indicating that last season was no fluke, and they are ready to win trophies.
