It’s Gunner be another roller coaster for Mik
FOR all the criticism levelled at Arsenal in recent years, and every last drop has been justified, there can be no doubt Mikel Arteta is putting together a decent young team in what is proving to be a busy summer.
There will be no better piece of business done by the club this year than the extension of Emile Smith Rowe’s contract against the backdrop of two bids from Aston Villa.
Smith Rowe (below) 21, is a seriously gifted player who could go right to the top.
Bukayo Saka, 19, is now an established England international who will be hugely important for the club this season.
And £50million Ben White, 23, will be champing at the bit to show Arsenal were right to splash so much money on a player who has only 36 Premier League appearances.
Leicester’s attacking midfielder James Maddison remains a target for Arteta, while strikers Tammy Abraham of Chelsea and Lautaro Martinez of Inter Milan are both being looked at.
With the futures of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Alex Lacazette, Hector Bellerin, Ainsley Maitland-Niles, Joe Willock and Reiss Nelson still to be ironed out, this month promises to be hectic.
Arteta spoke several times last season about the need to redevelop his squad and the club is, at least, trying to back him after another disappointing campaign.
White might be the only big-fee signing so far, but Maddison would cost around £60m — a deal which could well include players going to the King Power.
Midfielder Albert Sambi Lokonga, 21, has been snapped up from Anderlecht for around £16m and promising left-back Nuno Tavares, also 21, has been brought in from Benfica for £7m as back-up to Kieran Tierney.
MANAGER: Mikel Arteta (left).
BIG SIGNING: Ben White (£50m from