Gabriel Jesus, Victor Osimhen and Your Tielemans in, Alexandre Lacazette out – Arsenal line-up as Mikel Arteta targets summer transfers, including a new striker and central midfielder

Arsenal appear ready for another busy summer transfer window as manager Mikel Arteta looks to build on his success this season.

The faith shown in the Spaniard is starting to pay dividends as the Gunners are in pole position to qualify for the 2021/22 Champions League campaign.

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Arteta is starting to get his squad in shape with the near £150million spent last summer proving to be brilliant investments.

Everyone signed was under the age of 23 and have made telling contributions already for the club.

Some eyebrows were raised when Arsenal spent £50million on Ben White and then £35million on Aaron Ramsdale, but few question marks around those signings remain.

There continues to be a huge overhaul at the club with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang leaving in January, while Alexandre Lacazette and Eddie Nketiah set to leave on free transfers at the end of the season.

This creates a gaping hole in Arteta’s squad and reports claim that two strikers is on the Gunners boss’ wish list as well as a midfielder.

On Arsenal’s summer plans, technical director Edu told : "The budget we used last summer, we prefer to use it to rebalance the squad.

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"There was no point in signing one or two players [in January], the squad was not prepared to absorb two players, we needed to re-balance the squad. Maybe next season we can go to one or two players.

"Today we find a much more balanced squad. Our planning has already been done, it has already reached the owners. It's a matter of step by step, how we are going to finish the season and to put in plan the planning that I'm very excited about.”

It is understood Edu and Arteta are interested in a versatile player who can operate both wide and through the middle – with Gabriel Jesus emerging as their No. 1 target.

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The Man City forward looks set to leave the club as they target Erling Haaland this summer.

Jesus would certainly fit the bill for the Gunners following his four goals against Watford at the weekend.

Bayer Leverkusen star Patrik Schick and Napoli man Victor Osimhen have also been linked with the second vacant spot up front in the Gunners’ squad.

Club legend Ray Parlour has called on his old side to take a look at Brentford striker Ivan Toney.

In terms of midfield options, Arsenal continue to be linked with Leicester’s Youri Tielemans, with reports that his fee could be as low as £35million.

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It will be all change in the summer and marvelbet369.com has taken a look at how the Gunners could line-up.

4-2-3-1

Arteta has favoured a 4-2-3-1 formation at Arsenal, but Lacazette has struggled to provide that goalscoring threat behind the creative talents of Emile Smith Rowe, Martin Odegaard and Bukayo Saka.

Jesus could thrive with getting all those chances and lift Arsenal to the next level.

The Brazilian is also adept at playing out wide and could be pushed there to accommodate another striker in the starting line-up, like Osimhen.

Tielemans could slot in alongside Thomas Partey, while the defence of Kieran Tierney, Gabriel, Ben White and Takehiro Tomiyasu looks solid.

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4-4-2

If Arteta wants to play with two out and out strikers then he could revert to the classic 4-4-2.

Smith Rowe and Saka have proved they can be a threat from out wide and provide plenty of service to the strikers.

Tielemans and Partey would provide a strong midfield, with the former more than comfortable going forward and has scored six Premier League goals for Leicester this season.

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3-1-4-2

Arteta could also switch to a three at the back in order to accommodate any new signings.

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Tierney has played in a back three before and could slot in alongside Gabriel and White, with Smith Rowe and Saka as the wingbacks.

Odegaard would then feature in midfield alongside Partey to provide plenty of opportunities to the strikers.

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