Midfield is set to be one of the main areas Arsenal invest in this summer, and according to reports, Mikel Arteta is plotting a bid to sign FC Porto star Vitinha.
Reports suggest that a bid has been rejected for the 22-year-old midfielder already, with Arsenal and Manchester United the two favourites to sign Vitinha in what is set to be a career-changing summer for the young Portuguese midfielder.
As one of the stars for Porto last season in their Primeira Liga title win, interest will be high in Vitinha in the coming months. And with Arsenal now firmly in the race for the midfield maestro, what could the Gunners’ potential starting XI look like for next season?
With Arteta also looking at signing a world-class attacker, Arsenal’s XI can elevate to a new level in the coming months, with Vitinha taking up a key role in the midfield should the north London side land the Porto talent.
Aaron Hickey replaces injury-ridden Kieran Tierney at left-back
For the first time in a while, the defence isn’t an urgent area of concern for Arsenal, with Arteta last season finding a winning formula that worked to a tee when all the right players were fit and ready to play.
However, therein lies the issue, with Kieran Tierney spending most of his Arsenal career out on the injury table, which has this summer resulted in the Gunners being linked to Scottish youngster Aaron Hickey, with Nuno Tavares reportedly set to leave north London on loan.
Aside from the Bologna talent, though, the defence is largely the same from last season, with Gabriel Maghelese and Ben White forming the spine of the backline with Aaron Ramsdale between the sticks and Takehiro Tomiyasu reclaiming his spot at right-back.
Vitinha signs for £35m as Granit Xhaka drops to the bench
As mentioned, the midfield is set for a major reshuffle this summer, with a quality central midfielder set to join Arsenal and likely partner Thomas Partey and Martin Odegaard as Granit Xhaka will seemingly drop to the bench.
With the 104-cap Switzerland international no longer in the midfield, it allows Vitinha to join the Arsenal fiesta alongside Partey and Odegaard. Though if reports are to be believed, Youri Tielemans is also an option for the Gunners.
Indeed, one of the midfielders now looks set to join Arsenal, and with the position once again getting younger and more agile, Vitinha, who has a £35m release clause, will be a welcome addition in north London following on from his incredible year with Porto.
Cody Gakpo and Gianluca Scamacca form a new-look front-three
Midfield might be an important area for Arsenal to solve this summer, but the attack could, arguably, be the biggest cause of concern for Arteta and supporters. However, links to forwards have been abundant in the past few weeks.
One striker who has been heavily rumoured with a move to the red side of north London is Gianluca Scamacca, with the Italian international even reportedly being subject to a bid from Arsenal that was swiftly rejected by Sassuolo.
With the 24-year-old leading the line with Bukayo Saka out on the right, Cody Gakpo could be a solid addition on the left, with the PSV winger also being heavily linked with Arsenal much to the dismay of Gabriel Martinelli, who made the position his own last season under Arteta.
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