Liverpool target refuses to rule out Arsenal transfer as Edu plots Bukayo Saka understudy swoop

Mikel Arteta will be keen to strengthen his squad this summer after missing out on the Premier League title – again. Arsenal have already been linked with numerous big names but, for now, it remains to be seen whether or not Edu will sanction another spending spree.

Last year, the Gunners forked out almost a quarter of a billion pounds on Declan Rice, Kai Havertz and Jurrien Timber. The north Londoners made plenty of sales to fund their spending spree, so perhaps Arteta is plotting another clear-out – Emile Smith Rowe and Reiss Nelson, in particular, face uncertain futures.

Whatever happens this summer, Arsenal won't want any progress going to waste with the Manchester clubs, Liverpool and Chelsea expected to wheel out the war chests. So, with that being said, football.london has rounded up the latest Arsenal news and transfer gossip on Saturday, June 1.

Arsenal target makes his feelings known

Arsenal have been given a major boost to their hopes of signing Johan Bakayoko from PSV Eindhoven this summer. The 21-year-old winger has been heavily linked with a move to the Emirates Stadium for a while now as Mikel Arteta looks to sign an understudy to Bukayo Saka.

"I didn’t talk about leaving so I didn’t understand why people were saying: ‘Oh, why didn’t he move?’ There was no option of leaving," he told The Athletic. "But that’s part of football. People give their opinion.

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"I see myself playing everywhere, anywhere. I follow the Premier League — I have friends there. I also have friends that play in Germany, so I watch a lot of games when they play. But this season I haven’t even talked about leaving. I was just thinking about preparing for the Euros, just trying my best to be fit."

football.london says: "Arsenal must sign a new right-winger this summer. Bukayo Saka plays far too many games for somebody who's widely regarded as the Gunners' leading talisman. 46 starts is absurd. The Englishman needs to be rested and preserved for the biggest and most important games of the campaign. At the end of this season, Saka looked exhausted!"

Aubameyang breaks his silence

Speaking to Colinterview on the 'Oh My Goal' show, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang lifted the lid on his feud with Mikel Arteta. The former Arsenal captain said: "I arrive, the coach finishes his meeting and then he grabs me and he completely tears into me.

"He’s totally tearing me apart, screaming at me. He says, ‘You stabbed me in the back. You can’t do this given all we’re going through.’ At that point, I tell myself that I’m not going to answer him because it’s going to become bad.

"I didn’t go out drinking… He knows exactly why I left. At the time I didn’t know why he was lecturing me so much."

football.london says: "Whether Aubameyang likes it or not, Arteta was absolutely right to offload him. Despite his great moments for Arsenal, the Spaniard's side looked far better following his exit. By stamping his authority on the squad, I think the players respected him as a manager a lot more. The Gunners have blossomed ever since."

Mbappe to Arsenal ruled out...

William Gallas has warned Mikel Arteta against signing Kylian Mbappe this summer. The 25-year-old forward has already confirmed that he'll be leaving Paris Saint-Germain following the expiration of his contract this month.

Speaking to Genting Casino, the former Chelsea and Arsenal defender said: "The football Arsenal play and their system would not suit Kylian Mbappe. He's a very intelligent player, and probably the best attacker in the world, with Vinicus Jr.

"But he needs to receive the ball all the time and Mbappe wants to make the difference in the game all by himself. Like how Vinicius Jr did against Bayern, where he controlled the game himself. Arsenal don't play like that, they play as a team, and Mbappe would not fit in that system."

football.london says: "No team can say no to Kylian Mbappe. Gabriel Martinelli has struggled this season, so the PSG ace would be a brilliant replacement on the left-wing. In fact, the 'Martinelli inside forward role' would be perfect for him.

"I think the main problems would be the Frenchman's wage demands, signing-on fee and attitude. Not behavioural, but his approach to the move. How can Arsenal guarantee that Mbappe won't push for an exit later down the line?"