Arsenal round-up: Frenchman set to be given £100m to spend; Fee agreed for Nigerian teenager; Wenger’s new contract

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Arsenal have formally announced that they have agreed a contract extension with Arsene Wenger with the Frenchman signing a new two-year deal. This brings to an end to months of uncertainty and underlines the faith that the board have in their long serving manager. The Gunners boss has told the official site that the club’s target for next season is to challenge for the Premier League title:

“I love this club and I am looking forward to the future with optimism and excitement. We are looking at what we do well and how we can be stronger everywhere. This is a strong group of players and with some additions we can be even more successful. We’re committed to mounting a sustained league challenge and that will be our focus this summer and next season.”

That is a huge statement from the manager, as Arsenal finished in 5^th position this season and the competition is only going to improve over the summer. Given the opposition to the manager, it is brave to give him a new two-year contract, but it will prevent a similar uncertainty unfolding this time next year. This summer is huge for the Frenchman and the club as there is no room for error in the transfer market if they are to emerge as title contenders.

The Evening Standard are reporting that the manager will be backed this summer with a budget of £100 million as the club seek to become title challengers. The club are in a good financial position and have put money aside to cover the loss of Champions League football. The report goes on to list Alexandre Lacazette, Kylian Mbappe, Thomas Lemar, Moussa Dembele and Jordan Pickford as potential targets.

There is a strong French bias in their transfer targets, but this is a league that Wenger knows well and all of the players mentioned would represent good signings for Arsenal. Mbappe is the one that would send out a huge statement of intent and excite the supporters. Given he would be guaranteed regular first team football, the teenage sensation may consider a move to North London. Regardless of who they are targeting, the Gunners need to be ruthless in the transfer market and get deals done quickly to give them the best chance of success.

There is one player that is already close to a move to the capital to join Arsenal and that is Henry Onyekuru. Sky Sports report that the Gunners have agreed a £6.8 million fee with his club KAS Eupen to bring him to the Premier League. Personal terms have yet to be agreed, but he is a Gunners fan and understood to be keen on a move to the Emirates Stadium. The Nigerian is the top scorer in the Jupiler League with 20 goals to his name.

The forward has a lot of pace and is best suited to playing as a left winger, but he can play a number of attacking roles. He is well suited to playing counter-attacking football, as he is quick and capable of beating opposition defenders on the dribble. Despite his tender age, Onyekuru is a cool finisher when a chance is presented to him. He may not be a huge name, but this is a smart piece of business from Arsenal as the forward has a lot of potential. It remains to be seen whether he will receive a work permit. If he does, he would provide an exciting dynamic option to add competition in attack.

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