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Mikel Arteta open to further Arsenal signings after £105m Declan Rice transfer.
This summer, Mikel Arteta won’t rule out any additional Arsenal signings.
Following the signings of Kai Havertz from Chelsea and Jurrien Timber from Ajax, the Gunners’ summer spending has risen to above £200 million thanks to the £105 million deal they completed for Declan Rice over the weekend.
Romeo Lavia of Southampton has drawn interest from a number of teams, including Arsenal. Joao Cancelo of Manchester City has also been mentioned in connection with Arsenal.
When asked if Arsenal fans can expect more signings this summer, Arteta told Sky Sports: ‘Let’s see.
‘There’s a lot of time still in the market and a lot of expectations in some of our players as well.
‘We’ll have to see and how things develop in the next couple of weeks.
‘We’ll be alert. There’s still time to do things and there’s still time for exits obviously. I’m sure things will move.’
During his press conference in Washington on Monday, Arteta also explained the qualities Rice will bring to his Arsenal side.
‘It’s his leadership, his aura, the experience he already has in the league he is going to bring and the team to a different dimension I think,’ Arteta said.
‘He has the physical qualities we were missing for a while as well. That is why we had to do what we had to do to get him because he was really important for us to get him.
‘First of all he is a person and what he is going to bring to the team.
‘I see him like a lighthouse, that he is willing to put light in others and improve others and make the team better and that is a huge quality.
‘For me, to be a midfielder you have to have that and he’s got it 100 per cent and the way he talks and presents himself and the ambition he has and the passion towards the game and that is exactly what we needed.’
When asked when Arsenal decided to make a move for Rice, Arteta said: ‘It was was while ago.
‘We were discussing how he could evolve the team and how he could complement the players that we already have and give us more flexibility and quality and depth, and take that winning hunger into the team with players who really want to push themselves to a different level.
‘We have three new players who will be really important in that.’