David Raya is the only addition Arsenal has made thus far during this transfer window, extending his loan stay at the Emirates until the 2024–2025 Premier League season.
But according to journalist Fabrizio Romano, defender Riccardo Calafiori is expected to be the team’s second summer addition after passing his medical and traveling to the US to join the squad.
Although it appears that Mikel Arteta has finally emerged victorious in the race for the Italian job, the Spaniard still desires midfield reinforcements to increase his team’s chances of winning the Premier League this year.
In an attempt to take advantage of his contract situation, Mikel Merino is the most recent name to be linked to a move to the Emirates. He has begun talks with Real Sociedad regarding a potential deal for the Euro 2024 winner.
Arteta’s team should be all over a move for Merino’s international teammate, who may be available this summer for a great price, despite the progress of the negotiations.
This summer, Arsenal ought to move to sign talent for £51 million.
Dani Olmo, a midfielder for RB Leipzig, has been linked to Arsenal in recent weeks following his stellar performance for Spain at Euro 2024.
The Spaniard has impressed with three goals and two assists at the European Championships this summer. Manchester City, Manchester United, and Chelsea are also fans of the player, so the Gunners will need to move quickly to sign him.
Thanks to his performances at Euro 2024, the Spanish talent is now receiving the recognition he so richly deserves.
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He reportedly has a €60 million (£51 million) release clause in his current contract with the Bundesliga team, which is a great deal for a player of his caliber.
Even though he had a great tournament this summer, Olmo’s 2023–24 Bundesliga statistics are equally impressive, placing him in the same league as a player who has recently made a breakthrough.
Why Olmo is ideal for Odegaard and comparable to Musiala as a player
Jamal Musiala, who plays for German powerhouse Bayern Munich, has solidified his status as one of the finest young players in world football during the past few years.
The 21-year-old has made 163 appearances for the team since making his first-team debut back in 2020, tallying 43 goals and dishing out the same number of assists. That’s an average of one goal contribution every 0.5 games for Bayern.
Nevertheless, despite his stellar numbers, Olmo has equaled or exceeded some of the German star’s stats per 90 in 2023–2024, according to FBref, who rates the Spaniard as a comparable player.
Journalist Victor Catalina characterized Olmo as a “world-class” player who played in the Bundesliga. He contributed more assists per 90 games than Musiala, despite having fewer combined goals and assists than the German.
Along with matching the Bayern star for progressive carries into the final third, he also recorded the same amount of passes per ninety. These qualities made him the ideal partner for current Arsenal star Martin Odegaard, as the two love to get the ball and play forward whenever possible.
Olmo’s 4.7 recoveries per 90 plays show that he fits the mold of the Norwegian, who thrived in a box-to-box role last season, recovering possession before playing forward and providing the necessary disruptions to unleash his creative side.
This season, Merino might be a less expensive option for the Gunners, but Olmo has many advantages that would help Arteta’s team. Being a versatile option with the ability to impact both ends of the pitch, he can play in several roles across the midfield.
A player of his caliber would fetch £51 million in today’s market, so the Gunners must move fast to sign him given the intense competition from other English teams.