Arsenal plot transfer overhaul as Mikel Arteta targets up to six signings

The club are also exploring the possibility of signing a winger, left-sided centre-back and right-back in a bid to help re-establish themselves as a Champions League team.

Whether they qualify for the Champions League next season will determine the size of Arsenal’s budget in the summer transfer market, but they are ready to spend on players they believe can take them to the next level.

Arsenal retain an interest in strikers Alexander Isak, Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Jonathan David, while Benfica’s Darwin Nunez is another player being tracked.

The Gunners are also admirers of Armando Broja but fear it is unlikely Chelsea would be willing to do business with them in the summer at the end of his loan deal with Southampton. Both Broja and Nunez are also of interest to West Ham.

In midfield, Arsenal are long-term admirers of Douglas Luiz, Ruben Neves and Youri Tielemans. Luiz and Tielemans will both have one year left on their respective contracts in the summer and neither are close to signing an extension.

Arsenal have also scouted two young midfielders this season in Palmeiras’ Danilo and Carney Chukwuemeka of Aston Villa, suggesting two arrivals could come in that position.

Arteta looked at signing a striker in January, but Dusan Vlahovic was only keen on a move to Juventus and huge agent fees were also a stumbling block. David, meanwhile, had no intention of leaving Lille mid-season.

The Gunners also considered signing a wide forward in January and it is understood they held preliminary talks over a loan for Dejan Kulusevski before he eventually joined rivals Tottenham.

Juventus, as was the case with Arthur Melo, wanted more concrete clauses included over making the move permanent and Arsenal’s approach never got off the ground, despite them pointing to Martin Odegaard as an example to Juve of how a successful loan could turn out.

Kulusevski, for his part, was pleased by Tottenham’s offer as he was keen to work under Antonio Conte and play regular football.

Arsenal are interested in Middlesbrough’s Djed Spence, who is also wanted by Spurs, but a right-back is lower down their list of priorities.

Arsenal are in pole position to finish fourth this season following eight wins in their last 10 League matches. A return to the Champions League for the first time since 2016-17 would boost their spending power.

The future of striker Alexandre Lacazette, out of contract in the summer, will be resolved at the end of the season and Lyon have already made their interest public.

Crystal Palace are hopeful of signing Eddie Nketiah, another player out of contract in June, given their long-standing interest, but the England Under-21 striker is still assessing his options.

Dinos Mavropanos and Matteo Guendouzi are expected to make their loan moves to Stuttgart and Marseille permanent. The same goes for Lucas Torreira at Fiorentina. Ainsley Maitland-Niles and Pablo Mari are expected to attract interest after loan spells in Italy, meanwhile.

Space is opening up in the Arsenal squad for William Saliba and he has impressed during his loan at Marseille this season. Nicolas Pepe’s future will need to be resolved as the winger will have two years left on his contract come the summer.