Mikel Arteta explains how Harry Kane Tottenham transfer exit will impact Arsenal plans

Transfer news: Who could be on the move this summer?

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Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has claimed that Manchester City, Manchester United and Chelsea’s shared interest in Tottenham forward Harry Kane shows that the Premier League is continuing to grow ever stronger, with the Spaniard admitting that the Gunners will need to keep up in order to avoid falling further away from the division’s upper reaches. Arsenal have endured a torrid time this season, with the north London heavyweights languishing in mid-table and making premature exits from all of the cup competitions.

Arteta’s side can still finish as high as seventh if they manage to beat Brighton and Hove Albion on Sunday afternoon, but the Gunners will need both Spurs and Everton to lose or draw their respective matches.

This season has been one of their worst in recent memory, with Arteta failing to impress during his first full campaign at the helm.

As a result, a mass exodus is expected to be on the cards this summer as the 39-year-old looks to lead a large-scale overhaul of his playing squad.

The likes of Hector Bellerin, Bernd Leno and Sead Kolasinac could all be made available with the Gunners looking to supplement their transfer budget through player sales.

Their local rivals also seem to be facing a summer of significant change, with Kane eager to seek a new challenge away from Spurs ahead of next season.

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Speaking on Saturday ahead of Brighton’s visit to the Emirates Stadium, Arteta told reporters that the England skipper’s transfer saga proves that the Premier League’s biggest clubs are never satisfied with their current options.

The San Sebastian native also suggested that Arsenal will be aiming to emulate their divisional rivals by targeting a number of top-class additions this summer.

“This is the level and this is the competition in this country,” said Arteta. “The other top teams, they are going to go big in the summer.

“There are five teams that everybody is supposed to think that they have. So, they’re going to invest, they’re going to improve their squads and they’re not going to stop where they are.”

When quizzed directly on whether Arsenal will need to match the efforts of City, United and Chelsea ahead of next season, Arteta replied: “There is no other way to do it.”

The Gunners will be forced to deal with a number of their own impending departures in the coming months, with loanee pair Martin Odegaard and Dani Ceballos set to return to Real Madrid at the end of the campaign.

Meanwhile, Willian is also expected to leave the club after just one season despite penning a deal until 2023 upon his arrival.

Arteta has already spoken of his desire to engineer a major reshuffle this summer, claiming back in March that there will be no room for error as he looks to strengthen the club’s ranks.

“We don’t know yet because we have so many things to do,” said Arteta.

“We have people on loan, people finishing contracts. There has been a lot going on in the last two transfer windows. The amount of things that had to be done [last summer] was probably unprecedented and it will be again in the summer.

“We are trying to put a plan together to see the resources that we have, how much we want to improve, how we’re going to do it and at what cost. There are so many factors, it’s not just about one thing or an [financial] amount.

“It’s about the project and, time-wise, how to build it is going to take some effort from everybody and we know that. The challenging moments that we are facing at the moment is making it even harder.”

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