It was a rare weekend off for
Arsenal ahead of the international break as the Gunners were afforded a brief period to catch their breath before the onslaught of the end of the season. Mikel Arteta's side were due to face
Chelsea this weekend but the west
London team were in FA Cup action. That has left Arsenal with some time to take stock and recharge having discovered their opponents in the
Champions League on Friday. Bayern Munich await in the quarter-final of the competition, with
Real Madrid or
Manchester City their possible rivals at the semi-final stage. ]The pressure cooker will certainly heat up when club action returns and the Gunners attempt to win both European and
Premier League glory. With that said, Mirror
Football takes a look at the latest Arsenal news. Watch the Premier League title race with the best Sky Sports deals Fans furious after UEFA decision on Arsenal & Man City Champions League matches Gunners fixture confirmed While Arsenal never had any FA Cup action of their own, the outcome of the quarter-finals did impact the Gunners' fixture list. With the semi-finals of the competition set to fall on the weekend of April 20/21, progression for Wolves would have seen Arsenal's match with the Midlands team postponed. That can often be a source of frustration as fixtures congest in the final weeks of the season but would have spared them a tricky clash following their Champions League quarter-final second leg away to Bayern Munich. Wolves have already defeated Spurs, Chelsea and Man City at home and pushed
Liverpool close. Arteta will have to ensure his team are prepared for matches every three days or so however after Gary O'Neil's side lost in dramatic
fashion, 3-2 to Coventry City. For more on Arsenal's fixtures. Release clause The cut and thrust of the Premier League season remains but attention is never too far away from the transfer window. Perhaps, the international break-even affords the opportunity to lay down plans for the summer without the distractions of a normal day-to-day schedule. Talk of a new striker was rife in January as the Gunners struggled to find the net but the north London side have since become the league's top scorers. Edu was calm over the prospect of adding a No.9 and earlier this year stated plans were already in place for the summer. Edu has been Arsenal's technical director since 2019 ( Image: Getty Images) "I understand why the fans are asking for [a No.9] but we already have our targets planned, we know what we’re going to face," he admitted to TNT Sports in February "I’d be worried if we weren’t scoring goals or creating chances but we are doing that right now. The plan is to try and get better every year, we’re at a good moment right now and so it’s about improving step-by-step." One player who could be on the agenda is Benjamin Sesko who has scored 11 times in 34 appearances for RB Leipzig this term. Reports suggest the 20-year-old forward could be available for £43million this summer due to a release clause in his contract with the Bundesliga side. Busy summer ahead There was nothing in the way of incoming transfers in the first month of 2024 but that could be set to change for Arsenal in the summer. The Gunners could be set for a flurry of activity in and out of the club according to reporter David Ornstein. Fans furious as
BBC cameras miss Chelsea own goal in FA Cup clash Bayern Munich release Harry Kane statement as
England striker suffers ankle injury He said: “There are players like Aaron Ramsdale, Kieran Tierney, Nuno Tavares, Albert Sambi Lokonga, Thomas Partey, Jorginho, Emile Smith Rowe, Fabio Vieira, Reiss Nelson, and Eddie Nketiah who have questions surrounding their futures. Therefore, we could definitely see a reasonable number of exits, and Arsenal have an opportunity there to raise significant funds to help their financial situation and fund incoming business. “On transfer priorities, my understanding is that there will be a striker, and I touched on some of the potential names previously. Then there is a desire to add a backup for Saka/Martinelli, a No.8 or No.6 depending on other movements in that area, possibly a left-back and a backup goalkeeper if Ramsdale leaves.” Join our new
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