Arsenal are preparing to face Brentford at the Emirates in the Premier League on Saturday. Manager Mikel Arteta will be desperate for a win after stumbling against Crystal Palace on Monday.
Meanwhile, Emmanuel Petit has said that Tammy Abraham could be perfect for the Gunners. Elsewhere, the north London side's five midfield targets for the summer have been revealed.
On that note, here's a look at the key Arsenal transfer stories as on 7th April 2022:
Emmanuel Petit says Tammy Abraham perfect for Arsenal
Former Arsenal midfielder Emmanuel Petit believes Tammy Abraham would be a fine fit at the Emirates.
The English striker left Chelsea to join AS Roma last summer and is reaping the benefits of regular first-team football. His superb form - 23 goals across competitions - has seen him linked with a move back to the Premier League, with the Gunners among his suitors.
Speaking to Genting Casino, as relayed by Goal, Petit pointed out that Abraham's decision to leave Stamford Bridge has been vindicated.
"Abraham reminds me of Emmanuel Adebayor, his physical presence in the penalty area. Abraham’s reaction when he arrived at Roma has been brilliant because he’s scored 15 [league] goals and has so many assists, so he’s enjoying his football there," said Petit.
“He went to Italy with the feeling of revenge for what happened at Chelsea. He’s not stupid, he will see what’s going on with the strikers at Chelsea with Romelu Lukaku and Timo Werner, they’re struggling. So maybe he’s thinking, ‘it would have been worse for me if I had stayed at Chelsea’. He made the right decision and he’s having a great season with Roma," said Petit.
The Frenchman added that Abraham would fit like a glove in the north London side.
“I’m pretty sure he wants to come back to England and he would fit perfectly at Arsenal because he’s a different player to Alexandre Lacazette with a different style, different physique and he’s a goalscorer. Even at Chelsea he was scoring goals, not as many as he wanted, but he’s 24 years old so he still has a lot to learn," said Petit.
Gunners' five midfield targets revealed
Arsenal have shortlisted five players to address their midfield conundrum this summer, according to Caught Offside.
Mikel Arteta wants an upgrade on Granit Xhaka, while Mohamed Elneny is all set to leave. The Spaniard is on the lookout for the perfect partner for Thomas Partey and has five names on his wishlist.
The Gunners are already monitoring Youri Tielemans with interest. Apart from the Belgian, Arteta also has his eyes on Kalvin Phillips, Ruben Neves and Douglas Luiz.
The north London side also have Napoli midfielder Fabian Ruiz on their radar. A final decision is yet to be made, with Arteta eager to bring in the right personnel to fit his tactics.
Mikel Arteta interested in Ezri Konsa
Arsenal are keeping a close eye on Ezri Konsa, according to Football Insider.
The 24-year-old defender could be allowed to leave Aston Villa this summer. Steven Gerrard has already informed the player's entourage that the club could listen to offers for him. The Gunners are planning to take him to the Emirates.
Arteta invested heavily in Ben White last summer but wants more options at the back. There's a dearth of quality in the centre-back position outside the starting XI. The north London side hope to address the issue by roping in Konsa.