Andrea Berta given £137m shortlist as Arsenal winger axed and Declan Rice set for new role

Vinicius Jr and Bruno Guimaraes continue to be linked with moves to Arsenal, but, as it stands, Andrea Berta is still yet to welcome any big names to the Emirates Stadium this summer.

Andrea Berta has been urged to sign Bruno Guimaraes and Bradley Barcola. The Arsenal sporting director was expected to splash the cash and welcome some big names to the Emirates Stadium this summer, but he's yet to do so.

Despite ambitions to significantly bolster the squad, Berta has so far only managed to activate the option to sign Piero Hincapie permanently, get Illan Meslier on a free transfer, and secure the signature of Christos Tzolis.

With the Community Shield just a couple of weeks away, and the opening fixture of the Premier League soon after, the Italian is in a race against time to arm Mikel Arteta with the necessary tools to compete on all fronts.

In an interview with Ladbrokes, Emmanuel Frimpong explained what the Gunners need to do to defend their title as champions of England. The former Arsenal midfielder said: "They shouldn’t just win it once and be satisfied with that.

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"They have to keep on winning it now, and dominate just like how Man United and Man City have in the past. We’ve got the players, we’ve got a deep squad, and hopefully this summer, the board are going to strengthen further, because I still think we need a couple of wingers and a proper number eight.

"I feel like Declan Rice is playing in a position which isn’t natural to him, so we need a proper number eight alongside him. For me, when it comes to realistic signings this summer, with those positions in mind, I feel like Bruno Guimarães is someone I’d love to see at Arsenal."

football.london understands that Arsenal are interested in signing Guimaraes, whose contract at St. James' Park expires in June 2028. The 28-year-old midfielder has made Newcastle United aware of his desire to leave, with the Emirates Stadium said to be his favoured destination.

It's understood that the Gunners are also interested in signing Vinicius Jr, whose contract at the Santiago Bernabeu expires next year. The 26-year-old winger would prefer to extend his stay in the Spanish capital, but Real Madrid's unwillingness so far to compromise in negotiations over a new deal has begun to shift sentiment.

Arsenal higher-ups are said to be closely monitoring the situation and are ready to strike if the Brazil international decides not to sign a renewal. Overlooking Vinicius Jr as an option, Frimpong added: "And also Bradley Barcola… I think he would be very good for Arsenal. Barcola and Bruno Guimarães would be a very good transfer window for Arsenal."

If the former Arsenal midfielder were to have his way, the two deals would cost in the region of a combined €160m (£137m), according to Transfermarkt. Frimpong also tipped Gabriel Martinelli to leave.

He continued: "Of course, this is already a big squad though, so you would expect some players to leave this summer. For me, I expect Gabriel Martinelli to leave. I expect that to happen.

"You know, you can’t pay players that kind of money to be on the bench – especially Martinelli. He spent a lot of time on the bench last season, and for someone to be in the Brazil squad but on the bench so much, it’s not good for his profile.

"He’s been a very good servant for Arsenal, but I feel like it’s now the right time for him to move on. He’s probably second or third choice at the club now, and he hasn’t really performed to the standards required to be playing regularly for Arsenal, so I think he needs to find another club.

"Either way, though, regardless of who leaves, you have to keep investing and bringing in better players. I mean, the manager is good, but for me, it’s the players that win you games, not the manager.

"Last summer, I thought Arsenal bought really well, and they won the league because they invested in the team. But if you want to stay in that position and keep hold of the title, you need to go and invest again."

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