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How Arsenal boss Unai Emery could save MILLIONS this summer on transfer deals
ARSENAL boss Unai Emery may look to strengthen his first-team squad by integrating several of the club’s promising youngsters into the group.
Arsenal want players with 'experience and youth' says insider
That’s according to Arsenal insider David Ornstein of BBC Sport.
The Gunners boss will once again have to work with limited funds this summer, potentially as little as £40million, as he looks to build on his first year in charge.
Those funds could be increased if Arsenal beat Chelsea in the Europa League final in a fortnight, however.
Yet with centre-back and a new box-to-box midfielder Emery’s two main priorities, the Spanish coach could bolster his squad in other positions by looking to the club’s up-and-coming prospects.
Among those who could step up include Emile Smith-Rowe, who spent the second half of the campaign on loan with Bundesliga outfit RB Leipzig after featuring for Arsenal’s first team earlier in the year.
The 18-year-old scored twice in the Europa League and also found the back of the net in a Carabao Cup win over Blackpool but injuries meant he played less than 10 minutes for Leipzig in Germany’s first division.
Young winger Reiss Nelson, however, has enjoyed a hugely-encouraging season with Hoffenheim, scoring seven times for the eighth-placed outfit and like Smith-Rowe could provide extra options in the final third.
And Ornstein says under-23s stars Joe Willock and Bukayo Saka - regulars for Freddie Ljungberg’s youth team - could also become regular features having made senior appearances this season under Emery.
Arsenal ‘won’t have spectacular summer’ says Ornstein
They’re looking to integrate young players as well
Ornstein told BBC Radio 5 Live: “They’re looking to integrate young players as well.
“Reiss Nelson possibly coming back from his loan deal, Emile Smith-Rowe, Joe Willock and Bukayo Saka who is said to be the most highly-rated prospect.
“He’s a wide player himself but extremely young.
“[Konstantinos] Mavropanos then we know about then [Rob] Holding and [Hector] Bellerin coming back from injury.”
While Arsenal are keen to strengthen defensively after leaking 51 goals in 38 top-flight games, their options will also be strengthened by the returns of the aforementioned trio.
First-choice right-back Bellerin is expected back around October after undergoing surgery on a knee ligament injury while Mavropanos was limited to just four first-team appearances in 2017-18 due to fitness issues.
Holding’s campaign was also ended early by a severe knee injury back in December and he could return as a valuable option in defence given the struggles of the likes of Shkodran Mustafi and Sokratis.
Ornstein revealed that after centre-back and a box-to-box midfielder, Emery’s secondary objectives would be to sign a new left-back, a new right-back and a wide forward.
But Saka, Smith-Rowe and Nelson could help eliminate the need to do so for the forward roles.