Mikel Arteta revealed at the end of 2024/25 that the summer will be a productive one for Arsenal in the transfer market with a major squad rebuild on the cards. Andrea Berta’s appointment as the sporting director showed further promise but apart from Martin Zubimendi, whose official announcement is still pending, the Gunners are yet to make any newer addition.
It has been speculated that they are keen on signing a new right winger to compete with Bukayo Saka owing to how much he has played in the last few years as well as his fitness record. According to TBR Football, Arsenal are pondering over a switch for Nottingham Forest star Anthony Elanga, who has been slapped with a £60 million price tag by his side.
Nuno Espirito Santo is a huge fan of the player, who he described as a ‘special’ talent, and would not want to let go of him after a season in which he had six goals and 12 assists in all competitions. However, with the team missing out on Champions League qualification, it will be interesting to see if Nottingham’s board is willing to let go of one of their best players to raise funds.
Elanga will answer several problems for Arsenal
Anthony Elanga was excellent at Manchester United and has proven his credentials at Nottingham Forest as well, so Arsenal will feel confident that his background in the Premier League will make him worth a potential £60 million investment. Moreover, his versatility will make him exactly the type of player Mikel Arteta needs, especially when the fixtures get congested.
Elanga is naturally a right winger but has also been used extensively down the left flank, another position which the Gunners are looking to revamp this summer. The Swedish international is also a handy number 10 and can act as Martin Odegaard’s understudy whilst also being able to play as a deeper-lying creator in midfield or as the team’s centre forward.
For Nottingham and for Sweden, the 23-year-old has consistently been used in various positions on the pitch and has shown great adaptability without compromising on the quality of his game. All things point towards Anthony Elanga being a fantastic acquiring for Arsenal this year and with his age in mind as well, he could prove to be a bargain a few years down the line.
