[Sport] Kai Havertz, Declan Rice, Jurrien Timber: How could ambitious Arsenal look next season?

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Arsenal have started making their moves in the transfer market as they completed the £65m signing of Chelsea's Kai Havertz and made a record £105m bid for West Ham's Declan Rice..

Boss Mikel Arteta admitted last week that he needed to strengthen his squad if they are to win the Premier League next season.

Arsenal were eight points clear at the top of the league at the start of April but ended up finishing five points behind Manchester City, who went on to win the Treble.

Injuries in key positions played a part in their end-of-season decline.

As well as Havertz and Rice, they also have a £30m bid in for Ajax defender Jurrien Timber..

BBC Sport looks at what the trio could bring to the Gunners this season - if they all go through - and how Arteta's side could look.

Arsenal sign £65m Havertz from Chelsea

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Flexible Havertz adds to Gunners' options

Havertz never quite lived up to expectations at Chelsea - although he scored one of the biggest goals in their history with the winner in the 2021 Champions League final win over Manchester City.

The 24-year-old Germany international scored 32 goals in 139 games for the Blues after his £71m switch from Bayer Leverkusen in 2020.

He will give Arsenal increased options all along midfield and the front line with his high level of flexibility.

Havertz played as an attacking midfielder, winger and striker or false nine for Chelsea. For Leverkusen and Germany, he has played in central midfield too.

There are suggestions he will take the place of Granit Xhaka in Arsenal's midfield. But he will give competition for Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Jesus, Gabriel Martinelli, Eddie Nketiah, Leandro Trossard and potentially Reiss Nelson further forward.

Havertz ended last season as Chelsea's joint top scorer in all competitions - although the fact he did so with nine goals shows how underwhelming the Blues' season was.

By contrast, Martin Odegaard, Martinelli, Saka and Jesus all hit double figures for Arsenal, with Xhaka and Nketiah hitting nine each.

Havertz only made one assist all season for Chelsea, with 12 Arsenal players managing more.

It now appears likely Arsenal are going to beat Manchester City to the signing of England midfielder Rice.

The Gunners have offered a deal worth a club-record £105m, with City not willing to match that. West Ham have not accepted the offer yet.

Rice's development over the last few years has been notable.

In 2018, the Londoner was playing for the Republic of Ireland and often deployed at centre-back - but since then he has become an automatic pick for England in the heart of midfield and West Ham captain.

Last season, Rice won possession more times (334) and made more interceptions (63) than any other Premier League player.

Only three players - Brighton centre-back Lewis Dunk and Manchester City duo Rodri and Jack Grealish - carried the ball further than Rice's 7.1km. Arsenal's Saka was fifth on 6.8km.

So how does he compare to his potential rivals for a place in the Arsenal team?

With Xhaka playing further forward these days, Thomas Partey and Jorginho, after moving from Chelsea in January, were the Gunners' defensive midfielders last season.

Ghana's Partey and Italy's Jorginho played more successful passes and touched the ball more - but they played in a team that won 26 games to West Ham's 11.

Rice won the ball more times, created more chances and had a slightly better passing accuracy than the pair.

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/66040027