Three defensive midfielders Arsenal should target in the summer

Kolkata, April 1: Ever since the appointment of Mikel Arteta as the manager, Arsenal have made good progress.

With the limited resources at his disposal, the Spaniard has certainly made a very strong impact in his maiden job as a first-team manager.

It is pretty clear that the Gunners need to bolster their squad in the summer and Arteta is already believed to have started preparing his wishlist.

We look at three players who Arteta must sign.

Eduardo Camavinga (Rennes)

Just 17, Camavinga has been impressive for Ligue 1 side Rennes this season and such has been his impact that clubs across the continent have expressed interest in the youngster. The French wonderkid's rise to top has been compared to his compatriot Kylian Mbappe and clubs like Real Madrid and Liverpool are already after his signature. However, Arsenal have a big advantage over most of the biggest clubs in Europe and that is their ability to offer the youngster a more realistic chance to become a starter.

Declan Rice (West Ham United)

One of the most sought-after players in the Premier League in recent times, Rice is likely to see his stock raise in the summer. He has been impressive all season for West Ham even though the East London side have been pretty average. Chelsea and Manchester United are both in the race to sign the 21-year-old for quite some time now and Arsenal should also join the race. Rice is proven in the Premier League and is exactly the kind of operator in defensive midfield position that managers like Arteta would want in their side.

Thomas Partey (Atletico Madrid)

If Arsenal get the 26-year-old on board, that would be a marquee signing and a statement of intent from the Gunners. Although it would be really difficult to bring the Ghana international to the club especially with the Gunners likely to miss out on UEFA Champions League for another season. However, the 26-year-old is one of the best defensive midfielders in Europe and Arteta has already identified the Ghana international his No. 1 summer target.