Arsenal eye £40m-rated Ajax midfielder Mohammed Kudus, 22 – but must first offload several first team players after their £200m spending spree this summer

Arsenal are interested in Ajax’s £40million-rated midfielder Mohammed Kudus but are focusing on trimming Mikel Arteta’s squad before adding to their £200m recruitment spree.

The Gunners have already strengthen their squad significantly ahead of next season, with Declan Rice, Kai Havertz and Jurrien Timber arriving through the door.

Arsenal sporting director Edu will now turn his attentions to outgoings with Kieran Tierney, Cedric Soares, Nicolas Pepe, Albert Lokonga, Nuno Tavares and Rob Holding among those attracting interest that could tempt Arsenal in selling.

The future of Thomas Partey has also been a subject of uncertainty this summer, but it is understood that Arsenal are not eager to sell the Ghana international this summer with only a ‘huge’ offer likely to entice the north London club into sanctioning his departure.

But while the current focus is offloading players, Arsenal are not ruling out further arrivals this summer with Ghana international Kudus among the players interesting the Gunners.

Mohammed Kudus has bagged 23 goals and provided 11 assists in 84 games with Ajax

Mikel Arteta has drafted in recruits at the expense of £200m as he bids to mount a title push

Kieran Tierney (left) and Thomas Partey (right) are among the players linked with moves away 

The 22-year-old can play in a conventional central midfield role, in a move advanced position or even on the right wing.

His versatility is known to be particularly attractive to Arsenal’s recruitment staff.

Kudus is also of interest to Brighton this summer, but the attraction of playing Champions League and playing in a team hopeful of challenging for the Premier League title next season could emerge as a factor for the Ajax player.

Meanwhile, Arsenal have started the process of identifying replacements for outgoing head of medicine Gary O’Driscoll, who is joining Manchester United.

O’Driscoll is expected to see out a lengthy notice period before taking up his position at Old Trafford, allowing the club to carry out a full recruitment process – though Mail Sport understands the Premier League’s chief medical officer Mark Gillett, who has vast experience in English football having previously worked at Chelsea and West Brom, is among those the Gunners would like to talk to.