Declan Rice sent brutal Real Madrid free-kick message as double Arsenal priority clear

claimed a remarkable 3-0 victory over Real Madrid in the quarter-final first leg this week.

Declan Rice scored two stunning free kick goals in the second half before Mikel Merino added to the scoreline, giving side a significant advantage heading into the away leg next week.

As for matters off the pitch, new sporting director Andrea Berta has already started working behind the scenes to ensure Arteta has new reinforcements for next season. Signing an attacker will be top of the priority list and the midfield could also be reinforced, with and both set to leave as free agents.

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Several players continue to be linked with moves to the Emirates, but we'll soon discover who will actually make the move to north London.

Here, football.london takes a look at the Arsenal headlines that have emerged in the last 24 hours.

'Talks underway' with duo

According to , a new long-term deal for is a 'key internal objective' for Arsenal. It's said that is one of Andrea Berta's priorities after arriving at the club last month.

The report cites that contact has been made with the winger's representatives, though no offer is on the table at the time of writing. Discussions over a new deal for Myles Lewis-Skelly are also thought to be underway.

Both teenagers are expected to receive significant pay rises if they agree fresh terms.

football.london says: "It's great to see Arsenal prioritise extending the pair's contracts, especially with other clubs likely to show interest this summer. This move ensures they can continue their development at the club and demonstrates Arsenal's commitment to investing in youth while planning for the future. Both players have already shown their potential to be valuable assets for the Gunners moving forward, following a successful season."

'Controversial' claim

Former Ajax midfielder Wesley Sneijder was seemingly unimpressed with Declan Rice's free-kick goals in Arsenal's 3-0 win over Real Madrid.

"I don’t think the free kick(s) were that impressive," he told Dutch TV channel Ziggo Sport. "This may sound strange, but it’s extremely easy to curve a ball like that as long as you know how to take a shot, and I know all about this. The wall was at fault here. The same for the second free kick, you saw [Thibaut] Courtois moving to his right just before Rice took it, a mistake by the goalkeeper."

Former Arsenal star Giovanni van Bronckhorst also agreed with the former Netherlands international. "I think Wesley is right," he said of the first goal. "You can see that the wall is too far to the left, which makes it easy for Rice to shoot past."

football.london says: "I believe Sneijder has come off a bit harsh in his comments and while footballers know how to strike the ball well, and it could be argued that it's 'easy' to curl it around a wall, it still requires skill and precision to be successful. Both of Rice's free kicks showed how well-placed he was when taking them and also his technical ability. With that said, the success of a free kick shot can depend on a lot of factors and Rice did really well."