I'm not opposed to going after a prolific 9 this summer but I still feel like this team is crying out for another dynamic winger that has pace as a transition threat, 1v1 skills, & can both be rotated and push Saka/Martinelli next year AND an attacking midfielder who is powerful and offers more of attacking threat. I've always hoped ESR would grow into that midfield role and still think he can but I think we need to make a push to upgrade him this summer. This would allow Rice to play 6 full time (he's great at 8 but world class at 6 so why not let him specialize moving forward?) and push Odegaard into the more Bernardo Silva-esque 8 role, which I think will be his best role as we go forward.
If we are really going for it, Kvara or Leao would be perfect for the left wing. But I doubt they will be in our price range this summer so more realistically I'd be quite happy with Nico Williams or Pedro Neto. Neto scares me with his injuries but his transition threat and 1v1 ability would be such a nice foil for Saka, although I'm not sure he's played a ton on the left wing. I've made my thoughts well known here on Nico Williams- I think he's going to be an absolute star but it sounds like a lot of clubs agree and he's also not guaranteed to leave Bilbao.
For the low block destroyer, my ideal option is Xavi Simons. He's the perfect age range for our project, has been so good for Leipzig this year and would also add to our team athleticism and pressing. I also think he would help open up Martinelli and Saka with runs beyond them and feast on Havertz's hold up play. However, the chances of PSG letting him go again are slim. My more realistic choice will probably draw some scorn here but I really think Morgan Gibbs-White would fit our system like a glove and be a perfect solution for our mid and low block issues. He's a powerful runner with the ball with an eye for goal and the ability to time his deep seated runs perfectly. I was so impressed with him in the u21 Euro's last year and thought he was England's best player. He also can beat players 1v1 which has been an issue for us this year. Other options would be Douglas Luiz (probably too expensive for his value now) and Connor Gallagher (I'm still a big fan of his talent but I know others aren't).
Sorry for the novel but just really feel like we are right on the cusp and the right summer signings could push us firmly into the realm of the elites. A summer with Neto/Williams and Gibbs-White is also likely not going to break the bank which could leave room for still going in for someone like Zirkzee or Sesko.
