Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has been quick to remind people the market is open, though the Gunners have been taking their time.....CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL ARTICLE>>>
Since bringing David Raya and Riccardo Calafiori to North London on permanent deals, Arteta and sporting director Edu have been biding their time. Most of the movement has been in the outward direction, and it may be the case that more sales are needed before final deals can be done.
That said, Mikel Merino’s move is all but done at the time of writing. The Spain international will join from Real Sociedad for a fee in the region of £30m.
Arteta has suggested Arsenal don’t need attacking reinforcements, but some opportunities now appear to have presented themselves. Here are Mirror Football’s latest lines from around North London.
Arsenal haven’t given up on Victor Osimhen just yet, if reports in Italy are to be believed. The Gunners appeared to have dropped out of the race for the Napoli striker, with Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea battling it out, but there may have been a fresh twist.
Corriere dello Sport report Arsenal would be prepared to pay £84.9m for Osimhen. That’s a little below his release clause, but could yet be enough for Napoli to sanction a sale after sporting director Giovanni Manna admitted he expected to lose the Nigeria star.
“Victor is an important player, with an important value and conditions,” Manna said. “His desire is clear. We tried to maintain the integrity of the squad at this moment. We are not the only club in this situation and we’ll see what happens over the next 10 days. At this time, it is not right to say what sensations there are. We are working with his entourage to find the best solution.”
Osimhen isn’t the only Nigerian being linked with an Arsenal switch. Atalanta forward Ademola Lookman is also on the Gunners’ radar, with Arteta’s team potentially ready to pounce after a Paris Saint-Germain move collapsed.
Jakub Kiwior could hold the key to the move. Atalanta are among a number of Serie A clubs keen on the Polish defender, and Arsenal have been tipped to let him move to Bergamo if it helps them land Lookman.
According to SportItalia, Arsenal are ready to part with £42.5million for the former Leicester forward, with Kiwior moving in the opposite direction. Lookman, who scored a hat-trick in last season’s Europa League final, wasn’t involved as Atalanta began their Serie A campaign with victory over Lecce.
Talks between Arsenal and Nottingham Forest over Eddie Nketiah have been moving in the right direction, according to Sky Sports. The striker could net Arsenal as much as £30m, while giving Forest more options in attack after they finished last season among the Premier League’s lowest scorers.
Forest have also explored the possibility of a move for Santiago Gimenez. The Mexican frontman has scored 40 times in just 64 Eredivisie games for Feyenoord, but questions remain over whether he can produce the required numbers in England.
Marseille had also been in the mix for Nketiah, only to instead move for French frontman Elye Wahi. Bournemouth were also linked, but the arrival of club record signing Evanilson has put an end to those reports…CONTINUE READING>>
