ARSENAL are looking to make a big statement in the transfer market by securing Rennes wonderkid Eduardo Camavinga.
The France international had been strongly linked with a move to Real Madrid, but his agent has suggested the Gunners’ lack of Champions League football will not prove a stumbling block if they want to do a deal.
Arsenal are also considering a move for Atletico Madrid loanee Moussa Dembele, valued at £25m by parent club Lyon.
And the Gunners are willing to sell Hector Bellerin for around £35m, with Max Aarons of Norwich a potential replacement.
Get all the latest Arsenal news, transfer gossip and updates with our live blog…
AMBITIOUS ARTETA
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta remains confident the Gunners will be able to attract big names to the club this summer despite being without European football.
The North London side sit ninth in the Premier League table with just three games remaining and were knocked out in the semi-finals of the Europa League.
But Arteta remains positive about the transfer window, saying: “Every player that we have been linked with or had some communication with, I haven’t seen one that was refusing to come here.
“In fact it’s the complete opposite. Everybody is very willing to join our club.
“When I signed for Arsenal as a player it was because I always admired this club, the way they did things and the way they used to play.
“So that was an easy decision for me.
“Now, in order to take the club to where we want it to be, we need players who are willing to accept the situation that we have today and help us achieve what we want in the future.”
ALL IS NOT FAB
Former Arsenal midfielder Cesc Fabregas has become embroiled in a spat with ex-Liverpool and Man Utd striker Michael Owen on Twitter…
And Rio Ferdinand also got involved…
KAHN’T IMAGINE
Bayern Munich legend Oliver Kahn claims the Bundesliga champions can’t sign Borussia Dortmund star Erling Haaland in the summer.
Kahn, who will succeed Karl-Heinz Rummenigge as CEO later this year, believes the prospect of Bayern spending over €100million (£86m) for a player is “unimaginable”.
The club director told Bild: “Sorry, whoever spoke about that didn’t understand the situation.
“A package that costs – as we heard – over €100m is unimaginable for FC Bayern at the moment.”
This works as a major transfer boost for Manchester United, Manchester City, Chelsea, Real Madrid and Barcelona who’ve been keeping tabs on Haaland
ESL PENALTIES
As reported earlier, Real Madrid, Barcelona and Juventus are under UEFA investigation for their involvement in the suspended European Super League project.
The three elite clubs are facing a two-year ban from the Champions League unless they agree to give up on their controversial ESL plans.
Last month, 12 clubs, including Arsenal, attempted to break away and form this closed competition but nine of them pulled back and signed a declaration with UEFA promising that if they ever try to break away they will be fined €100million (£86m).
However, Real, Barca and Juve are not giving up on their plans and thus an investigation has been launched that could lead to a two-year ban from UEFA’s elite competition and subsequently a £100m loss per year
KROENKE STANCE
Arsenal staff have been informed that the Kroenke family are not planning to sell the club despite all the fan dissatisfaction.
That is according to The Athletic, who claim the announcement was made during a staff call on Monday.
This poses as a blow for Spotify co-founder Daniel Ek, who is trying to buy the club with the help of Invincibles legends Patrick Vieira, Thierry Henry and Dennis Bergkamp.
Gunners fans have staged two protests against majority shareholder Stan Kroenke’s ownership after the European Super League fiasco and are planning another one on their final Premier League match of the season against Brighton on May 23.
BERTRAND STATEMENT
Southampton star Ryan Bertrand has announced that he will leave St Mary’s when his contract expires in the summer.
Bertrand has been linked with a move to Arsenal and AC Milan, who will now weigh up their options.
The left-back shared the following statement:
ARSENAL TEAM NEWS
Arsenal take on Chelsea tonight at Stamford Bridge in a last-ditch effort to climb up a few Premier League spots and advance for either the Europa League or Conference League next season.
However, manager Mikel Arteta has confirmed the Gunners will be without David Luiz, who is dealing with a hamstring problem and thus won’t be able to face his former club.
Arteta also stated he has some other injuries to contend with but didn’t drop any names.
The Arsenal boss said: “There were some issues over the weekend again. We are playing every three days and there is no time to train yet, [Tuesday] is the first day so we will have to wait and see”
CHELSEA TEAM NEWS
Chelsea are going to be without Mateo Kovacic and Andreas Christensen for tonight’s match against Arsenal at Stamford Bridge.
Kovacic has been out since mid-April with a hamstring injury whereas Christensen picked up a tendon problem in Saturday’s 2-1 Premier League win at Manchester City.
Blues boss Thomas Tuchel confirmed they will both miss the clash against the Gunners and are facing a race against time to be fit for Saturday’s FA Cup final against Leicester.
Tuchel said: “Kova is not ready for tomorrow. So his personal race is on to make it to the squad to Wembley.
“For Andreas, it’s better than we feared, much better… it will be also a tough one, but the season is not finished for him hopefully.
“So we have realistic hopes that his latest comeback will be against Aston Villa [on the final day of the season]”
GETTY IMAGES UEFA ACTION
UEFA have opened a disciplinary investigation into Real Madrid, Barcelona and Juventus over their involvement in the European Super League debacle.
Last month, 12 elite clubs joined forces in their bid to form a closed competition which caused global outrage from fans, players, coaches and pundits.
Last week, the other nine ‘founding members’, including Arsenal, signed a ‘Club Commitment Declaration’ with UEFA that saw them agree to a €100million (£86m) fine if they entered into a similar breakaway project in the future.
UEFA released the following announcement: “In accordance with Article 31(4) of the UEFA Disciplinary Regulations, UEFA Ethics and Disciplinary Inspectors have today been appointed to conduct a disciplinary investigation regarding a potential violation of UEFA’s legal framework by Real Madrid CF, FC Barcelona and Juventus FC in connection with the so-called ‘Super League’ project.
“Further information regarding this matter will be made available in due course”
ARSENAL REACTION
Arsenal players are “concerned” by manager Mikel Arteta’s appointment of goalkeeper coach Inaki Cana
That is according to The Athletic, who claim that there is concern among the playing staff about Cana’s suitability for the role.
There is a feeling that the Gunners have become weaker in the goalkeeping department after some high-profile errors by Bernd Leno.
Cana was also the one who recommended the arrival of Runar Alex Runarsson, who has failed to stand out.
BELLERIN REPLACEMENTS
Arsenal are lining up two possible replacements for Hector Bellerin ahead of the summer transfer window.
Bellerin seems to want a new challenge in his career and Gunners boss Mikel Arteta won’t stand in his way.
The right-back has been linked with a move to AC Milan and Paris Saint-Germain.
Arsenal are reportedly eyeing Norwich ace Max Aarons as well as Real Betis’ Emerson as potential successors.
MOUSS-IC TO THEIR EARS
Arsenal have been linked with Atletico Madrid loanee Moussa Dembele.
Dembele enjoyed an impressive campaign last season with Lyon as he netted 20 goals in 42 appearances across all competitions.
However, the striker has struggled at Atletico as he has only managed one goal in 22 matches.
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta is aiming to rebuild the squad ahead of next season and the France international poses as a potential replacement for Alexandre Lacazette, who could be on his way out of the club, according to the Daily Telegraph
YES WE CAM
Rennes star Eduardo Camavinga’s agent has given Arsenal a big boost in their pursuit of the star midfielder.
Jonathan Barnett stated that although Camavinga is good enough to play Champions League football, he is not looking only at clubs in Europe’s elite competition.
Barnett said: “Playing games is the most important thing at his age. Playing in a good club is nice. And learning, for him.”
Barnett also refused to rule out Camavinga staying at Rennes for another year, even though his contract expires next summer so that option may not be preferred by the Ligue 1 club.
Arsenal sit in ninth place in the Premier League table, mathematically out of Champions League contention and almost certain to miss out on the Europa League as well
GETTY IMAGES GOOD MORNING ARSENAL FANS
Arsenal take on Chelsea tonight at Stamford Bridge and can’t afford to drop any more points if they wish to qualify for Europe next season.
A top-four finish is officially out of the Gunners’ reach, but they can still challenge for fifth, sixth and seventh place in the Premier League table.
The north Londoners will be missing David Luiz due to a hamstring injury and thus the defender won’t get to play against his former team.
Manager Mikel Arteta also revealed that he had some other injury problems to deal with but didn’t include any names.
Arteta said: “There were some issues over the weekend again. We are playing every three days and there is no time to train yet, [Tuesday] is the first day so we will have to wait and see.”
Meanwhile, Arsenal are planning for next season following a poor campaign that has seen them drop to ninth place in the table.
The Gunners are among Europe’s top hitters who are keeping tabs on Rennes star midfielder Eduardo Camavinga ahead of the summer transfer window.
Camavinga has also been linked with Real Madrid as well as Bayern Munich and insists no decisions have been made about his future yet.
The Frenchman recently said: “It makes you feel flattered and it’s nice that teams like Real Madrid or Bayern are interested in your situation.
“I’m not going to lie, but I have not yet thought it over with my family.”
Arsenal ace Emile Smith Rowe looks set to be offered a new deal at the Emirates following a breakthrough campaign.
However, club legend Ian Wright has warned the hierarchy that a lack of progress could see Rowe and fellow prospect Bukayo Saka leaving the Emirates.
Wright said: “Talking about him [Smith-Rowe] and Saka, you’re hoping Arsenal can match their progression because if they don’t, then clubs will try and take them off of us.
“It is a massive concern. It is a massive concern that are Arsenal are able to sort out whatever is going on upstairs, with the manager, with the players that are going to come in, whoever he is going to bring in to try and execute whatever game plan he wants to do, because these guys are going to be a major part of that.
“If they continue to play well, if we do not progress as quickly as these guys progress, then you have to be worried about their ambition and what they want to do because they’re fantastic players”
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
