ARSENAL are reportedly interested in signing Raheem Sterling, with Man City putting the star up for sale.
Other targets the Gunners are said to be looking at include Riyad Mahrez, Emi Buendia and Dwight McNeil.
We’ve also the very latest on Martin Odegaard, as well as an update on Alexandre Lacazette’s Emirates future.
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FINANCIAL SITUATION
Financial analyst Kieran Maguire confirms Arsenal have money to spend on players this summer.
Arsenal borrowed from Barclays Bank to cover for the Covid Corporate Financing Facility loan they got last year, which covered losses brought about by the coronavirus pandemic.
Maguire says there were restrictions on what they could use the CCFF for, but the new loan doesn’t have one, which means they have as much as £120million to spend on player recruitments ahead of the summer transfer window.
The north Londoners are reportedly keeping tabs on the likes of Yves Bissouma, Emi Bundia, Raheem Sterling and Riyad Mahrez.
Manager Mikel Arteta is also determined to sign Martin Odegaard on a permanent deal
TOP D-OD
Martin Odegaard poses as Arsenal’s “No1” target ahead of the summer transfer window.
That is according to The Athletic, who report that the Gunners’ top priority is to sign Odegaard on a permanent basis.
The attacking midfielder joined the north Londoners from Real Madrid on loan last January.
The Norway international put together a number of impressive performances and has since impressed manager Mikel Arteta to a point that he convinced him to hold on to him
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Mc IT HAPPEN
Burnley ace Dwight McNeil could help Arsenal sign Norwich star Emi Buendia in the summer.
Buendia is among the Gunners’ top targets but are facing competition from Aston Villa.
According to The Athletic, however, Villa are also keeping tabs on McNeil ahead of the upcoming transfer window.
Nevertheless, the Burnley winger, who is of “‘serious interest” for Dean Smith’s side, poses as a plan B to Buendia
EM-PHATIC OPPOSITION
Arsenal are facing some stiff competition in their bid to land Norwich star Emi Buendia in the summer.
According to the Daily Mail, Aston Villa are also keeping tabs on Buendia, who played a key role in the Canaries’ return to the Premier League.
The same source states that Villa have the financial might to outbid the Gunners for the talented playmaker.
As it stands, Villa and Arsenal are the two most prominent suitors for the Argentina international
TRUE ART-IST
Manchester City ace Raheem Sterling has previously praised Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta.
The Gunners are reportedly interested in forking out a deal with Sterling ahead of the summer transfer window following rumours suggesting he will be offloaded by City.
The England international previously worked with Arteta when the Spaniard was Pep Guardiola’s assistant manager.
Sterling previously said: “[Arteta is] a person that had a lot of say here [at City]. The manager trusted him here and he had a lot of influence on the players here and the team as well.
“So I knew once he went into Arsenal that it would be a great opportunity for him but also he would definitely implement what he wanted to bring in.
“And he’s a person that will put his foot down and not let things slide as you can see with the boys at Arsenal. They know if they don’t run they are most likely not going to play”
STERLING/MAHREZ SALE EXPLAINED
Manchester City appear ready to sell Raheem Sterling and Riyad Mahrez ahead of the summer transfer window.
Sterling and Mahrez failed to shine in the Champions League Final, which saw Chelsea being crowned two-time European champions.
Arsenal as well as Real Madrid and Barcelona are monitoring the situation.
According to Metro, City boss Pep Guardiola is pulling out all the stops to fund potential moves for the likes of Tottenham star Harry Kane, Borussia Dortmund superstar Erling Haaland and Aston Villa ace Jack Grealish.
Gabriel Jesus and Aymeric Laporte could also be sold in the next couple of months
STERLING JOB
Raheem Sterling has been put up for sale by Man City, according to the Daily Mail.
The England winger failed to make an impact in the Champions League final last night and is said to be seen as expendable as Pep Guardiola plots an overhaul.
Arsenal have been interested in Sterling in the past and Mikel Arteta could play a key role in bringing the former Liverpool man to the Emirates, having worked with him at City.
However, there remain doubts about whether the North Londoners have the funds to pull off the deal after finishing eighth.
Real Madrid and Barcelona may also be tempted to enter the bidding at the right price, the report suggests.
GOOD MORNING ARSENAL FANS
Financial analyst Kieran Maguire says Arsenal have money to spend on players this summer.
Arsenal borrowed some money from Barclays Bank to cover for the Covid Corporate Financing Facility loan they got last year, which covered losses brought about by the coronavirus pandemic.
Maguire says there were restrictions on what they could use the CCFF for, but the new loan doesn’t have one and that means they have as much as £120million to spend on player recruitments.
That could help them land Martin Odegaard, who is reportedly at the top of their summer shopping list.
However, Arsenal may find there is an obstacle to bringing him in as the resignation of Zinedine Zidane from his post at Real Madrid complicates matters.
Odegaard has a contract with Madrid until 2023, and an incoming manager may view him as a more important member of the squad than Zidane did.
Consequently, Arsenal have been forced to explore alternatives, most notably Norwich’s Emi Buendia.
In terms of outgoings, the Gunners have reportedly named their price for defensive-minded midfielder Granit Xhaka amid interest from Roma.
According to Gazzetta dello Sport, Roma recently made an initial £11m bid for the Switzerland international.
But that was rejected by the Gunners, who told the Serie A side they will need to up it to £17m to begin any discussions.
The report suggests that it is possible Roma could include Amadou Diawara in an exchange deal.
GUNNER SPEND BIG
Financial analyst Kieran Maguire says Arsenal have money to spend on players this summer.
The Gunners have faced fan protests in recent weeks with fans demanding more investment in the playing squad from the club’s owners.
Arsenal borrowed some money from Barclays Bank to cover for the Covid Corporate Financing Facility loan they got last year, which covered losses brought about by the coronavirus pandemic.
Maguire says there were restrictions on what they could use the CCFF for, but the new loan doesn’t have one and that means they have as much as £120million to spend on player recruitments.
He told Football Insider: “In terms of the Barclays loan, it’s Arsenal’s money to play with.
“The Barclays relationship gives Arsenal a greater degree of flexibility. That could be beneficial for the club because you don’t have to ringfence it in terms of day-to-day operational costs.
“The Kroenke family have got an awful lot of work to do to convince the Arsenal fans of their intentions. This new loan could be used for recruitment and retention issues.”
CROWN JUL
Sevilla’s French prospect Jules Kounde admits he might have to ‘change clubs’ to realise his potential in a major boost for Prem clubs.
The 22-year-old defender has been trailed by Arsenal, as well as Manchester United and Chelsea.
He helped Sevilla win the Europa League after moving from Bordeaux in 2019 and his LaLiga form hasn’t gone unnoticed among the Premier League giants.
Kounde received his first France call-up for this summer’s Euros, and he was grilled by reporters at the team’s Clairefontaine training camp about his future.
He said: “Regarding my future, it’s certain that I will perhaps have to change clubs this summer.
“But nothing has been finalised yet. I have not decided anything.
“My goal is to play for a big club, to try to always progress and to win trophies.”
NO. 1 TARGET
Martin Odegaard is at the top of Arsenal’s shopping list this summer after his loan spell recently came to an end.
The Real Madrid star made a big impression at The Emirates thanks to a number of impressive performances as well as his character and leadership credentials.
Arsenal may find there is an obstacle to bringing him in however, as the resignation of Zinedine Zidane from his post at Real Madrid complicates matters.
Odegaard has a contract with Madrid until 2023, and an incoming manager may view him as a more important member of the squad than Zidane did.
Consequently, Arsenal have been forced to explore alternatives, most notably Norwich’s Emi Buendia.
PRICE OF GRANIT RISING
Arsenal have reportedly named their price for defensive-minded midfielder Granit Xhaka amid interest from Roma.
Former Tottenham boss Jose Mourinho will take charge of Roma from the start of next season and has already begun plotting his new squad.
According to Gazzetta Dello Sport, Roma recently made an initial £11m bid for the Switzerland international.
But that was rejected by the Gunners, who told the Serie A side they will need to up it to £17m to begin any discussions.
The report suggests that it is possible Roma could include Amadou Diawara in an exchange deal, with the Guinea midfielder linked to Arsenal in the past.
OPEN FOR BIS-NESS
Brighton owner Tony Bloom admitted the club’s best players ‘are not going to be with us forever’ in a huge boost to Arsenal in their pursuit of Yves Bissouma.
SunSport revealed earlier this month the Gunners have been told to cough up £40m for the Mali international.
The midfielder has become one of the hottest properties in the Premier League after his displays this season.
And Bloom does not expect to hold on to him forever.
He told The Athletic: “The more big clubs there are interested in our players, the more we’re doing right, so I’m delighted with that.
“We know some of our best players are not going to be with us forever.
“If the right offer comes along — and it has to be the right offer — and they want to go, then they will leave.”
GUEN TO GO?
Arsenal have rejected an approach from Marseille for midfielder Matteo Guendouzi.
Marseille want Guendouzi on loan, but the Gunners immediately rejected that as he has 12 months on his deal and no extension in the works.
Marseille then returned looking for a permanent deal at around £6.8m, but Arsenal want more than double that.
Negotiations are still taking place and one part of the deal seems to have been agreed, as the Marseille board have largely convinced Guendouzi to make the move.
EDDING OUT?
Watford are interested in signing Eddie Nketiah this summer.
Nketiah enjoyed more first-team opportunities at The Emirates after Mikel Arteta first arrived but he has fallen down the pecking order in recent weeks.
The England under-21 star is entering the final year of his contract and the Gunners are open to selling him this summer, rather than waiting for him to leave on a free next year.
Arsenal are believed to want more than £15m for the striker if are to let him leave.
His contractual status has opened the door for potential suitors, with the Hornets among them.
NO RAYA LIGHT
Brentford goalkeeper David Raya is a long-term target for Arsenal according to The Athletic.
The Gunners made multiple attempts to sign the Spanish goalkeeper last summer, and were willing to spend £10million to sign him.
But Raya signed a new contract with Brentford, which contained a minimum fee release clause.
However, that clause has now been invalidated due to Brentford’s promotion to the Premier League.
PRICE IS DWIGHT
Aston Villa want to sign Burnley star Dwight McNeil and Norwich’s Arsenal target Emi Buendia, according to The Athletic.
Buendia is a key target with the playmaker attracting plenty of interest.
His form, which helped the Canaries win the Championship title, has led to interest from Arsenal and Villa.
The Argentina ace scored 15 goals and provided 17 assists during a superb campaign for the promotion winners.
Villa face major competition from Arsenal for Buendia but their interest is a statement of intent for their ambition next season.
The club are still intent on holding on to England star Jack Grealish and are looking to strengthen their current squad, rather than replace players.
HAK THAT
Arsenal have been dealt another transfer blow as Inter Milan right-back Achraf Hakimi looks set to join PSG.
The Parisians are believed to not be completely sold on loanee Alessandro Florenzi.
According to Gazzetta Dello Sport Inter need to get between £77million to £85m in transfer sales to meet the economic needs of the club.
The report states that the Nerazzurri and PSG are in the advanced stages of negotiations.
And the deal would be around £51.5m – turning a profit of £16.5m from when they acquired him permanently from Real Madrid for £34.3m back in 2020.
BERTRAND BLOW
Ryan Bertrand is now a free agent after his contract at Southampton expired.
Arsenal have shown interest in signing Bertrand in the summer transfer window.
According to Football London, however, Leicester are leading the race as they held talks with the talented left-back.
Gunners manager Mikel Arteta is looking to significantly strengthen his squad after a poor season that saw the team missing out on Europe for the first time in 25 years
BRIGHTON REACT
Brighton chief executive Paul Barber has admitted that the Seagulls may not be able to hold on to their best players in the summer.
This comes amid reports suggesting Arsenal are keeping tabs on midfielder Yves Bissouma.
Barber told The Athletic: “I don’t see it as a negative at all. The more the big clubs that are interested in our players, the more we’re doing right, so I am delighted with that.
“We know some of our best players aren’t going to be with us forever and, if the right offer comes along – and it has to be the right offer – and they want to leave, then they can go.
“If we’ve got players leaving, then we’ve got back-up internally, and we can go out into the transfer market.
“We’re always looking ahead, we’re always trying to scout the best young players and bring them into our squad, or loan them out. It’s a really important part of what we do”
FOUR-TY
Nicolas Pepe is not the only one to be celebrating his birthday within the Arsenal family.
Andrey Arshavin turned 40 today and the Gunners shared some wishes on social media.
Arshavin is still remembered by the fans when he scored four goals against Liverpool at Anfield in 2009.
The forward spent four years in the north Londoners’ books before moving to Zenit St Petersburg in 2013
TRUE ART-IST
Manchester City star Raheem Sterling has previously praised Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta.
The Gunners are reportedly interested in working out a deal with Sterling ahead of the summer transfer window following rumours suggesting he will be offloaded by City.
The England international previously worked with Arteta when the Spaniard was Pep Guardiola’s assistant manager at the Etihad.
Sterling previously said: “[Arteta is] a person that had a lot of say here [at City]. The manager trusted him here and he had a lot of influence on the players here and the team as well.
“So I knew once he went into Arsenal that it would be a great opportunity for him but also he would definitely implement what he wanted to bring in.
“And he’s a person that will put his foot down and not let things slide as you can see with the boys at Arsenal. They know if they don’t run they are most likely not going to play”
PEP TALK
Arsenal star Nicolas Pepe has been included in the Europa League Squad of the Season.
Pepe joins six Manchester United players, that is Harry Maguire, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Scott McTominay, Paul Pogba, Bruno Fernandes and Edinson Cavani.
The winger had the joint-highest goal contribution – along with Villarreal star Gerard Moreno – in the Europa League as he scored six times and amassed four assists.
Not a bad way for the Ivory Coast international to celebrate his 25th birthday
FINAL EURO SQUAD
England manager Gareth Southgate is expected to name his final squad on Tuesday 1 June.
Southgate named his provisional 33-man shortlist on Tuesday ahead of Euro 2020 but seven players will soon be cut.
So far Bukayo Saka is the only Arsenal player who made the cut ahead of the European championships.
The England boss said: “There are 12 players still to play so we’re always going to need additional players and added to that we have some injuries at different stages, that we have very little info about.
“We felt more time will help us make better decisions. Our preference was to name the 26, but we have not got an ideal hand of cards – a lot of unknowns.
“Info and evidence are very important and we will have a lot more in the next seven days”
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
