ARSENAL are in talks with representatives of Ajax goalkeeper Andre Onana, according to numerous sources.
The Gunners are also the frontrunners in the race for England’s Raheem Sterling, SunSport can exclusively reveal.
We’ve the latest on Hakan Calhanoglu’s future, while Mat Ryan is set to become the first Arsenal signing of the summer.
Follow all the latest from North London with our live blog below…
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O MY DAYS
Arsenal are closing in on the signing of Ajax keeper Andre Onana… despite the player’s doping ban.
The 24-year-old was handed a 12-month suspension in February after the banned substance Furosemide was found in his urine.
In a statement, Ajax claimed Onana had accidentally taken one of his wife’s pills while feeling unwell. Onana confirmed he believed the medication to be a ‘simple aspirin’.
Ajax and the player have appealed the decision which could play a big role in his final transfer fee. Arsenal are said to have been in contact with Onana’s representatives since January.
According to Dutch publication NOS, Arsenal will be able to land him for a bargain £1.7million fee if his ban is upheld.
If his suspension is shortened or overturned, then the Gunners will be forced to fork out £7.75m.
RIGHT ON KOU
Sevilla have put a Premier League trio on high alert by placing defender Jules Kounde on the market, according to reports.
Manchester United, Chelsea and Arsenal are all set to battle it out for the hugely talented 22-year-old centre-back.
Kounde recently fuelled exit rumours by admitting he may ‘change clubs this summer’ to play in the biggest matches in world football.
And Mundo Deportivo write how his club won’t stand in his way amidst the ongoing financial problems in football.
Sevilla are prepared to cash in on their main starlet if they receive an offer in the region of £56million.
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta is also keen but they may struggle to lure Kounde to North London without European football.
YOUNG GUNS
Arsenal star Bukayo Saka has made the final shortlist for the Premier League’s Young player of the Season award.
Phil Foden, Ruben Dias, Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Illan Meslier, Mason Mount, Declan Rice and Marcus Rashford have also made the cut.
SALIBA SALUTE
William Saliba has been nominated for Ligue 1’s Team of the Season.
A strong loan spell in Nice may mean the defender has done enough to earn a chance in the Arsenal team.
IS IT ALL ODE?
Zinedine Zidane’s Real Madrid exit could signal the end of Arsenal’s hopes of signing Martin Odegaard.
The Mirror report on the Frenchman being the driving force behind Odegaard’s recent loan spell at the Emirates.
With a new coach, potentially Carlo Ancelotti, incoming it is expected he will stick with the Norwegian with the encouragement of the Real hierarchy.
Credit: Reuters ADAMANT AARON
Aaron Ramsey has insisted he will remain at Juventus next season despite being linked with a return to the Premier League.
The Wales ace told Sky Sports: “Yeah, I’m a Juventus player.”
Arsenal and Liverpool were tipped to bid for Ramsey after a difficult time in Turin.
But he added: “It’s obviously been a very frustrating period for me.
“Over the last couple of years I have picked up a few small, light niggly injuries – which have been frustrating – and I’ve not been able to get any consistency going. So, it has been frustrating.”
XHAK IT TO ME
Roma are reportedly chasing a deal for Granit Xhaka before the start of the Euros.
A £17million fee has been slapped on the midfielder by the Gunners.
Former Tottenham boss Jose Mourinho and Xhaka are said to be big fans of one another with La Gazzetta dello Sport detailing a £13m-plus-bonuses offer.
Cengiz Under or Amadou Diawara could even be offered as player exchange alternatives.
RIP JOSE
Two years ago today, former Arsenal and Spain striker Jose Antonio Reyes was killed in a car crash.
And the club have paid tribute to his memory on social media.
DECISION DAY
Arsenal’s sole English Euro 2020 hopeful will discover his fate today.
Gareth Southgate must whittle down his 33-man squad to 26 with Manchester United’s Mason Greenwood already out through injury.
Bukayo Saka is fighting for a spot in the Three Lions fold, which will be confirmed at 5pm.
TAP OUT
Arsenal have been priced out of a move for Bayer Leverkusen defender Edmond Tapsoba.
The 22-year-old is set to be a focal point for the Bundesliga club next season and a £60million price tag will be slapped on amid the Gunners’ interest, report Bild.
Bayer sporting director Simon Rolfes said: “Edmond should play a very important role for us next season.”
Credit: AFP NOW’S THE TAM
Trevor Sinclair reckons Arsenal would benefit from signing Tammy Abraham.
West Ham, Aston Villa and Newcastle are reportedly in for the Chelsea striker, rated at £40million.
And ex-winger Sinclair believes the Gunners are in need of the striker’s abilities.
He told talkSPORT: “He would do a good job for West Ham and a host of clubs. I think he would do a good job for Manchester City.
“I think he would do a good job at maybe Arsenal. I think they need a hold-up player.”
MANOR HOUSE
Arsenal are in contact with the agent of Shakhtar Donetsk star Manor Solomon, according to reports.
Football.London claim that Pini Zahavi, the winger’s agent, has spoken to technical director Edu about a move.
The winger was offered to the club last summer and is once again keen on moving to the Premier League.
Credit: EPA BUEN-O
Norwich are relaxed about a potential sale of a star player this summer, such as Emi Buendia to Arsenal.
The Gunners are strongly linked with the playmaker but Canaries transfer chief Stuart Webber has outlined his comfort ahead of returning to the Premier League.
He said: “If we do sell one, it’s going to be a club record deal.
“It’s probably going to start with a number three in front of it.
“That will give us great opportunities to maybe make the whole better as well. We’re really relaxed on that front.”
UN-REAL
Hector Bellerin is out of Real Betis’ reach, according to reports in Spain.
The LaLiga side were surprisingly linked with the right-back ahead of a potential summer exit from Arsenal.
But MuchoDeporte detail Betis being unable to afford his wages unless his future remains unresolved and a deadline day bargain becomes a possibility.
Credit: Andy Hooper-The Daily Mail MARTI MISSED
Arsenal are preparing their first signing of the summer, writes Mark Irwin.
Australian international Mat Ryan is set to complete a free transfer from Brighton after a successful six-month loan spell at the Emirates.
But he is only seen as a back-up keeper and Arsenal now bitterly regret selling Emi Martinez to Aston Villa last summer.
EXCLUSIVE
Arsenal are leading the race to sign Raheem Sterling in a deal that could see Harry Kane’s move to Manchester City scuppered, writes Paul Jiggins.
The England winger, 26, has slipped down the pecking order under Pep Guardiola thanks to the emergence of superstar in the making Phil Foden.
Londoner Sterling nearly signed for the Gunners in the summer of 2010 while on the books of QPR’s youth team.
He could now finally move to the Emirates, with Mikel Arteta keen on him.
Arsenal would be more willing to splash out on Sterling’s wages, already paying Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang well over £300,000 per week, while previously paying Mesut Ozil £350,000 weekly.
CAL ME, MAYBE
AC Milan are reportedly ready to let Hakan Calhanoglu leave for free if one more round of contract talks fail.
The Turkish playmaker’s deal is up at the end of the month with Manchester United, Arsenal and Juventus hovering.
According to TuttoMercatoWeb, negotiations have struggled and a fresh set of talks will be their last shot before heading in seperate directions.
Credit: PA POWER STRUGGLE
Gabriel, Willian and Gabriel Martinelli could be set for a quiet summer.
That is because Brazil has heaped more uncertainty on this year’s Copa America after distancing itself from confirmation by South American football chiefs it was stepping in to rescue the tournament.
Argentina pulled out of plans to stage the competition over the weekend because of its Covid crisis, 10 days after initial co-host Colombia ruled itself out due to political protests.
Conmebol announced late on Sunday the tournament would take place in Brazil, thanking the country’s president Jair Bolsonaro and his government for stepping in at such short notice.
But overnight Bolsonaro’s Chief of Staff Luiz Eduardo Ramos insisted nothing had been decided following a wave of criticism at the idea one of the worst-hit Covid countries in the world would stage the Copa America.
THIERR WE GO
Thierry Henry has returned to his Belgium coaching role for Euro 2020.
The Arsenal legend, 43, was out of work after quitting Montreal in February.
He left the post in Canada after a year in charge because of the pandemic’s impact on his family life.
And now he is ready to step back into management by supporting Roberto Martinez as they look to lead the Red Devils to European glory.
The Frenchman served as a second assistant in Belgium’s 2018 World Cup campaign.
Credit: Reuters GOOD MORNING GUNNERS FANS
Arsenal have been forced to scrap plans to sign Brentford goalkeeper David Raya.
And hopes of concluding a quick deal for Martin Odegaard also suffered a serious setback.
Brentford’s 2-0 win against Swansea in the final of the Championship play-offs on Saturday ended Arsenal’s hopes of nicking Raya on the cheap.
Meanwhile, Real Madrid are now looking for more than £50million for Odegaard.
He has made it clear that he would like to remain at Arsenal, but is now expected to wait until Zinedine Zidane’s replacement is named before making any decision on his future.
In other news, Willian has been left red-faced after a claim he made upon signing for Arsenal came back to haunt him.
Willian said last summer having joined the Gunners from Chelsea: “One of the reasons I wanted a three-year deal was to be part of a plan.
“When I talked with the manager he told me why he needed me for three years.
“He first wanted to qualify for the Champions League and win it by the time I left. That’s what I wanted to hear.”
Finally, Arsenal could be set for a major transfer boost after the agent of Inter Milan star Achraf Hakimi suggested ‘all players have a price’.
Alejandro Camano told Telelombardia: “When the transfer window opens, we receive calls for all the players.
“The transfer market begins and if Inter are in trouble we will understand what to do. The market will tell.”
FROM SUNSPORT’S MARK IRWIN
Arsenal have been forced to scrap plans to sign Brentford goalkeeper David Raya.
And hopes of concluding a quick deal for Martin Odegaard also suffered a serious setback.
Brentford’s 2-0 win against Swansea in the final of the Championship play-offs on Saturday ended Arsenal’s hopes of nicking Raya on the cheap.
Meanwhile, Real Madrid are now looking for more than £50million for Odegaard.
He has made it clear that he would like to remain at Arsenal, but is now expected to wait until Zinedine Zidane’s replacement is named before making any decision on his future.
WILL WOE
Willian has been left red-faced after a claim he made upon signing for Arsenal came back to haunt him.
Willian said last summer having joined the Gunners from Chelsea: “One of the reasons I wanted a three-year deal was to be part of a plan.
“When I talked with the manager he told me why he needed me for three years.
“He first wanted to qualify for the Champions League and win it by the time I left. That’s what I wanted to hear.”
TIAGO NO-GO
Arsenal’s move for Sporting Lisbon striker Tiago Tomas hangs in the balance after failing to qualify for Europe.
The Gunners have been in talks with the Portuguese side for months to prize away the 18-year-old this summer.
However, Sporting are determined not to see their squad torn apart after winning the Portuguese title for the first time in 19 years and qualifying for the Champions League.
And SunSport understands that after Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal failed to guarantee European football next campaign, their chances of snatching him have taken a blow.
NEW FACE
Arsenal are poised to pinch ex-Manchester United fitness guru Tony Strudwick, according to reports.
It is the latest step in Mikel Arteta’s huge backroom overhaul after a dismal campaign for the Gunners.
According to the Mirror, Strudwick is to take a role as academy head of sports science and medicine at Arsenal.
Strudwick will leave his job as head of sports science and medicine at Sheffield Wednesday to work for the Gunners.
He spent seven years at Old Trafford earlier in his career, working as a first-team coach before moving to head of athletic development.
TAKING THE BISS
Brighton admit Arsenal target Yves Bissouma could leave the club this summer… for the right price.
Owner Tony Bloom 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. I foresee the vast majority to be here at the beginning of next season.”
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
