Arsenal track £13.5m Lokonga, Onana interest LATEST, Gunners lead Sterling race, Odegaard £50m price tag

FAN’S VIEW

Kieran Tierney’s unfamiliar Scotland role can propel him towards the Arsenal captaincy.

The left-back is set to play in a central position as part of a back three at the Euros.

And carrying such huge responsibility can set Tierney on the path to becoming Arsenal’s new vocal leader.

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EXCLUSIVE BY JOSHUA JONES

William Gallas believes Mikel Arteta’s time at Arsenal is OVER.

Branding the Spaniard’s appointment a ‘mistake’, Gallas told SunSport: “Mikel Arteta was not ready yet to manage a club like Arsenal.

“OK, he was assistant coach at Manchester City. But he had never managed a team. It is completely different.

“The board made a mistake picking him. I’m sure he will be a great manager but you need to have experience to manage a big club.

“To be honest, it is a great shame for the Arsenal fans after finishing eighth.

“Arsenal is not the same Arsenal we knew 18, 20 years ago. We had players who were strong with strong personalities.”

LION HEARTS

Gareth Southgate will have a limited squad to choose from when England face Austria tonight.

Stars from Chelsea, Man United and Man City are set to be given the evening off after their European exploits.

And that could see Arsenal winger Bukayo Saka start in attack after he was named in Southgate’s Euros squad.

ODE TO JOY

Martin Odegaard could be allowed to return to Arsenal next season on loan, according to reports.

Odegaard spent the second half of the campaign on loan to the Gunners from Real Madrid and manager Mikel Arteta wants to sign him on a permanent deal.

The 22-year-old playmaker impressed at the Emirates but his future will depend on new boss Carlo Ancelotti, who replaced Zinedine Zidane.

According to reports in Spain, the Norway international will be allowed to head out on loan again, but it all depends on which other players leave the club first

ROUD-TING FOR OLIVIER

Arsenal legend Thierry Henry has warned Chelsea not to let Olivier Giroud go in the summer.

Henry told Goal: “In the past three or four years it seems like he’s struggling for starts with his team at club level, but whenever he plays – whether it’s at club level or in the national team – he often delivers.

“Olivier is the type of striker that is kind of dying right now. The old school, holding the ball up, passing the ball to the winger, getting into the box and breaking your neck to score with a header.

“But what I like is how he puts people in a game. He’s very good, he will give the assist sometimes when you link up with him on a one-two”

TAP OUT

Arsenal have pulled out of the bidding war to sign Bayer Leverkusen defender Edmond Tapsoba

According to the Daily Express, Tapsoba has been closely linked with the Gunners as manager Mikel Arteta is looking to strengthen his defence.

However, the north Londoners’ hopes of signing him seem to have ran out because they cannot afford Leverkusen’s financial demands.

Chelsea and Manchester United are also interested in signing the Burkina Faso international

SHEAR THING

Premier League Hall of Famer Alan Shearer has praised Arsenal ace Bukayo Saka and compared him with Chelsea’s Mason Mount.

Shearer told the Premier League’s YouTube channel: “Next on our shortlist is Bukayo Saka. This lad has been played all across this Arsenal team, excelling at left-back, in midfield and on the wing.

“Like Mason Mount, his end product needs to be worked on, but he makes up for that with crisp passing and fantastic defensive work.

“The question with Saka is what is his best position? He’s got what it takes to have a great career, but where will we see the best of him going forward?”

WOW FACTOR

Arsenal legend Thierry Henry heaped praise on Bukayo Saka, with whom he worked during his brief spell as the Gunners’ Under-18s manager.

Henry told Goal: “You could see that he wanted to run at people, he wanted the ball, he was brave on the ball.

“It was too early to tell and when I saw him breaking into the first team because it was after I left.

“I was like: Wow, it’s amazing. I always liked the attitude of the kid, his commitment. And what I like about him is he cares about his club, and he will do whatever to make sure that the team wins”

SAK ATTACK

Arsenal have congratulated their young winger Bukayo Saka on his PFA nomination.

Saka has been nominated for the Men’s PFA Young Player of the Year award.

The 19-year-old enjoyed an impressive season which saw him amassing seven goals and 10 assists in 46 matches across all competitions.

The England international is now set for action in Euro 2020

PFA AWARDS

Arsenal ace Bukayo Saka has been nominated for the Men’s PFA Young Player of the Year award.

Saka has been named on the shortlist alongside some of the Premier League’s top young stars.

Liverpool ace Trent Alexander-Arnold, West Ham star Declan Rice, Chelsea player Mason Mount, Manchester City wonderkid Phil Foden and Manchester United’s Mason Greenwood also made the shortlist.

A major representation for the Gunners after a turbulent season

ONANA STATEMENT

Ajax have released a statement in regards to their goalkeeper Andre Onana, who has been linked with a move to Arsenal.

The goalkeeper went through a four-hour hearing at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) on Wednesday morning and was assisted by his lawyers and the club.

Part of Ajax’s statement read: “Onana was able to convey his story well and the arbitrators took ample time to listen to his it. He has asked the CAS remove the sentence that has been placed on him, or at least for a sentence considerably shorter than the twelve months imposed.

“During the period of suspension, the goalkeeper may not participate in any sporting activity and must train on his own. He has made it clear that this is difficult for him.

“UEFA’s position has not changed. The European Football Association wants the CAS to maintain the 12-month suspension ruling. It is not yet known when the CAS decision will be announced”

O-KAY

Bukayo Saka is the only Arsenal ace to be included in England boss Gareth Southgate’s final 26-man squad for Euro 2020.

Saka made it in despite widespread expectation he would be one of the seven dropped from the initial 33-man group.

The young wide man is set for a head to head with Gunners team-mate Kieran Tierney when England face Scotland at Wembley on June 18.

The 19-year-old can offer Southgate solutions in defence and attack

NOT IN THE RAY-IN

Arsenal are no longer interested in signing Brentford goalkeeper David Raya.

Raya has long been linked with a move to the Gunners and was thought to have a £10million release clause if the Bees failed to achieve promotion to the Premier League this season.

However, Brentford made it to the top flight after beating Swansea 2-0 in the play-off final.

That means Arsenal may look elsewhere for goalkeeping options or just sign Mat Ryan on a permanent deal

WIZARD OF OD

Arsenal’s chances of signing Martin Odegaard on a permanent deal will depend on the change of leadership at Real Madrid.

Carlo Ancelotti left Everton and returned to Real as Zinedine Zidane’s replacement at the helm.

Odegaard joined Los Blancos in 2015 during Ancelotti’s first stint at the Santiago Bernabeu.

However, the Italian described the young playmaker’s arrival as a “PR” stunt.

Ancelotti wrote in his book Quiet Leadership: “When Florentino [Perez] buys a Norwegian footballer, you simply have to accept it.

“Furthermore, the president decided that he would play three games with the first team as a public relations exercise.

“He could be the best player in the world, but I don’t care because he was not a player who I asked for. That signing was to do with PR”

BAD GALL

Former Arsenal star William Gallas believes the Gunners “made a mistake” picking Mikel Arteta as their manager.

Gallas told SunSport: “Mikel Arteta was not ready yet to manage a club like Arsenal. OK, he was assistant coach at Manchester City. But he had never managed a team. It is completely different.

“The board made a mistake picking him. I’m sure he will be a great manager but you need to have experience to manage a big club.

“To be honest, it is a great shame for the Arsenal fans after finishing eighth.

“Arsenal is not the same Arsenal we knew 18, 20 years ago. We had players who were strong with strong personalities”

YOUNG BUK

England boss Gareth Southgate has praised Arsenal star Bukayo Saka for his incredible performances and character despite a difficult season at the Emirates.

Southgate said: “Firstly he’s performed exceptionally well for us and performed well in a team that’s had a difficult season.

“Sometimes young players can go into teams that are playing well and flourish. He’s gone into a team that have had a tough season and have really played with character as well as skill.

“Again we saw when he had to come on in Belgium [last autumn] real personality in his performance. His adaptability, the fact he can play four or five different positions is a real plus for us”

ON HOLD

Arsenal are going to lodge a bid for Ajax goalkeeper Andre Onana only if his appeal is successful, according to Football London.

Onana was handed a 12-month suspension in February after the banned substance Furosemide was found in his system.

In a statement, Ajax claimed the 25-year-old had accidentally taken one of his wife’s pills while feeling unwell.

The Dutch champions and the Cameroon international have appealed the decision which could play a big role in his final transfer fee.

HAVING SOUM DOUBTS

Arsenal have reportedly discovered a cheaper alternative to Brighton star Yves Bissouma during the summer transfer window.

The Gunners are keeping tabs on Anderlecht midfielder Albert Sambi Lokonga.

Sambi Lokonga could be available for just £11million in the summer.

Bissouma continues to top their transfer target list but Brighton’s asking price is going to play a major role in upcoming negotiations

MAR-CHING ORDERS

Marseille are eyeing Arsenal duo William Saliba and Matteo Guendouzi this summer.

Reports suggest L’OM had already shown interest in Guendouzi, who spent the season on loan to Hertha Berlin.

However, Saliba has just been included in their target list amid the ongoing summer transfer window.

Nice are also keen on re-signing the Arsenal defender after his loan stint at the Allianz Riviera.

CATCHER IN THE RY

Mat Ryan is likely to join Arsenal on a permanent basis in the summer transfer window.

Ryan completed a loan move to the Gunners from Brighton during the January transfer window.

The north Londoners have ended their interest in Brentford goalkeeper David Raya, following the Bees’ promotion to the Premier League at the weekend.

This paves the way for the 29-year-old goalkeeper to continue playing as Bernd Leno’s back-up at the Emirates, according to Football London

REYES TRIBUTE

Arsenal paid an emotional tribute to former player Jose Antonio Reyes.

Yesterday marked the second year since Reyes’ tragic death following a car accident at the age of 35.

The Spanish great spent three years at the Gunners, one of which saw him being loaned out to Real Madrid.

The former Spain international amassed a total of 23 goals and 25 assists in 110 appearances across all competitions for the north Londoners

OD BID

Real Madrid could value Martin Odegaard at £50million during ths summer transfer window.

Odegaard spent the second half of the season on loan at Arsenal and shone bright.

Gunners manager Mikel Arteta would like to keep the playmaker and sign him on a permanent deal.

However, Real seem to still be rating the Norway international and would demand a hefty fee to let him go

PLACING A CAL

Arsenal are interested in signing AC Milan star Hakan Calhanoglu in the summer transfer window.

According to Tuttosport, the Gunners are looking to sign Calhanoglu in a free transfer after the playmaker and Milan failed to agree new terms.

The Turkey international is being tipped as Martin Odegaard’s replacement at No10.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta wants to keep Odegaard but the Norway international is likely to return to Real Madrid after the end of his loan spell at the Emirates

COME AND GET HEEM

Arsenal are leading the race to sign Manchester City star Raheem Sterling in the summer transfer window.

Sterling has dropped down the pecking order at City after the emergence of Phil Foden.

Manager Pep Guardiola is looking to sign a top striker, such as Tottenham superstar Harry Kane, that will help the Citizens finally win the Champions League trophy.

However, City will have to raise funds after losing Sergio Aguero on a free transfer to Barcelona and thus the likes of Sterling, Gabriel Jesus and Riyad Mahrez look set to be sold in the summer

ON IT

Arsenal are reportedly keeping tabs on Ajax goalkeeper Andre Onana, despite his recent ban.

Onana was handed a 12-month suspension in February after the banned substance Furosemide was found in his system.

In a statement, Ajax claimed the 25-year-old had accidentally taken one of his wife’s pills while feeling unwell.

The Dutch champions and the Cameroon international have appealed the decision which could play a big role in his final transfer fee.

According to NOS, Arsenal will be able to land him for a bargain £1.7million fee if his ban is upheld.

If Onana’s suspension is shortened or overturned, then the Gunners will be forced to splash £7.75m