Arsenal transfer news

WHAT do Arsenal need to even get close to Manchester City again?Because it feels harsh, but fair, to state that Mikel Arteta’s team are more likely to finish fifth than first next season.
Arsenal are likely to fall just short of the Premier League trophyCredit: Getty
Arsenal are a young team under a young manager, who are only likely to improve.
They led the Premier League for the vast majority of the campaign and provided a thrilling challenge to Pep Guardiola’s champions only to be comprehensively outplayed by them twice.
Yet Newcastle’s Geordie Arabia revolution will certainly become mightier still.
Manchester United’s sale can strengthen Erik ten Hag’s squad.
READ MORE ON ARSENAL
Liverpool, with a midfield refurb, will surely become more consistent and, under Mauricio Pochettino, Chelsea will be back in the mix.
Villa and Brighton are excellent teams on the up and, who knows, Spurs might even find the right manager to compete.
OK, maybe that last one sounds a bit far-fetched but you catch my drift — it’s going to get tougher.
Arsenal will upgrade their midfield with Declan Rice or Brighton’s Moises Caicedo.
Most read in Football
CASINO SPECIAL – BEST ONLINE CASINOS FOR 2023
And a better back-up centre-half than Rob Holding or Jakub Kiwior is also essential because the injury to William Saliba has cost them dearly.
But is that enough to challenge City again? It’s doubtful.
No, Arsenal need an elite centre-forward. And those are not easy to come by.
It is not that the Gunners have been light on goals, their Premier League total of 83 is well clear of anyone other than City, and they have four players in double figures — Gabriel Martinelli, Martin Odegaard, Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Jesus.
With ten goals in 24 league games, Jesus has done reasonably well. But  Arsenal’s collapse coincided with the Brazilian’s return from a long-term injury and when Arteta threw the dice at 1-0 down to Brighton on Sunday, he hauled him off.
Jesus, a serial title winner at City, is a fine player. He can operate on the wing and, in 2020, he was man of the match as a wing-back in a Champions League victory over Real Madrid at the Bernabeu.
But there was a reason that Pep Guardiola did not often employ Jesus at centre-forward, even when he did not have another specialist option.
Jesus is not an authentic, focal-point No 9. Indeed, No 9 might not even be his best position.
Arsenal are unlikely to sign Ivan ToneyCredit: Getty
Harry Kane is another top forward that would not sign for ArsenalCredit: Alamy
The sickener for Arsenal is the best two oven-ready Premier League centre-forwards, Harry Kane and Ivan Toney, are unavailable to them.
It’s weird that Kane to Chelsea is a possibility but Kane to Arsenal isn’t. Spurs’ rivalry with Chelsea is — in the boardroom and dressing room — more bitter than with the Gunners.
But even though he spent a season at Arsenal’s academy, Tottenham’s all-time top scorer would not ‘do a Sol Campbell’.
And Brentford striker Toney, who would improve Arteta’s squad, is a non-starter.
Firstly, he has a lengthy ban for breaking betting rules hanging over his head — and how ridiculous is it that Toney’s punishment remains on hold months after he admitted multiple offences?
Secondly, Toney has a very real, on-going feud with Arsenal’s players fuelled by a series of social media posts.
Toney’s ‘Nice kickabout with the boys’ tweet, when Brentford defeated the Gunners in August 2021, has been returned by Arsenal players more than once and Toney has called their responses ‘cringeworthy’.
Away from the Premier League, the pickings are slim.
Victor Osimhen seems out of reach for the GunnersCredit: Getty
Napoli’s Victor Osimhen is the stand-out but, even if the Nigerian leaves this summer, he would surely be beyond the Gunners in terms of finances and status.
Look around Europe’s major leagues and there is no other obvious ‘next Erling Haaland’.
The top two scorers in LaLiga, for example, are 35-year-old Karim Benzema and Robert Lewandowski, who turns 35 in August.
Lautaro Martinez, of Inter Milan, is a target for Pochettino’s Chelsea but in Argentina’s World Cup-winning squad he was second choice to Julian Alvarez,   Haaland’s back-up man at City.
That is what Arsenal are up against.
They are competing with the best squad, the best manager, the best scorer in the world, financed by a nation-state accused of bending rules.
Read More on The Sun
So here is a prediction to be filed under ‘I really hope I’m wrong here but…’
Arteta’s Arsenal have already blown the best chance they will ever have of winning the title. More

ARSENAL are reportedly ready to offload up to TEN stars this summer to fund the £170m signings of Declan Rice and Moises Caicedo.Despite seeing their title challenge explode over recent weeks, Gunners chiefs have given boss Mikel Arteta the green light for a huge summer splurge.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has got the green light for a huge spending spendCredit: Richard Pelham / The Sun
West Ham’s Declan Rice is a top summer target for the GunnersCredit: Reuters
The Spaniard is desperate to bolster his midfield and has made West Ham’s Rice and Brighton’s Caicedo his top targets.
The pair could cost around £170m and he is also believed to want two new defenders as well as another attack.
Arsenal may renew interest in Raphinha, who snubbed them for Barcelona last summer, and have been linked with Bayer Leverkusen winger Moussa Diaby.
And Chelsea contract rebel Mason Mount is another name mentioned as a possible transfer target.
READ MORE ARSENAL
Now The Times says that his summer recruitment will be part-funded by player sales that Arteta hopes will bring in £100m to bolster the coffers.
Club-record signing Nicolas Pepe, 27, is currently on-loan at Nice and he is one of those that will be put up for sale.
This report also states that Granit Xhaka “could be among the biggest names to depart” too.
The Swiss midfielder has already been linked with a return to the Bundesliga with Bayer Leverkusen.
Most read in Football
CASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERS
Meanwhile, Folarin Balogun, despite his impressive goalscoring form while on-loan at Reims, is another likely to be sold.
And it also claims that Kieran Tierney, Emile Smith Rowe, Rob Holding, Ainsley Maitland-Niles, Albert Sambi Lokonga, Nuno Tavares and Cedric Soares are the others that Arteta is looking to offload.
Arsenal also want Brighton midfielder Moises CaicedoCredit: Getty More

PIERS MORGAN called for Arsenal to make five world-class signings if his beloved Gunners hope to “actually win major trophies”.Mikel Arteta’s side limped to a 3-0 home defeat to Brighton on Sunday, meaning Manchester City can be crowned Premier League champions as early as Saturday.
Arsenal were humiliated by Brighton on Sunday as their title dreams crashedCredit: Getty Images – Getty
Arsenal-mad Piers is convinced Arsenal need five major signings to win silverware next season.Credit: Reuters
Despite Arsenal having topped the table for a staggering 93 per cent of the season so far, City can secure their fifth title in six seasons against Chelsea this weekend.
Should Arsenal lose at relegation-threatened Nottingham Forest, Pep Guardiola’s team will be crowned champions without having to play.
Arsenal-mad Piers was furious in the wake of Sunday’s thrashing at home to Brighton, and called for five major signings for the Gunners to compete for silverware next season.
Taking to Twitter on Tuesday morning, he said: “If Arsenal want to actually win major trophies next season, here is my shopping list… and we need all of them.
READ MORE ON ARSENAL
“Min-Jae, Caicedo, Rice, Mitoma, Osimhen or Vlahovic.”
Napoli defender Kim Min-Jae has played 43 times in all competitions for the Serie A champions this season, and is rumoured to have a release clause between £43million and £52million.
Both Moises Caicedo and Declan Rice have been tipped for a move to the Emirates this season.
The Gunners had offers of £60m and £70m for the Brighton star knocked back in January, while West Ham captain Rice is also expected to move on in the summer.
Most read in Football
BETTING SPECIAL – BEST NO DEPOSIT CASINO OFFERS
Arsenal are prepared to offer Rice a deal worth £300,000-a-week, with Hammers boss David Moyes admitting last week that there is a “good chance” the England midfielder will leave the club this summer.
Fellow Brighton midfielder Mitoma has caught the eye this season, chipping in with seven goals and four assists.
Victor Osimhen, meanwhile, is Serie A top scorer with 23 goals in 29 games.
He has been linked with a host of top clubs throughout the season as both Chelsea and Man Utd seek to bolster their attacking ranks.
Dusan Vlahovic – Piers’ final must-have star – has just 10 goals this season but, according to La Gazzetta dello Sport, is frustrated at Juventus.
SunSport columnist Piers’ suggestions were welcomed by fellow Arsenal fans, with one saying: “You need to train Arsenal from next season.”
Another added: “Caicedo and Rice probably are the no brainers.” More

ARSENAL are reportedly set to open talks with West Ham over a move for Declan Rice – and they are willing to smash their transfer record.The Gunners’ record signing is still Nicolas Pepe, who arrived for £72million in 2019.
Arsenal are ready to bid £90million for Declan RiceCredit: Reuters
But Arsenal are set for another summer of big spending after qualifying for the Champions League for the first time since 2016.
And top of Mikel Arteta’s wishlist is Hammers captain Declan Rice.
The midfielder is being eyed by Manchester United and Manchester City but Arsenal are prepared to splash £90m to bring him to North London, report the Daily Mail.
West Ham have set Rice’s asking price at £100m, despite the England international’s contract expiring next year.
READ MORE ON ARSENAL
However Arsenal appear reluctant to match that valuation, though would be prepared to offer Rice a deal worth £300,000 a week.
Bukayo Saka is also set to earn £300,000-a-week after agreeing terms on a new deal which is set to be announced soon.
It is believed there will be changes to the club’s wage structure as Edu and co. look to attract players who can help Arsenal push on once again.
And the Gunners are also prepared to sell players to raise funds, including midfield maestro Granit Xhaka who was also tipped to move last summer.
Most read in Football
BETTING SPECIAL – BEST NO DEPOSIT CASINO OFFERS
Bundesliga outfit Bayer Leverkusen are said to be eyeing the Swiss and Arsenal could let him go for around £15m.
As well as Rice, Arsenal are believed to be plotting moves for Crystal Palace centre-back Marc Guehi and Leverkusen winger Moussa Diaby. More